Archive of Our Own

Wildfire To Their Embers

Sakura was sitting on the grass just inside Konoha’s forest with a small basket of berries she had just picked, book open in front of her. The trees around her were sparse, a few every meter or so. The ground was a mixture of grass and moss, and it was much cooler in the forest than it was in town. She was glad her parents decided to take a week-long vacation out of town; she liked visiting her grandparents because they lived in nature, away from the concrete roads and tall glass buildings.

The pink-haired girl was barely thirty meters into the forest, just enough to be sheltered away from the view of her parents and any other children who might’ve stumbled around.

The book in front of her was about edible fruits and plants and their healing compounds. She was busy closely comparing the picture on the current page with the berry in her hand. She had just taken a bite when she was interrupted.

"Should you be eating that?" came a young boy’s voice, and she turned around in surprise.

The boy’s look differed against the bright colors around her with eyes the deepest shade of black and hair short and curly, also the same shade as his eyes. He was standing by a tree eying her curiously, hands tucked into the pockets of his pants.

"I am just following the pictures." She shrugged after looking around to see where the voice came from. She didn't recognize the boy, but she could tell he looked slightly older than her.

"And if you poison yourself, are there pictures for that too?" he asked, sitting by her and looking from the berries to her book.

She watched him join her before shrugging again, "Well, there is a recipe for the antidotes."

"Which one have you tried?" he asked, picking a berry from the basket. "If I get poisoned then you'll have to answer to my parents," he continued, turning the book around to face him as he inspected the berry.

She watched him, "Well, you don't have to eat them."   

He laughed looking from the berry to her, "What is your name?"

"Sakura," she smiled. "Yours?"

He suddenly stood up and looked over his shoulder, a small frown crossing his face for a moment before it was replaced with a careless grin.

She looked up from her book before meeting his eyes as he said, “Till next time pinky, gotta go.”

Her eyes fell away from his, facing forward instead as she saw another figure standing in the lush grassy field. His look stood out among the greenery around her, pieces of raven dark hair falling over the sides of his temples as his sleek ponytail tousled around in the summer breeze.

Their eyes met briefly before he turned away, his eyes looking at the other boy expectantly without saying a word. The other boy near Sakura moved away, step by step as he approached the other figure.

“Let’s go.” She heard a faint voice in the distance say, as both of them disappeared from her vision.

It was the day they both laid their eyes on her.

Wildfire To Their Embers

Sakura turned a page in her Poison or Not? book with her right hand as her left reached into the box of saltine crackers snacks on the bench to her left. It was hard to read outside with the wind blowing, the dogs barking, and other kids playing, but mama said she needed to get some sun. She compromised by bringing her book with her to the park. She was close to the more interesting part that describes how even the tree sap could cause blindness when her entire vision went out as a warm, fluffy body tackled her, knocking her spine and the back of her head painfully against the curved wooden panels of the bench.

She was still seeing stars when a set of hurried steps came over, and one warm hand brushed her side to pull off the beast that buried her.

“Are you okay?”

She half thought she was imagining the soft spoken question. Blinking to get rid of the spots behind her eyelids, she looked down at one of the prettiest boys she'd seen outside of Hinata’s cousin. With his straight black hair loosely tied in a side ponytail and gentle, concerned eyes staring up at her while his arms hugged the huge dog, preventing it from jumping around, he looked like a prince from one of her old fairy tales.

He repeated his question, and she shook her head rapidly to clear her thoughts, one hand reaching behind her to rub the throbbing part.

“Umm…. I'm okay,” she mumbled, looking down her lap to evade his observant, slightly doubting expression. Her shyness evaporated when she saw her book. The next few pages! It was folded all over, and one part was slightly torn!

The distressed sound she made as she carefully fingered the creases and tried to keep the page together caught his attention, and a contrite wince came at the sight of the sad state of the book. His grip on the dog loosened lightly, and it almost made another lunge at the crackers on the bench when he re-tightened his hold with a well placed command of, “Tomato, stop!”

Sakura was startled at the reprimand and quickly closed her book, not wanting to risk it getting any more torn. The deep woof that came from the dog was adorable, now that she had time to process everything. But…

“Tomato?” It was her turn to ask the question considering that the large dog in front of her was golden brown instead of any shade of red.

“Hm?” The older boy looked confused before understanding came over his face. “Ah, yes. He bit into a basket of tomatoes when he arrived as a puppy, so we called him Tomato. He tends to go over to anyone with food. I'm sorry that he drooled all over your crackers...and destroyed your book.”

Sakura’s cheeks puffed into a pout at the reminder of her book, but it was hard to remain angry when she looked at the dog facing her, panting with his tongue out and tail wagging. Her own fingers twitched at the tempation to cuddle with the dog

“I'll forgive you if I can pat Tomato.” The boy's shoulder relaxed, and he nudged the dog forward a little bit closer to her. Sakura tensed for a bit, not used to being around such a big dog, but an adoring smile came over her face when Tomato nuzzled her palm, and she moved her book to the side to kneel on the floor, running her hands across the soft, fluffy fur. Giggles erupted from her lips when Tomato, sensing a new playmate, placed his paws on her shoulders and gave her a long, slobbery lick to the cheek.

Itachi chuckled lightly and sat on the now empty bench, remembering to leash the dog so he wouldn’t run off again while playing with the younger girl.

“Do you bring him to the park often?” The girl asked him a little while later when she was feeding the crackers to the dog.

“If it's my turn to walk him. My family prefers going to the forested area near our place when it's their turn.”

“Oh.” Sakura couldn't hide the disappointment in her voice at not being able to see the dog anymore.

“I usually walk him every other week, so you can play with him if you're here.” Itachi leaned forward to stroke a hand over the dog’s back, acting nonchalant even though he wanted to smile at the little excited jump the girl gave at the prospect of seeing Tomato again.

“Okay! I'll be here! Also, my name is Sakura. Haruno Sakura.”

The beam he was given was as blinding as the sun, and he couldn't help but give a tender smile back.

“It's nice to meet you, Sakura-san. I'm Uchiha Itachi.”

Wildfire To Their Embers

“C’mon, Sakura-chan! Hurry up!” Sakura let herself be dragged down the hallway. It was a stroke of good luck that her dad’s job moved them back to Konoha, allowing her to attend the same school as her second cousin. Naruto’s antics seemed normal in this school, considering that the other students absentmindedly shifted to give them way. She barely needed to swerve her body to avoid bumping into anyone.

They had to suddenly brake, though, when Naruto turned the corner and slammed straight into a group of guys milling about.

“What the -?!” A choked off voice was cut off when Naruto’s forehead slammed straight into his chin. The boy staggered back and held his chin, slightly doubling over, which emphasized the unusual spike of black hair behind his head. After a slight hiss at the bruising hit, he glared at the blond who was also clutching his head in pain. “DOBE! Would you watch where you’re going?!”

At the insult, Naruto stood defensively, ignoring the little buildup of tears at the pain, and pointed at the three loitering students. 

“It’s not my fault you three decided to stand right at the corner!” And with that, the two went off on one of their usual argument and pissing contests, not noticing Sakura bowing in apology to the other two students who were just smirking at their relative’s suffering.

“Ah, Sakura-san. It’s nice to see you again.” A quiet voice greeted her, and she froze in astonishment. She recognised that low timbre. It took all she had to prevent her entire face from flaming up, but she was sure everyone could see the blush slowly creeping up the sides of her neck and up her ears. 

“Ah…Itachi-san. Yes, I...I just moved back recently.” She shyly played with her hair as her eyes met his and quickly shifted away at his smiling visage. “Umm….How’s Tomato?”

She wanted to hit herself for blurting out the first thing that came to mind, but if she didn’t ask about the dog, she might start waxing poetry about how they were fated to meet again after years of separation. It’s just a baby crush. A baby crush.

Itachi’s reply got cut off when a head swooped down to meet her lowered eyes.

“Poison girl?” The teasing grin made her shift back to stare at the new guy. He moved so that he was slouching with his hands in his pockets, the white uniform creased and a little untucked. But what really drew her in was the twinkling eyes and engaging expression, inviting her follow into his orbit.

Though, she didn’t really know why he was calling her ‘poison girl’. Had they met before? She furrowed her eyebrows in deep thought, but was unable to place him.

“Am I really that forgettable?” Shisui clutched his chest in betrayal, ignoring the nonplussed look from Itachi and the eye roll from Sasuke, who finally stopped squabbling with Naruto to pay attention to the scene. Naruto, curious as to how the Uchihas knew his cousin, was willing to wait out the drama. Shisui acting over the top was always a good show.

“How could you not remember our meeting? Wasn’t it destined? Didn’t you feel it? Our encounter in the woods. The breeze was cool, the birds were chirping, and the fruits of the season shined under the sun as you took them from their natural habitat and cruelly bit into their flesh.”

Halfway through that dramatic storytelling, complete with hand gestures worthy of a stage play, Sakura finally remembered the rude boy who tried to stop her experiments, and all she gave him was an unimpressed, droll look.

“Ah, yes.” She crossed her arms. “The rude boy that didn’t even bother introducing himself after disturbing me.”

“Oh!” One hand went up to slap his forehead in remembrance. “Of course, my name is Uchiha Shisui. At your service.”

He ended his introduction with a flamboyant bow and a flirtatious wink, drooping slightly at the raised eyebrow he got in return. Unfazed, he pulled himself back up and hooked an arm around Itachi’s shoulders.

“And you know about our adorable Tomato! I can’t believe Itachi never bothered to introduce you to us.” The nudging insinuation to his cousin accompanied by the waggle of his eyebrows made Sakura squint at Itachi, trying to discern if… could it be possible?

But Itachi was like a rock. He just bumped his shoulder against his cousin’s chest with a reprimand and went back to being the polite friend she remembered. She tried to stop the sinking weight that settled against her stomach and tried to tell herself that it was completely fine that he didn’t feel anything for her.

Now that the show was over and things were starting to get awkward, Naruto was quick to pull his cousin away with the excuse of introducing her to the rest of Konoha 11.

Wildfire To Their Embers

“I think we lost Naruto and Sasuke,” Sakura said, but she wasn’t overly bothered by the idea as she turned around to face Itachi, pulling out her phone from the small clutch she carried. A small raspberry shaped charm fell off with it, completely hanging off the device, reminding her of the very same person she was about to message.

“Anyways, don’t you think we should message Shisui? I overheard he was coming too, but he wasn’t with any of you guys when I met you all at the entrance to the park,” Sakura said as she typed out the message.

“I don’t think that’s a wise idea, Sakura,” Itachi said, his tone soft, but it had a tinge of hesitation to it. He didn’t feel like telling her for some reason. 

“Nonsense,” Sakura said, shrugging it off completely as she laced her fingers around Itachi’s wrist, pulling him through the crowded area. Deep inside, she couldn’t help but feel happy that somehow Sasuke and Naruto casually got lost, probably due to the fact Naruto once again got distracted by something silly. Still, it gave her some alone time with Itachi, though she couldn’t help but feel like something was missing. 

“Sakura, you should really reconsider,” Itachi’s voice was all but muffled in the background as he stared into her back.

“Fireworks are going to start soon, we should find them before that.” She continued tearing through the crowd until she abruptly stopped in the middle of it. Her eyes widened as her hold on Itachi’s wrist loosened completely, her hand fell to her side like dead weight.

Forest-green irises widened as they saw just outside the main park road, Shisui standing with a girl. She had linked her arm around his, and it seemed like she was gently coaxing him to follow her down the side path that led to a hill overlooking the center of the park.

He gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek before pulling out his phone from the pocket, most likely checking the message he just received from Sakura.

At exactly that moment, something within her broke, her eyes filling with burning tears as she gripped her clutch, pulling it closer to her. Her whole body shook as she struggled to take in another breath, the cold summer breeze suddenly too hot, making her lungs feel like they were on fire.

Itachi stood behind her, noticing the way Sakura’s body was slightly shaking.

She couldn’t look at it anymore, the view in front of her was killing her, and she refused to see any more of it. Instead, she faced Itachi.

“So you knew?” she asked with a trembling voice, one filled with so much emotion it was nearly overwhelming. Her eyes were glossy under the dark sky, nearly reflecting all of the star-littered skies. It was like he could see the whole constellation painted within those green irises.

As much as she looked vulnerable at the moment, he also found her dazzlingly beautiful, like a falling star from the sky that was so close, yet still unreachable to his grasp. 

Itachi knew it was a bad idea to let her come here, but he couldn’t deny his own selfish needs. He wanted to spend time with her too. He wanted her all to himself.

“I did,” he admitted, voice softening even more, solely just for her.

Itachi put on the strongest facade he could, to conceal how much everything they were discussing crushed him - being so close to Sakura and wondering whether she felt the same way he did about her. Itachi desperately wanted to erase the aching he saw in her eyes, but the prospect of possibly watching her with Shisui made him feel sick to his stomach.

However, deep down, the prospect of losing Sakura entirely terrified him even more. 

“Why are you two always hiding everything from me?!” There it was, the tears of frustration that finally spilled over, her hands clutched against his chest as she sobbed quietly, inhaling Itachi’s scent that somewhat calmed her. 

She felt his warm hands wrapping around her petite form, pulling her in, then she felt a soft rustle of sleek raven hair that ghosted over her wet cheek but disappeared just as quickly.  

“The fireworks are going to start soon, let’s go.” He whispered softly into her ear as he leaned over, and pulled her away from the crowd, away with him.

It wasn’t long before they reached a less crowded area, he sat her down on the bench, and frankly enough it was also a perfect place to see the fireworks, that just started erupting in the background.

The light speckles from fireworks bathed them in a warm glow, and he took a second to take in her presence next to him - her thoughtful, albeit sad eyes, calming voice, wise face. Her eyes stared into the sky, almost dull, but still full of that rich color. The summer night’s breeze tousled her long hair around her and up into the sky, it almost looked silver instead of the pale pink he was so used to seeing.

The answer to his conflict suddenly became blindingly clear. Even if he couldn't love her romantically, he still wanted to be her friend, if that was even possible at all. He always told her to trust her gut, so why not take his own advice?

He didn’t want to walk away from this woman, no matter how much it pained him. Itachi watched Sakura’s eyes fill with a quiet resolve, and felt immensely grateful that she didn't want to walk away either. 

Instead, she slowly turned her face to him, fireworks still continuously exploding in the background, the sound reverberating through their chests, but all he could see at that moment was her face. Pained and raw.

“I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have reacted like that, it’s not any of my business. I guess I just felt hurt by the fact that he couldn’t tell me directly, we are friends after all,” she said before turning away again, but her words carried way more meaning than she ever gave them credit for.

“You have a right to feel hurt,” he said instead, leaning over to her without noticing it himself, inching closer to the image that was fingertips away from his reach.

"You wouldn’t say that if you knew what’s going on inside my head." She felt foolishly near tears again but kept her eyes glued to the fireworks in the distance.

“Then tell me,” he said as he closed the distance between them. His breath fell over her exposed neck, causing shivers in its wake. She turned her head in surprise only to meet his dark gaze fixed on her.

“It would ruin our friendship,” she insisted, her eyes falling to his slightly open lips involuntarily. 

"So, what are we going to do about it? You leave and we pretend this conversation never happened?” His breath tickled her, igniting all sorts of senses within her, and she nearly gasped, wanting to let out all of those pent up emotions.

He stared at her lips as she mumbled a weak, “Maybe.” 

Shit. How he wished these weren't the circumstances, because things weren’t going to get any easier. Only more complicated.

She looked at him, expecting a response, but he stared at her, feeling the enormity of that statement sink in.

He slowly cupped her cheek, giving her a chance to move away if she ever wished to do so, but she didn’t, she stayed still, eyes lost within the abyss of darkness that surrounded them. 

The sounds from fireworks and the voices of people passing by became muffled until she couldn’t focus on anything else but him.

He drew even closer, ready to close the last few inches that separated their lips from each other, but his eyes suddenly flew open and he drew away instantly, his warm touch gone just like that.

She shook out of her daze, seeing Itachi’s bewildered expression as he moved away from her as if burned. She tossed a look over her shoulder and stilled in place when she saw Shisui.

He was looking at them both, eyes full of surprise, and was there something else too? She couldn’t tell.

The reality of their feelings filled the air with a crushing, defeated silence.

Suddenly, Sakura was conscious of the world around her yet again - the noisy park, cold metal bench, and the two men she loved both wholeheartedly.

Wildfire To Their Embers

Nanami tucked a strand of brown hair behind her ear as she walked beside Shisui, sneaking glances up at him from time to time. He really had the most handsome side profile, even when he was expressionless, as he was right now, there was still something about his face. The hooded eyes and patrician nose combined with his comfortable yet confident pace still turned heads wherever they went.

To be honest, it was his features that captured her attention first. After all, who wouldn’t want to go out with one of the two Uchiha cousins. They were famous amongst the girls in Konoha High. And if you were to ask her a year ago, she would probably say that she preferred Itachi over his more sociable cousin. She’s always had a thing for the quiet, soft-spoken type.

She had confessed to him as a joke. Some of her classmates saw her looking at him from time to time, and they had thought that the upbeat, helpful Nanami was head over heels for the curly-haired Uchiha. It didn’t help that when Shisui had called her out to help with a side-project for the archery club, she blushed like a ripe tomato, though it was really more of being the center of attention of the entire room than anything.

But her friends had pushed her and created all these conspiracy theories, saying that Shisui reciprocated her non-existent feelings and that she’d be taking one for the team by actually having a shoujo manga-esque relationship during high school. So she did, expecting to be rejected, and that would be the end of it.

Instead, Shisui turned it over it’s head and asked her if she wanted to go out with him. She was so shocked that only a squeaky yes came out of her lips. Then he gave her the most blinding smile that emphasized his cheekbones and mentioned he was free that weekend for a date. And that’s where it started.

They had gone on a few dates with zero expectations on her part, but the more she spent time with Shisui, the more she wanted to spend more time with him. Every meeting showed her a little bit more of him, his more serious side when she asked him about the science and theory about archery, a surprisingly observant side when he asked about her family after she made a throwaway remark about her father needing to work abroad for a few months, and even his funny personality endeared him to her even more when he tried cheering her up after a particularly hard exam which she had failed.

It was like a scene from a manga or a movie; their relationship was thriving. They were getting to know each other better, they would text or call on a regular basis, and they never even argued. For all intents and purposes, it was ideal. And each encounter just made her grow even more and more attached to him until she realised one day that she was in love. Like, not just an “I get butterflies whenever our hands touch” in love, but more of “I can see a future with him” in love.

Before dating him, she didn’t even know there was a difference. But she was looking at her parents one morning, joking around with each other while preparing breakfast one moment, and sitting down peacefully at the dining table the next, and thought, “Yes, this is the future I want with him.”

She was on cloud nine the next few days. Sure, she had exams to pass, a career form to fill out, and homework to finish, but all that seemed inconsequential compared to the epiphany she had that morning. She knew if they continued on this path, they could be able to overcome any obstacles in their way.

That was until her best friend asked her what Shisui's favorite food was. The start of her downward spiral. She thought it was just one thing they didn't really discuss or something she should have noticed during their many dates. But after jokingly waving it away, she spent the next few days reviewing all their interactions.

Every conversation they had, every cherished memory was centered around her. And all the questions she asked him about his home life were answered in short, factual sentences or the topic was evaded with a cheery joke that made her laugh and forgot what she was asking.

When she finally discovered the wall separating them, she tried her best to reach out to him. She started asking for more of his time on dates, reserving her lunch hours for him, and making herself available on weekends if he ever tried to schedule anything. Her family and friends were starting to get worried she was planning her life around him. But they didn't understand, she just needed to get past this wall and everything would be alright.

So here they were, taking a short stroll at Hashirama park. She overheard there would be a fireworks show tonight, and it may be something he would enjoy. She had linked her arm around his and gently coaxed him to follow her down the side path that led to a hill overlooking the center of the park. It should have the best view for tonight.

The thin launching sound of the fireworks didn't conceal the ping of a cell phone beside her. She glanced at him, mouth open to ask who messaged him, when she saw it.

The white light from the phone illuminated her boyfriend’s face, his mouth twisted in an attempt to smother the smile that was growing. But the affection in his eyes was clear. The fireworks exploding in the background felt like pieces of her heart as she watched him reverently tap the screen, similar to how she reacted when receiving messages from him.

Her head swiveled back up towards the sky to avoid meeting his eyes, heart pounding at the thought of him finding out what she just learned. It didn't stop her from wondering who it was he was messaging and why, if he loved another that way, why would he even ask her to go out with him. He didn't strike her as the cheating type.

They were close to walking out of the park when they came across Itachi with the pink-haired sophomore who hung out with the younger Uchiha sibling and the loud Uzumaki. They were sitting close together on a bench, each with a deer in the headlights expression on their faces when they saw Shisui, and it was obvious from how the girl leaned back they had interrupted an intimate, near-kiss moment.

The way Shisui's body tensed and the arm underneath her palm flexed said more about what he was feeling than the faux happy hello he gave to the other couple. So, this was the reason he wasn't with someone else. While the two Uchihas continued their staredown, she took the time to observe the younger girl. She was trying to hide her face under her long pink hair, but her jade eyes kept flickering back and forth between the two cousins, expression both conflicted and guilty.

She broke the standoff by tugging at Shisui, making them continue their way out of the park and back to her house where he dropped her off. When he turned to leave, she called him back.

“I think we should break up.” The words were like shards of glass up her throat, its edges all the more piercing when he didn't ask any questions or even try to fight for them, merely giving a nod and looking away.

“And, Shisui-san?” He met her eyes at the plea. “You should tell her how you feel. At least one of us should have a happy ending.”

“She doesn't feel the same way.” The self-deprecating smile that accompanied his statement struck her speechless. It was rare for Shisui to look so defeated. But she held her tongue. She was vindictive enough not to mention that it was obvious the object of his affections felt at least something for him. So she gave a tight ‘good luck’ and went into her house, rushing up to her room to cry the night away.

Wildfire To Their Embers

Sakura walked tiny circles beside the park bench where she had met Itachi, shifting her weight nervously from one foot to the next. She had tried sitting down, but the anxiousness reverberating inside her just made her even more jittery when she was idle.

She took a deep breath and shakily let it out, her right hand going into her pocket to pull out her phone, the setting sun reflecting against the little raspberry shaped charm hanging off the phone. The sound of it always made her smile, remembering the scene when Shisui tried tricking her into thinking it was actual fruit by popping it against her lips. She was sure the scar caused by her long nails clipping his arm during her revenge punch was still visible whenever he pulled up his sleeve.

She always thought she'd only have one guy in her heart. Ever since they'd met, her attention was always captured by Itachi. Even when she went to Suna for a bit, she never forgot the quiet and thoughtful boy who scheduled playdates with her just so she could tussle with their family dog.

These two years being in school with them was a revelation. Itachi didn't really change much but settled into a more serious individual that only made her affections for him grow even stronger. He still asked about her life and gave her these tiny private smiles and glances that caused her heart to flutter and had her looking for him every time she walked past places he would frequent.

His cousin, though, grew on her like ivy. It was a given that she'd see more of him considering how much time she spent making excuses to look for Itachi, and those two were practically joined at the hip. She never understood the appeal of the flirt. Yes, he was charming and outgoing, but she could say the same about Naruto, and even he didn't have the same amount of fangirls that followed the curly haired Uchiha.

However, one day, when she was looking for Itachi after their classes, she walked past the archery field thinking he'd be keeping his cousin company, and instead she came upon the rare sighting of a serious Shisui.

He was standing straight, holding a bow up with one hand while the other drew back the nocked arrow, the shadows on his face lacking the usual happy-go-lucky mien he showed the world. His hand pulled back slightly to fire the shot, and she felt that arrow hit her the same time it thudded against the target.

The gasp that involuntarily left her throat made him look back, and she was pinned in place by those dark pools. The transition of calculating steel to melting warmth stole her breath even more, and she never saw him the same again.

Somehow, in the intervening months, she had managed to become part of their duo and turned it into a trio. Yes, she had feelings for Itachi and her affections for Shisui were growing, but she was able to put that to the side and continue being a friend to both of them. If only things could remain the same…

“I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. This decision was hard, but it's important.”

A crunch of steps against the park's littered stone gravel made her come back to the present, and she quickly slapped her palms against her cheeks.

You can do this, Sakura.

“Sakura?” That same gentle lilt drifted over as Itachi emerged from the path. The breeze decided to kick up when they saw each other, which made her have to pull back her hair from her face while it only ruffled the Uchiha’s securely tied locks, giving him a more princely look.

Also, he was early. But it didn't matter. She could just wing it.

Her head tucked under her chin, and her fingers played with her hair, then the hem of her clothes. Finally, she settled on twiddling the two hands together as her mouth opened and closed in an effort to get the words out with Itachi patiently waiting, not wanting to interrupt her thought process.

She finally inhaled, fiercely met his gaze, and managed to start with “I have something to say-” when they both heard a panting breath and a harsh stomp of feet on the pavement coming their direction.

Shisui suddenly came into view and stopped in front of her, taking a bit of time to recover before greeting her with a grin.

“Sorry for being late, Saku-- Itachi?!” The two cousins looked at each other in confusion before focusing on the sophomore in unison.

“Umm… you're not late, Shisui-san,” Sakura appeased him. “Actually, it's easier now that you're here.”

Blood rushed and pumped faster in both Uchihas at that sentence. The ‘I need to tell you something’ text she'd given them with a meetup location and now with her very nervous tics made them wonder. Was she finally going to choose?

But the bated breath in their lungs froze and turned to ice, suffocating them when her message registered.

“I'm moving away.”

Wildfire To Their Embers

It wasn’t long after Sakura had left for Suna to continue her education further. She finished private school, and as years passed by she even decided to attend the university there too, which she just recently graduated from. All in all, Sakura was excited to finally start working; it was something any adult her age should be doing anyway.

Of course, during her time at Suna she had done an internship here and there, but nothing too permanent that would keep her away from Konoha if she wished to return at any time given.

And she did return, despite the looming shadows at the back of her head that she tried so hard to forget. The petal-haired woman hoped that the endless sunny days in the sandy, desert-like place would dissipate her feelings along with the scorching sun. 

After all, Sakura had missed home, she missed the greenery and lush forests that surrounded Konoha, as well as the chilly breeze that would tickle the back of her spine on cold winter nights when she’d notice the first batch of snowflakes landing on the cold concrete.

Suna, although a beautiful and unique place on its own, wasn’t a place she truly felt at home. Most of the time she felt stuck and extremely homesick.

The great skyscraper of UC Industries loomed in the distance, nearly eclipsing the early morning sun. Standing down below, Sakura craned her neck to take in the spectacle. 

“Right…clearly compensating for something,” she huffed as she hitched her bag up on her shoulder. She had applied to every finance company currently hiring, but the only company that got back to her for an immediate interview was UC Industries. The job wasn’t going to pay nearly enough to make her hell of education worth it, but she was tough; she would make the best of the situation. 

She inhaled deeply, muttering, “It’s just for a year. After that, I can do whatever I want. I just need some experience.” At least that’s what all the other companies advised in the rejection letters they sent her, despite the similar amounts of experience Sakura had previously gained.

Always a tough life for a uni graduate.

Trying to calm her nerves, she smoothed her black pencil skirt with her hands and tugged on her linen blazer. The wind had begun to pick up, and it whipped her petal hair right into her face. She instantly found herself regretting not wearing her hair up for once.

She swept it all to one side and held it in place as she straightened her shoulders, 

“Alright…here we go.” She mustered all the confidence she could and stepped through the sleek glass doors and into the marbled foyer, the clack of her heels echoing in the cavernous room.

Sakura walked up to the reception desk where a very put-together looking woman stared back at her. The thin brunette behind the desk reached for a ballpoint pen, giving Sakura a glance over. 

“Your first day?” she asked.

“Yes,” Sakura responded. “How could you tell? Is it that obvious?” She rubbed her arm.

The brunette let out a musical laugh. “Just a bit. Take a deep breath, relax. Our bosses don’t like fidgety women.”

Sakura nervously inhaled through her nose and exhaled through her mouth. “Thanks for the tip.” She smiled.

She’s dealt with worse men than those who apparently didn’t like fidgety women. Her eyes darkened for a second, reminding her of the very reason as to why she left Konoha in the first place.

The brunette smiled. “Pleasure to meet you,” she said, sticking out her hand, “my name is Ten Ten.” Sakura felt herself relax as she shook Ten Ten’s hand. 

“Haruno Sakura,” she spoke her name out with more confidence.

“Brilliant, Sakura, glad to know you will be working for us. Anyway, it’s my job to show you around, since I’m actually part of our HR team. Let me put the phone away, and I’ll give you the tour.” As she stood up from the desk, Sakura took in how tall and slender the woman really was. 

“This way.” Sakura snapped from her unexpected daze as Ten Ten came around to the front of the desk. The petal-haired woman followed the brunette to the bank of elevators to the right of the reception desk. “You’ll be working on the fifth floor with the other newcomers and their supervisors.”

Sakura only nodded slightly in understanding.

She stared at her reflection in the gold-framed mirror, which frankly enough, was one of the main pieces of the extravagant elevator. She looked like a mess thanks to the heavy breeze outside, long tendrils of dragon fruit colored hair adorning her like a veil, and it would’ve been perfectly fine if she was outside of her professional persona, but that definitely wasn’t the case for her right now.

Red lacquered nails tapped over her forearm nervously as the elevator door dinged when they finally reached the fifth floor.

As they walked through the corridor and entered through a wide glass door, they were greeted by a long-haired blonde man, whose eyes were the brightest shade of blue Sakura had ever seen, instantly reminding her of the aquamarine waters in Suna.

A certain person jumped into her head, but she shook the thought off as soon as it came. 

“Ah Ten Ten, what are you doing up here? Shouldn’t you be manning the front?” He winked at the brunette, who in return rolled her eyes at him in annoyance.

“Deidara…” She nodded her head in acknowledgment. “I’m showing Sakura around. She’s new here.” She turned to face the petal-haired woman. “Sakura this is Deidara, he will be your supervisor for the time being.”

Sakura bowed to the man saying, “Pleased to meet you Deidara-san.”

Deidara clapped her on the back and she gasped out of surprise. “No need to be so formal. We’re all family here. C’mon, let’s get you settled at your desk.” He looked over his shoulder at the tall brunette. 

“I’ll take it from here Ten Ten. You can go back downstairs… unless you want to take me up on that coffee?” He waggled his eyebrows mischievously at the brunette.

Without hesitation, she rolled her eyes again and said, “You always ask, and my answer is always the same. When will you ever tire of being turned down, Deidara?”

He chuckled out, “I’ll never get tired of being turned down by you.” He winked at her again and she shook her head in what seemed like fake disgust as she turned back to Sakura.

“Sakura, if you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to ask.” She quickly turned around, but Sakura still caught a faint blush that dusted the top of the brunette’s cheeks. She made a mental note to store this piece of information for future reference. 

With that, she stepped back onto the elevator to head back down to the lobby, leaving Sakura alone with Deidara before they further entered the department of the fifth floor.

Wildfire To Their Embers

The famous Uchiha cousins strode through the wide corridors of UC Industries, floor by floor as they inspected their staff and checked the quality of their work and attire. 

It was exactly ten minutes past eleven when they got to the fifth floor of the UC Industries headquarters building.

Itachi and Shisui barely took notice of the employees scrambling around as they made their way to the main conference room. It was a routine, but one that was always unexpected from the employees’ side of view.

Given their positions, they acknowledged some of the greetings from the employees as the duo stalked through the lobby, not one of them wanting to waste any more time before they returned to other, more important matters in their own private office at the top of the building.

They were only a few steps away from the wide glass door before Shisui stopped abruptly. His eyes caught a bright flash of pink, so familiar it almost hurt, but the image itself quickly caused his head to jerk to the side, black irises wide in surprise.

Itachi noticed his cousin’s unusual reaction; curious as to what caused it, his own eyes involuntarily followed Shisui’s.

Hand flowing up the wool of his suit, Itachi gripped his tie with a force that had him trying to shake off the image that fell upon his eyes, his breath caught at the back of his throat as he struggled to take another breath.

It couldn’t be her.

Shisui bit the inside of his cheek, the taste of iron quickly filling his mouth as he averted his gaze for just another second, if only to make sure the view before his eyes wasn’t some kind of wicked fantasy of his.

She wore black pointed court heels that adorned her small, neat feet. Matte skin-colored nylons hugged her shapely legs, the view of which stopped three inches above her knees, where the hem of her black pencil skirt brushed delicately. A black fitted blazer hugged her round shoulders, giving a tiny glimpse of the white lacy blouse she wore underneath. It contrasted heavily against her tan skin, which was more than likely a product of the scorching sun in Suna.

Petal-colored hair fell over her shoulders like the waves of soft pink he so often saw during some of his daydreams.

Sakura curiously looked up from the folder she was being given by Deidara-san, forest green irises crinkling as she gave him a full-blown smile in the middle of whatever conversation she and the blond-haired supervisor were having.

His fingertips twitched under the sleek cool metal of the doorknob as he wrapped his hand around it.

He licked his lips nervously, a habit rarely seen on his face, given the type of man he was.

“Is that… is that really her?” he asked Itachi almost cautiously, but more so he asked for plain affirmation; he wanted to confirm he wasn’t the only one seeing her, that he wasn’t so desperate for her presence that he actually became delusional.

“Yes.” Itachi’s answer was short and blunt, and as much as it was ruthless it was also almost as breathless.

“Why is she here?” Was the second question that came from Shisui’s mouth.

“If I had to guess, I’d think she’s either here as a client, or she recently started working here.” Itachi sighed, his grip on the tie loosening just enough to let him breathe again.

“And we didn’t know about it?” Shisui pressed, his hand throbbing on the smooth metal surface of the doorknob that he still held too tightly.

“We cannot be aware of every single thing that happens in our company, Shisui,” Itachi tried to reason, but he too felt mildly irritated. Well, mildly was an understatement; internally he was furious.

But it all made sense, no one knew about the past the three of them shared; no one knew of the importance she held when they looked into her eyes.

To everyone else, she was just another face, just another person, one they could easily pass on the street without blinking an eye, but to them, she was always so much more.

She belonged in the past, tucked away into the deep corners of their mind. But the past was already behind her because she was right here and right now. Awakened by the sand and ashes of the desert she came back from.

Shisui didn’t ask any more questions. Instead, he opened the glass covered door, finally walking in, Itachi following behind him.

All eyes in the room fell on the intruders as an uncomfortable silence settled within the bright room.

She was the last one to take a look, bright green eyes following her supervisor’s shocked expression, as the blond man hurried over to the two most important men in the room.

Deidara’s voice was lost somewhere in the background, an annoying ringing that got barely acknowledged with a few words from Itachi.

Their eyes locked with hers instead, abyss black in search of vivid green.

It was just their luck they witnessed the parting of her slightly glossed lips, evident surprise on her soft features, Sakura’s eyes widened as if wondering if this was one of her daydreams again.

Well fuck.

Wildfire To Their Embers

The next few months have flown by quickly since she was stuck here, working for the UC industries, or should she say working exclusively for them?

They wouldn’t leave her alone, and she knew it was pointless to even try shaking them off. With Shisui and Itachi it wasn’t an option, it was always like this, the three of them stuck together like some kind of a sandwich.

Though she found herself hardly being able to stay mad at those two, no matter how collected and calm they appeared to others in public, in reality, those two didn’t change one bit. One acted like a spoiled toddler while the other, though appearing mostly unfazed, always had something up his sleeve like a sly weasel.

Most things between the three of them stayed the same, as if they just picked up back where they left off, and unfortunately for Sakura, her feelings were also included in the package.

Sometimes she found she hated herself for all of this, for going back, for somehow making her way into their lives again by pure accident. 

It was absolute hell having to speculate about what-ifs every single minute of her existence when she was near them. The pull, the emotion, it was all still there, the long forgotten embers still smoldering somewhere deep inside her, threatening to combust one day. Though this time, she felt like she could finally put her feelings aside to truly support them, even at the cost of her own heartbreak.

After all, what is broken cannot be mended, and she truly felt it was the same for her heart as well.

As shadows around her dutifully welcomed the light, she embraced the shadows with open arms, feigning and hiding her true face behind them.

There were two paths laid out for her, and she already took hers long ago, knowing what she gave away and the price she paid for it.

She gave away her ability to love, to love anyone else but them. Maybe that was just her destiny, cruelly shaped by unexpected storms that only took away and gave nothing in return.

“Oi, Sakura-chan, what amazing deed did I do to deserve your company?” She heard Shisui chuckle lightly when she entered his office. “Tell me, so that I can do it over and over again.”

Her heart clenched for a moment, just like it always did for him, before the feeling slowly melted away, leaving nothing but a small smile on her face. And though she knew he didn’t mean it, that he was more than likely joking, she still couldn’t hold back the small tingle spreading all over her body.

“I just brought back the report you sent to Itachi,” Sakura said, evading his flirtatious words completely, pretending they were never there, not for her ears at least.

“Hmm, on my desk, please, Sakura-chan,” Shisui said in a flirtatious tone, and she nearly rolled her eyes to avoid blushing at his shameless statement. She knew better than to trust him, his words always holding a double meaning.

Sakura eked out a grin and gently dropped the folder onto his oak desk. 

“I’ll be going then,” she said, nearly turning around before she heard Shisui’s low timbre again.

“No, wait, there’s something else I’d like to discuss,” Shisui said smoothly, getting up, rounding his desk, and approaching Sakura with another folder in hand.

The green-eyed woman gave him a puzzled look as she took yet another folder from his hands, their fingertips brushing briefly, making Sakura bite her bottom lip in an attempt to keep herself from shuddering underneath his observing dark gaze.

“Yes, of course, what is it?” Sakura said as breezily as she could while taking in another uncharacteristically long breath.

“Check the folder,” he said, his own gaze falling to the documents she held in her dainty hands.

The petal-haired woman did as she was told, long, manicured fingers grasping the crisp white paper out of its confinements with mild curiosity.

Her cat-like eyes scanned the first page of the document, as only one question formed in her head. “A gala?” She met his amused gaze from underneath her black lashes.

She saw the corners of Shisui’s lips curl upwards just ever so slightly. “Yes, now check the other page.”

Sakura’s gaze slid away from Shisui’s as she flipped yet through another page of black and white. Noticing that she was actually going through a guest list, she found herself knitting her rose eyebrows lightly.

That was until she noticed her name, her own fucking name was on the list, typed out in black letters on the crisp white sheet. 

Something within her boiled, as she moved closer to Shisui, her hair - which she’d worn down today - fluttering a little from the breeze generated by her swift stride towards him.

“I’m not fucking going,” she nearly growled as she closed the distance between them, something akin to a wildfire glinting within her eyes as her cheeks flushed red. Her manicured finger pressed against his chest as she huffed angrily, leaning over without meaning to do so, her face inches away from his.

She looked lovely, long waves of hair falling around her petite body as her fiery temper took over, making her look almost unnecessarily tempting, just the way he liked it. 

The small pout on her lips, the way she almost pressed against him, radiating only a tingly feeling of warmth, had his gaze fall over her overly plump lips. She was playing a dangerous game looking at him like that.

He could find her behavior terribly inappropriate and berate her strongly for it.

But instead, Shisui bit back a low growl that threatened to escape his throat, letting a tinge of arousal spread from the top of his spine into the lower part of his body. His gaze darkened a few shades, burning into her like embers full of untold want and attraction, barely there, yet still visible if you looked closely enough.

A dark shadow fell over his face as he eyed her, curly strands of hair nearly falling over his eyes. 

“I’m afraid it’s been decided already,” he licked his bottom lip unapologetically as his breath ghosted over her skin, making her look at him, and she did look at him. He caught every small detail as he canvassed her face, the way her breath hitched, the way her lips opened, and the way her green irises widened with evident surprise.

Within those wide eyes, he saw all of his fantasies playing out directly in front of him. All it took was for him to lean over, grab her by the neck and press his lips against hers.

She inhaled his combination of scotch and woodsy cologne. He eyed her with what felt like a potent mix of possessiveness and lust. She felt naked, exposed, and turned on. 

And he almost let himself believe she wanted the same thing too, with the way her gaze darkened and filled with something unknown to him, her lids falling over her eyes ever so slightly as she eyed his lips.

Their lips were inches apart but trapped, feeling like they'd reached an impasse. Someone had to back down. Walk away. Their relationship would never be the same again. There was no deeper shit they could possibly be in.

It was inappropriate.

But he wanted it.

But he could not have what he wanted, because it was unacceptable considering the nature of their relationship.

“Are you sure?” she whispered, her voice lower than he ever heard it before, her hot breath settling over his skin, burning him. Speckles of light moved around her face, making the image almost surreal.

It was all it took for him to confirm yet again, he did not want anyone else.

At that moment, he finally gave in to his carnal desires, firmly leaning over to catch those lips that haunted his dreams for years, almost making him taste the forbidden fruit.

He would not have anyone else.

That was until he heard a soft knock at the door, and she moved away as if burned, putting distance between them faster than ever before. Whatever spell that was cast over them was broken.

It seemed he would not reveal the attraction brewing within him.

It was not meant to be.

All feeling within their eyes dissipated into thin air as tension overtook the room.

They looked at each other, unsure what to make of the situation, and when she finally averted her gaze from his, he felt something within him break again, but he did not reach out for her, because that would ruin their friendship.

“Mr. Uchiha?” He heard a muffled voice behind the closed doors.

“Come in.” Came his stern voice, as he returned back to his desk.

“Sakura?” He looked at her, but she refused to spare him another look. “You will have to come whether you want it or not, it is company related.” He blatantly lied, looking for any excuse to have her come.

“I don’t have anything to wear to such a fancy event,” she said, blurting out the first thing that came into her mind, green eyes burning as she slowly headed for the door, seeing another person finally open the damn door.

“We will take care of it.” He almost muttered, not even bothered by the fact. 

“I’ll get going then, Uchiha-san .” She bit her lip to prevent herself from having a breakdown. 

She nearly ruined their friendship, because she is just that careless.

“Sakura-san? ” Her name rolled out of his lips again, the sound almost foreign, it also made her turn around, but she only gave him a look over her shoulder, her gaze clouded under the strands of pink. They were both totally ignoring the other person that was now in the room, waiting patiently. 

“Bring these documents to my cousin urgently, please.”

She only nodded, before the door behind her closed with a soft click. The pink color slowly disappeared from his vision.

When she was finally out in the corridor she clutched her blouse, taking in a shaky breath as her eyes watered.

She nearly fucked up, she nearly ruined everything. Just what was that? She was so sick of this feeling, she just wanted to scream out to him that she loved him, but she couldn’t.

Why? 

Because she loved them both, both Shisui and Itachi, at the same time, and it was her own curse to carry for even allowing herself such thoughts in the first place.

They were both her dearest friends, but all she wanted to do was ruin their friendship because she was that selfish, filled to the brim with all these conflicting feelings. It was agonizing, just thinking about what could’ve happened if they hadn’t stopped in time.

But the way he looked at her, the way his eyes darkened with something she couldn’t recognize, and the way he leaned in almost made her believe there was something between the two of them, that at that moment she wasn’t the only one sharing the spark.

Though she was glad nothing happened, she was walking on thin ice as it was already and got saved by a random person that showed up at the right time, making her realize that she would have to just bear this. No one could know.

Her thoughts were scrambled around as she swiftly moved through the corridor, her legs carrying her to the entrance of Itachi’s office.

She gulped nervously before knocking, and when she heard no answer she couldn’t help but frown.

She knocked again and was met with radio silence from the other side. Knowing the documents Shisui gave her were important, she clenched her teeth and opened the door.

Walking in, she strode over to his desk with only one thing in mind - dropping the documents off and getting out as fast as she could before being noticed by anyone else.

And she did just that, dropping the folder near the neatly stacked pile of papers. Until her eyes caught sight of a sleek black box resting on the dark table, and she stopped.

She looked away, thinking how she should get away as fast as she could, leaving no trace of ever being in the room, but the mild curiosity that ignited within her won out, without even starting a battle.

It was like she was hooked, compelled when she traced the sleek box with her fingertips, slowly going around the edges until she finally lifted the top of it.

Suddenly it was hard to breathe.

Inside the box laid a delicate white-gold necklace, its main accent a teardrop shaped rainbow moonstone with perfectly polished edges, so perfect it hurt to look at.

She quickly pulled the lid back on, refusing to look at the piece of jewelry any longer. The feeling had her gut twisting in all sorts of knots.

Her eyes suddenly burned again. Why couldn’t they ever tell her? Why was it so hard to tell her they had a significant other? What was there to hide?

It’s like they would always hide it from her, as if she was some kind of threat to their relationships. She lost count of how many times this has happened already. Each time she only felt more numb.

What was it now? A girlfriend, or maybe this time an actual fiance? It hurt to think about it that way, but she knew better than to come up with excuses. She only believed facts, and facts were laid out before her. Clear as the sky.

How long was he hiding it? Were they organizing the gala just so they could finally announce it publicly? That’s why they wanted her to come?

She gripped the side of her skirt, her knuckles turning white from the sheer force of it. 

It was like she was always watching from behind, deep in their shadows, witnessing every one of their moves, and maybe that’s why she moved away in the first place, to run away from this numbing feeling that had her losing herself in the process.

Now she'd never be able to look at Itachi without thinking about Shisui’s admission, or questioning her feelings for both Itachi and him.

It seemed like she was no longer in control. She tried to hold all these secrets inside of her, but right now her mind felt like a deadly disease.

She shoved all of those thoughts aside forcibly; it would only serve to make her angry again at the unfairness of it, and the rest would just make her uncomfortable until she could find herself alone later.

A lone tear slid down the curve of her cheek but she wiped it as quickly as it appeared whilst storming out of Itachi’s office, legs trembling, breath hitched, eyes burning.

Maybe she should’ve never come back.

Maybe it was all a mistake.

Wildfire To Their Embers

Itachi spotted his cousin across the function hall chatting -- or flirting, one could never tell these days -- with the Yamanaka daughter. Ino, if he recalled correctly. From her body language, the blonde was receptive to Shisui’s attention, but the sharp glint in her eyes showed she knew what was up and was just playing along.

He grabbed another glass of champagne from the long table and made his way over to them, making sure not to make eye contact with anyone to prevent him from being pulled into another conversation. He quickly side-stepped around Akimichi-san to also get himself out of the way of Fugaku’s line of sight and nudged his cousin's shoulder, placing the stem of the glass against Shisui’s fingers. The Yamanaka paused in the conversation to give him a perfunctory hello, which he returned with a light nod.

Shisui took the glass with a small thanks, turning around to greet his cousin but froze halfway, looking at something over his shoulder with a mix of shock, awe, and possessiveness.

Itachi followed his line of sight, and it took everything in him not to drop his own glass, seeing the vision he was blessed with.

It was Sakura, her long hair neatly coiffed up with tiny pins - the studded gems reflecting the hall light that it glowed around her like her own personal spotlight. Trailing his eyes down, he almost swallowed his own tongue as he gulped deeply, his mouth drying even more as he saw her completely.

She was wearing a red mermaid dress, a tear-drop cutout on the high collar neckline, teasing a tiny window of her cleavage. The dress continued to contour her body, fitting in all the right places to show yet at the same time hide what was underneath.

It was when she slightly shifted left to talk to the Namikazes that all thoughts ceased in Itachi’s mind. Her entire back, from her shoulders and all the way down to her waist was bare, save for a few straps holding the front of the dress together. His free hand twitched with the temptation to run his fingers up the length of her spine, already tingling with the idea of the goosebumps that’d appear following the path of his fingertips. He had to shove his hand into his suit pocket. It took all the strength within him to move his gaze away from Sakura, only to meet his brother’s pointed look as he stood across from her and beside Naruto. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at him, causing Itachi to roll his eyes at them.

The silent communication between the two brothers was cut short due to a low growl that came from Shisui. Itachi looked to see what could have caused his cousin to so visibly show his frustration, when it registered he was already seeing it.

Right in front of them was a scene that made his blood boil. Sasori, one of the most prominent sculptors slash artists to ever come out of Suna, was casually chatting with Sakura. He could have brushed it off as them just being acquaintances if it weren’t for the knowing smirk on the red-head’s face, and...was Sakura blushing? 

The only saving grace of watching that display was Sakura’s scowl that accompanied her blush, showing she wasn’t fully reciprocating Sasori’s advances. She whispered to him furiously, and what Itachi would give to be a fly on a wall in that conversation.

Luckily, before long, Ino left their side to call out to her best friend, catching the attention of almost everyone in the surrounding area that went back to their conversations when they realised it was the Yamanaka making the noise. She was rather known in society for not having a huge filter, which didn’t detract from her appeal because of her considerable charms.

Sakura and Sasori glanced over to Ino, Sakura momentarily freezing at the sight of him and Shisui, before passing over to greet the loud blonde. Sasori’s smirk, upon seeing the burning gazes of the two Uchiha, only grew, and he dared to put a hand on the expanse of her back, leaning in to whisper against her ear, Sakura noticeably shivering at the close contact. Whatever he told her made the blush on her cheeks return, giving Sakura a rather endearing look compared to the more mature one her red lipstick and makeup tried to convey.

It was then that the artist moved away, but not without running a teasing hand up her spine, throwing a challenging look at him and Shisui. He instinctively held Shisui back with his shoulder, knowing this wasn't the correct place to start a scene, even though his own fist clenched and almost broke the wine glass still in his hand.

The two of them remained where they were, eyes trailing Sakura as she slowly but surely made her way over. She was probably unaware of it, so the Uchihas were grateful the Yamanaka was doing a great job in leading her to their direction. Ino had somehow managed to bring her over and have her positioned so she was facing the crowd, giving them an up-close view of her bare back.

And then, just when Shisui was about to sidle up to their conversation, Ino excused herself and made a beeline to where Shikamaru and Chouji were positioned, giving a subtle thumbs up only Itachi had noticed.

Sakura, now alone, knocked back her drink - how many glasses was it now? It just kept getting refilled before she even noticed, scouring the room from her viewpoint to find someone she recognised when the clearing of a throat sounded behind her. Faaar to close for comfort.

Her surprised pivot nearly made the wine glass crash against Shisui’s face if his quick reflexes hadn’t made him lean back at the last second.

“Oh! Shi- I mean, Uchiha-sama, and Uchiha-sama,” Sakura said, catching herself before changing to a more formal greeting, giving a small polite bow that was expected with their different positions. This was good. Set the distance, and then it will all go back to where it was before.

The way the friendly air suddenly turned dark and stifling told her that her bosses did not appreciate the mode of address, but she remained firm, remembering what she had previously found. Itachi and Shisui were both well-known and sought after. Even if her assumption wasn’t correct, it could change anytime. Being in close proximity to them and acting chummy would only hurt her in the long run.

The good thing about being in public was they couldn’t outright demand her to call them by their names. She may be their old friend, but she was still working for them. If nothing else, the societal expectations would force them to conform and give her time to rack up an excuse by next Monday. 

Thinking that perhaps her night had taken a turn for the worse once again, Sakura leaned back against the bar and crossed her slim legs. She stretched one arm out along the counter while her free hand held a barely empty glass to her lips, nursing the liquor in an almost absentminded way.

Maybe she could just blame it all on alcohol; after all, she was in no mood to continue talking to them.

"You should have notified us before you left to get yourself...drunk." Itachi looked at the few empty glasses littering the table as she ordered another drink, this time going for a pure acidic sake.

Sakura briefly glanced around her, making sure no one was paying extra attention to the three of them, she couldn’t be afflicted with a potential scandal, and she couldn’t risk their careers, even at the cost of her own. After all, she was their dear friend, nothing more, nothing less.

"You knew where I'd be."

"Undoubtedly…" This time it was Shisui who spoke out, his voice a mere low rumble against the loud music as he took a free spot next to the petal-haired woman on the barstool. 

“Why so sour?” Shisui asked while ordering his own drink, not caring enough to confirm that Itachi indeed took a seat at the opposite side of Sakura as he remained silent, observing the situation.

Maybe it was also the alcohol that left Shisui slightly tipsy, but he couldn’t care less about being discreet this time around. They weren’t back at the office, nor were they kids anymore.

“I’m not.” Sakura tried in what seemed like a miserable attempt to avoid further questioning.

“I thought you knew better than to lie.” She heard Itachi rustling on the other side, his shoulder delicately rubbing against hers, given the close proximity the three of them were sharing.

Gods, she barely had enough space to breathe; was she really going to spend her whole evening sandwiched between the two men that were the reason she was drinking in the first place?

To everyone else, Sakura probably seemed tipsy at best—she didn’t slur her words or stumble, and they’d never catch her admitting to being drunk the way Ino did, stepping forward to declare her state of intoxication for the group to hear minutes before Sakura departed to the side of the bar.

But Shisui and Itachi knew better, their senses fine-tuned by their close—and constant—observation of Sakura.

Sakura looked at her cup of sake, contemplating if she should even start talking, or if ignoring them would work better.

She insisted on sipping her sake, for now; maybe she’d come up with an answer, one that would get them away from her and would let her enjoy her own company in peace.

She almost wished Sasori was here to help her get away from this uncomfortable situation, but just mere minutes ago he told her he was done for the night. She wished him a safe trip back to his hotel, ignoring the suggestive glint in his cinnamon eyes. 

Right now, she found herself almost regretting not going with him, even if her consent would’ve resulted in another one-night stand between her and the red-haired man.

“Why are you two always so up in my business?” she asked instead, shaking off her thoughts with a mildly curious tone, her voice still laced with a healthy dose of annoyance nonetheless.

“Isn’t that obvious?” Shisui answered with another question, more so a rhetorical one, but his thoughts were voiced out without hesitation.

“No, no it’s not.” She gulped her sake, the icy liquid burning her throat like wildfire as she clutched her cup in between her manicured fingers.

“Look, I don’t know what your point was by inviting me to this gala without any apparent reason.” She sighed, pushing a piece of hair behind her ear. “All of it just doesn’t make sense, but congratulations on your new relationship, Itachi. Though, I thought you’d announce it today.” She rolled her eyes, tongue rolling around the last drop of sake that she found in her nearly-empty cup.

“What?” Itachi’s mouth twisted wryly, fingers clenched around his glass.

“What? You thought I wouldn’t find out? You know better than anyone else how I feel when people hide things from me.” She was ruthless, spitting pure facts like acid, not letting one of them interrupt her. Maybe it was the alcohol on the tip of her tongue, or maybe it was the fact she was sick of this situation that had tormented her for years, day and night.

“I don’t have a girlfriend.” Itachi’s eyes burned with conviction, black like coal.

“What?” she murmured, peeling her eyes away from her empty ceramic cup. His short statement made something quiver with delight inside her, but something deeper clenched painfully as well. “Don’t you dare go around lying to me Uchiha ... I saw the necklace back at your office.” She averted her eyes, almost ashamed to admit knowing something like that.

“He’s not lying, Sakura.” The answer came so swiftly, so easily and so unlike what she expected to hear, that she jerked her gaze back up to look at Shisui who was sitting next to her. His form shrouded in darkness, he was smiling softly at her.

“Fine, whatever you say.” Sakura blinked, almost refusing to believe in any of this. Was she really not dreaming? This had to be some kind of a joke.

“So…  what’s your real problem?” asked Shisui, peering at her with concern over the drink in his hand.

“I wanna ruin our friendship.” She cut herself off with a sharp breath before she could say any more. Sakura shifted on her barstool, a bit uncomfortable in the vulnerable space after her declaration when moment after moment passed without a response.

“Excuse me?” She heard one of them say, both Uchiha cousins blinking at her, the darkness within their eyes bottomless and inscrutable.

“I-I think we should be lovers instead.” The words were out of her mouth before she could even comprehend them. Her voice was hoarse, as if she hadn’t used it in days. There it was, the end of their friendship, the end of everything she’d tried so hard to preserve.

Years of friendship thrown away just like that.

When Sakura was met with radio silence again, she seriously started panicking. Fuck, what was she even thinking?

She just ruined their friendship. 

She felt like dying.

And there it was - that familiar twinge of guilt. 

“Oh my god, forget I ever said that.” She slapped her hands over her cheeks in shame, hoping she could blame it on the alcohol and pretend nothing ever happened, pretend this conversation was just a fruit of her imagination.

But it wasn’t; they heard her loud and clear.

As one of the objects of her lust released a badly concealed snort, Sakura finally tore her gaze away from her empty cup just to stare incredulously at Shisui. He can’t be serious. He’s actually laughing off her confession?

“—so you finally decided it was time to stop pretending like there’s not some serious chemistry goin’ on between the three of us?”

Evidently pleased she was finally looking at him, regardless of the disbelieving look etched onto her features, Shisui gave her another charming grin and cupped her cheek, fingers tracing her jawline as her breath hitched, and her heart nearly stopped as she stared into his dark eyes.

Suddenly, the petal-haired woman felt a hand on the lower part of her back, fingertips tracing her spine with precise and feathery light touches, sending surges of electricity all over her body, making her bite down onto her lip.

“We should talk somewhere privately.” She heard Itachi’s low timbre, whispering right into her ear, voice unusually dark, laced with crushed velvet. He dragged his lips against the shell of her ear, letting a slow, sinful smirk quirk his lips upward.

“Let’s go to my house,” Shisui said with a low growl from right behind her, and Sakura gasped as she straightened her back, lifting her legs off the bar stool. She had to fight back the moan threatening to escape when she encountered a hard body directly behind her.

Wildfire To Their Embers

Moments later she found herself lightly nodding before being escorted out of the event, head dizzy and body tingly as feathery touches continued accompanying her skin here and there, almost innocently.

It was only after Sakura walked out of the elevator connected directly to the inside of Shisui’s penthouse, that she was firmly pressed against the nearest wall in his house by the very same man.

A small thrill traveled through her as she tipped her head back and saw black charcoal eyes gazing intently down at her, smoldering, half-lidded, and swirling with sinful promises. She looked through the corner of her lashes to the side, seeing the other raven-haired man share the same look as he was nearly breathing down her neck.

Itachi’s eyes flashed with amusement, even as desire curled sharply in his gut and traveled rapidly to his cock, giving him a not-so-subtle reminder of how he’d been painfully hard for most of the night.

Good god, she was trying to kill them both. They just fucking knew it. Had they ever wanted someone as much as they wanted her? The Uchiha cousins doubted it. 

Shisui didn’t think he’d ever been this hard for a woman before and she hadn’t even fucking touched him yet. He was also pretty damn sure she knew how she affected him.

“So... is that a yes?” Sakura asked. There was an upward quirk at the corner of her cherry-red lips, but her words still held some hesitation to them, even as she broke the heavy silence around them.

Maybe it was the alcohol that had her voicing out all of those thoughts, or maybe she was just that sick to death and impatient.

All those secret little smiles she thought they didn’t notice, the smothered snickers, and heated glances. Even now she was gazing at them expectantly, one corner of her mouth kicked up into a teasing little half-grin and those emerald eyes flashing a challenge at them, damn near begging them to retaliate, and fuck, who the hell were they to deny her?

Besides… none of them could ever back down from a challenge.

Itachi’s gut clenched, his heart stuttered in his chest, and a jolt of desire went straight to his dick as his abyssal eyes widened and his mouth went dry. 

“It’s okay? Like this? All of us?” the petal-haired woman asked again, her eyes almost fully dilated, lips parted.

“Always had been,” Shisui whispered, his eyes half-lidded, a rawer expression of emotion than Sakura had been expecting. His hands slid off her lower back, traveling down until they cupped her ass, hard. 

A gasp left Sakura’s throat against her own volition, and he used that chance to press those velvet lips against hers in a hard, fervent kiss that had her gasping just from the sheer roughness of it.

Sakura jerked, her hands acting on her own as she found one of her arms tangling around Itachi’s shoulder as she pulled him closer as well, afraid to leave any of them out. She didn’t know what she was doing, but it just felt right.

Another whisper ghosted along the side of her neck, “We were waiting for you to accept this the way we did long ago.” A long, wet, and warm lick followed the curve of her throat, and she explicitly moaned directly into Shisui’s mouth as he bit her bottom lip aggressively. 

The pins that held her hair together slowly disappeared, and she barely noticed it before she felt waves of pink crashing and cascading down her petite body. Itachi laced his fingers through them, feeling the silky strands with his fingertips before tugging on them, hard. Her eyes flew open to face his dark smoldering eyes that burned with embers. 

“That necklace… it was meant for you.” Breathing hard, Itachi could do nothing but watch as her lips were ravished, the cherry-red lipstick smearing against the corners of her mouth.

She pushed Shisui’s head down, letting his lips follow the curve of her jaw as her hands reached out for Itachi’s face.

Itachi didn’t know what he imagined when he finally felt her lips against his for the first time, but her kiss was more feathery and lighter than expected. She tasted almost sickeningly sugary, though the aftertaste of alcohol was prominent on the edges of her lips, and he couldn’t help but press back against that, to chase after that taste. Her fingers braced against his chest, and her weight against him was like an anchor as she barely moved away from the wall she was previously pinned against.

Itachi pressed forward, tongue lapping against the roof of Sakura’s mouth, teeth nipping at the edges of her lip, and she moaned almost involuntarily. His slender fingers tightened around Sakura’s forearms, a vice-grip that had both of the Uchihas wondering if Sakura was thinking the same thing they were. They wondered if she was reveling in the same joy they had only hoped for, never dreamed of.

The clatter of sequins to the ground revealed Shisui had helped the petal-haired woman shed her heavy necklace, and now he found himself trying his best to unzip her silken, red dress from behind, one-handedly.

Her lips parted as she watched them, pupils blown wide and black, nearly overwhelming the greenness of her eyes, seeing Itachi groan, as Shisui trailed sloppy kisses down her neck, nipping at the tendons trailing there, sending sparks down her spine. 

Itachi extended his hands out past Sakura’s back, helping his cousin in unzipping her dress.

They tugged, once, twice, and her dress pooled down neatly at the expanse of her heeled feet. Suddenly, she was only in her backless, lacy black push-up bra and panties. She was gorgeous. Itachi didn’t think he’d ever stop being struck entirely dumb by how beautiful she was, no matter what she wore. 

Her red flush dipped all the way down to the swell of her breasts, and small sweat droplets clung to the side of her stomach, along the inside of her slender thighs. 

Itachi made an involuntary sound, a strangled mix between a gasp and a moan; he couldn’t tell if it was a reaction to Sakura, or to Shisui, whose lips were already sucking at the top of her breast as he flashed Itachi a dark look, daring him to touch her too.

Sakura shook Shisui off, briefly, to try and strip them both, clumsily removing their jackets. Shisui turned around, halfway through unbuttoning his crisp white shirt, and was similarly struck dumb by Sakura. His jaw dropped open, and he took two strides forward to press his lips against her ear, pressing the slide of his wet lips against her neck before sucking on it.

She exhaled a breathy, fluttery moan. Itachi watched her careful ministrations, how she slowly teased him while sliding his shirt off his toned shoulders; how her lips curled upwards into a self-satisfied smirk when she fumbled at Shisui’s belt a little too carelessly and made him tip his head back with a high-pitched cry, her nails sliding down Shisui’s leg.

She was confident in what she wanted, and Shisui happily yielded, gazing up at her with a look of pure adoration, shuddering under her touch.

“Take me, please,” she purred out almost seductively, a low timbre against Shisui’s legs. Sakura didn’t know she had it in her to act that way, but yet again, she blamed the alcohol that stung the tip of her tongue absentmindedly, even if that wasn’t entirely the truth.

“Fuck,” they both cursed simultaneously.

Shisui’s hands cupped her face, and his lips were soon back on hers, his tongue pressing at her already bruised lips, demanding entrance. He kissed her greedily, with force, taking what he wanted and leaving no prisoners. 

The petite woman was soon off the floor, scooped up in his arms, and carried over to the ceiling-high window overlooking the whole city of Konoha, letting the stray city lights and pale moonlight in. Shisui’s mouth never left hers as Itachi followed from behind, the belt of his suit-pants dropping somewhere along the way. Itachi finally joined her and Shisui at the window, and it was only then she registered Shisui had stopped kissing her lips to start kissing down her body, until he was kneeling in front of her legs, mouth teasing the skin of her inner thighs.

It wasn’t until she was pressed against the cold glass face first, that she trembled, and her breath hitched completely up in her throat.

She stretched out her arms in front of her, placing her palms on the cool glass, hot fingertips melting against the iciness of the window, as her heated, nervous breaths fogging it carelessly, spreading her lust infused mind around.

Sakura could feel Itachi’s chest rise and fall against her back, his hardness pressing into her nearly naked ass, a tease of what’s to come. He swept the petal-colored hair away from her neck, replacing it with his mouth instead, nipping and biting at the skin harder than before.

She felt Shisui’s hands sliding down her milky thighs, before spreading them. She moaned into the open, long nails raking against the smooth glass that gave her no relief at all, nothing that would help her sustain her own body against all of this pleasure.

As she started to breathe more heavily, Itachi murmured softly into her ear, “You’d better be careful giving us looks like that .” Itachi’s hands started trailing her silhouette that was lit by the silver moonlight, coming forward and brushing just underneath her breasts.

“A-ah, I-I’m sorry,” she breathed, barely able to speak.

As soon as the words left her overly plump lips, she felt a sharp smack on her toned ass, hard enough that she yelped in surprise. Sakura was sure there would be a red mark spreading over the expanse of her fair skin.

“That simply, just won’t do,” Itachi whispered, his voice huskier than she ever heard it. She bit down another moan as she closed her eyes.

“Now, be a good kitten, and you might even find yourself with a reward at the end,” he purred against her naked skin, rubbing the spot he just spanked, long fingers sliding under the black lacy thong she wore, dipping in with force. Electricity danced down Sakura’s spine as she shivered under his touch. “Understood? ”

“Yes, Sir.” Sakura arched her back, pushing her ass against Itachi’s bulge in hopes of relieving some of the dull ache that pooled at the bottom of her belly. She slowly moved her hips, gently grinding her plump ass against him.

“That’s better,” Itachi groaned, nuzzling his face behind her ear, one hand gripping her hip with bruising force while his other hand traced the curve of her spine up to the clasp of her bra, his expert fingers hooking under.

The petal-haired woman bit her rosy lip as she felt Shisui’s fingers pushing their way under the top of her panties, caressing the slick heat with the tips of his fingers, a mere butterfly touch. His lips still ghosted over the skin of her thighs, but Sakura was more interested in his fingers. Sakura’s breathing quickened, and she tilted her hips upward, exaggerating her movements against Itachi’s length and guiding Shisui’s fingers lower.

Snickering against her thigh, Shisui made her work for his touch, only allowing himself to prod lightly between her folds during her careless motion. He exhaled loudly when he finally dipped his fingertips deep enough to reach her wetness, pulling her slickness outward. The curly-haired Uchiha twisted his finger forward when he gently slid over her small bud, sending a shudder through her body before plunging back to coat his fingers more.

“Don’t you dare forget about me too,” Shisui said, biting her plump thigh before licking the now already reddening skin apologetically.

“S-shisui,” she stuttered, his name caught in her throat, and she rested her head onto the cold glass, closing her eyes shut again. The grind became erratic, her hips twitching away every time Shisui touched her clit with his expert fingers, sending an electric jolt through her body. This caused Itachi to spread her legs out more as he pushed his own leg in between her own. Unable to continue on her own, she gasped as Shisui took control, speeding-up the motion she had started, whilst she felt Itachi biting the lobe of her ear.

Shisui continued to work his fingers, bringing her closer to ecstasy, before he yanked the black lace down to the side roughly,  and pushed his hot tongue against her folds, feeling her pulse against him as he took a taste of her for himself. Sakura groaned loudly through labored breaths, clenching her hand against the overly-smooth glass, while her other hand found itself tangled within his messy curls.

“M-more, please,” she whimpered, voice already hoarse given all the moaning she’d done before this exact moment. 

Shisui took a moment to register her words before he pulled away for a deep breath. “Hmm, I don’t know kitten. Are you seduced yet?” His voice was low, reverberating against her skin as he licked close to where she wanted him the most, but not close enough.

“I-I, fuck, I love you, both of you,” she cried out in another whimper, her legs nearly giving in, as she almost slid down the glass. The city colors from outside painted her face with muted colors of purple, silver, and red, slowly moving up and down sensually.

Shisui felt a twinge of excitement grow within him, stiffening his already hardened cock more and causing it to twitch restlessly.

“Kami, fuck,” he growled, his lips back against her heat, licking, sucking, and nibbling as he shoved two long fingers mercilessly into her drenched pussy. She would’ve fallen down if not for Itachi’s strong hold on her from behind. Itachi’s fingers removed the annoying piece of dark fabric away from her chest, revealing her perky mounds with rosy tips, having them pressed flush against the fogged window, while Shisui’s fingers continued to move insistently against her slick heat.

“Ahh…Ah, fuck, Shisui. ” Sakura tried to muffle her cries, biting the side of her hand, her breath catching in her throat as her body tensed up. A surge of pleasure ripped through her, and Sakura’s hips began to buck gently, pushing Shisui’s fingers even further up, sliding the coated digits deeper into her entrance, and flooding his palm with her hot essence.

But it wasn’t enough, she wanted more, she wanted to be filled to the brim. “I can’t take this anymore, just take me, please,” she mewled. Itachi’s length twitched against Sakura’s backside in anticipation as he bit down onto her shoulder, leaving another bruise behind, one hand moving to cup her breast, rolling the stiffened nipple between his two fingers.

“That’s how much you want our dicks inside of you?” Shisui breathed, his hot breath fanning against her overly-sensitive folds, and Sakura looked down, only to see the piercing dark embers in his eyes from beneath her, igniting all sorts of feelings as she felt herself getting even hotter, growing even wetter at the seducing sight between her legs. 

“That’s how much you crave to be touched by us?” She heard Itachi’s voice from behind, a low, animalistic rumble with barely any restraint behind it.

“Please,” she begged, unable to conceive a coherent sentence.

“On your knees,” she heard Shisui’s voice again, and felt Itachi’s leg leave the spot between her legs.

She didn’t need to be told twice as she fell to her knees and onto the flush carpet obediently.

Itachi crouched down to her, fingers tracing her jawline as he looked into her eyes. “Such a good kitten, aren’t you, hmm?” he said, pushing his thumb into her mouth, letting her touch it with her tongue. “Make sure to stay still, alright?” 

However Sakura wasn’t ready to wait, she wanted them now, no, she needed them now. 

Itachi could barely take another breath before she pushed him back and was unfastening his suit-pants and slinking down his body. Breathing hard, he could do nothing but watch with heated black eyes as Sakura tipped him an impish little smirk before yanking down his boxer-briefs and swallowing his overly-sensitive cock whole.

“Fuck, Sakura,”  he moaned.

Throwing his head back and uncaring as it slammed into the window behind him, Itachi hissed through his teeth and speared his fingers into her long hair as she used lips, teeth, and tongue to drive him absolutely fucking crazy. Her hand stroked what her mouth couldn’t reach, and he rocked his hips forward, thrusting into her mouth, another expletive leaving his mouth when he hit the back of her throat. Sakura took it like a champ, humming around the steel rod in her mouth as she bobbed her head back and forth, her hand pumping him into her mouth while her other one braced herself on his muscled thigh.

“I hope,” Shisui started, and she felt Shisui’s hands on her bruised hips, slowly rubbing and moving up and down before they slid down the curve of her plump ass. She felt his overly hard length straining against her backside, and she wiggled her hips impatiently. His fingers slid down under her drenched lacy thong, pulling it roughly before letting it smack against her skin. “...you haven’t forgotten about me yet,” he finished, growling into her ear. The dark huskiness of his voice had her insides twitch around nothingness.

She moaned directly onto Itachi’s dick, causing the other man to pull her hair in return, pale strands intertwined between his long fingers.

She heard a soft rustle behind her, before she felt something hot prodding and pulsing at her entrance, and she felt tears prickling at the corners of her eyes as she understood what that meant.

Shisui rubbed her up and down with his cock, coating it with her juices, and she swore to god she struggled to breathe just at that sensation alone.

She wanted him inside her, now.

“Mhmmm,” she hummed, bucking her hips against him, willing him to fill her in, and he did, in one swift and expert move.

Shisui started moving agonizingly slowly, not even nearly enough to bring her any kind of relief as she clenched against his length desperately. 

Releasing Itachi’s cock from her mouth, Sakura licked her lips and then dragged her tongue along the thick length of him, flicking the swollen head with the tip of her tongue, relishing in his sharp inhalation. She did it again, teasing his cockhead with brief flicks while her fingers grazed up and down the slick, hot skin of his shaft. He growled at her deliberate teasing, and she couldn’t hold back her grin as she once more took him into her mouth, greedily licking up the precum leaking from the tip. She moaned, and the vibration wrought a rough groan from his lips that went directly to her weeping center. She bobbed her head faster, pumping him into her mouth as she sucked and licked and deep-throated him again.

Shisui leaned over Sakura’s back, his muscled body barely pressing against her hot skin as he stared into Itachi’s eyes and he whispered directly into her ear, his voice hot and thick, “I’ll move slowly.” He licked his lips, pressing his length deeper than ever before as Sakura choked on Itachi’s cock.

“But once he’s done fucking your pretty little mouth,” Shisui panted out. He didn’t finish his sentence, instead brushing past the spot where she needed him most, and she whined, trying her best to angle her hips to have him hit the spot that would have her seeing stars, but he stood nearly still, torturing her with a slow pace. 

“I’ll fuck you senseless against that window, understood?” he continued. Shisui’s eyes glinted with something feral in them as he all but growled into her ear as his muscles flexed ever so slightly, and he moved back from her earlobe. She felt like she was getting lit up, like a thick wildfire was scorching her veins at his words, and she pushed her mouth deeper onto Itachi’s cock.

Looking up at Itachi as she did her level best to suck him fucking dry, Sakura had to admit the view was mighty fine. She loved the way his toned stomach clenched as he panted and heaved for breath. Loved the way his lips peeled back off his teeth as he growled and groaned out his pleasure. Fucking loved those smoldering charcoal-colored eyes of his as he stared down at her, hooded and hot and causing an answering heat to collect between her legs even as Shisui slowly fucked her from behind.

His hand pushed her hair away from her face, and she thanked him by giving a hard, long suck on his cock. Itachi cursed, and when she felt his hand tightening in her hair, she knew what was coming next, her body heating, clenching her thighs together as her lover started fucking her mouth in earnest.

Breathing heavily, mouth parted as little grunts and growls escaped his mouth, Itachi watched his cock disappear in and out of her hot little mouth. The sight was erotic as fuck, and the way she was staring up at him, eyes darkened with lust, and her face beautifully flushed, made it even better. 

“Fuck, I love you,” she heard the silent curse roll out of his lips.

With her hands braced on his thighs, she took his cock, again and again, the little sounds she made as he hit the back of her throat only spurring him on, until with a lurid curse, he spilled into her mouth. And, god fuck him, she swallowed it all, moaning as his cock throbbed in her mouth, tongue lapping up his come like the greedy little thing she was. Fuck, if it wasn’t the hottest goddamn thing he’d ever seen.

Licking her lips and looking every bit like the cat that ate the fucking cream – pun entirely intended – Sakura’s dark eyes glittered up at him as a sly little smirk quirked her lips upward, before she lost her balance as Shisui rammed into her with a heavy warning, reminding her of his presence and impatience.

Her only real warning was a heated growl and a wicked flash of teeth before she was suddenly yanked up, and shoved roughly against the window and a tongue not her own was in her mouth, ravaging, tasting, stealing the very breath from her lungs with demanding urgency.

A large hand in her hair yanked her head back before a pair of hot lips latched onto her throat, teeth grazing her flesh, and Sakura moaned as her core clenched in need, heat splintering throughout her body as a shudder wracked her frame. God, his aggression turned her on like no tomorrow, loving how rough Shisui was, how he took without asking and demanded her compliance with naught but a feral growl and the promise of sinful heaven in every heated touch.

Digging her hands into his hair, Sakura arched into the wild-haired Uchiha with a deep-throated purr as he fucked her senseless against the sky-clear glass for all to see in the confinements of his expensive penthouse. 

Her back flush against the cold window, Sakura couldn’t even draw in a breath to gasp as her hands were suddenly pinned to the glass, and Shisui’s smoldering charcoal irises, possessing a searing heat hot enough to scorch her, were boring into her own passion-glazed eyes. 

His teeth flashed a silent warning, and Sakura’s breath caught in her throat, her heart thudding painfully against her chest, and a fresh wave of heat shot straight to her core.

“The next time you come,” he growled, so close his lips brushed hers with every word, “will be on my command, understood?”

“Kami, yes,” Sakura moaned, unable to stop the way her hips twisted of their own volition, seeking more of that delicious friction despite him fucking her already.

“Good girl.”

Her next plea was cut off by his mouth slanting over hers in a hungry kiss that she eagerly returned, all tongues, teeth, and lips, biting, licking, sucking until both were flushed and panting.

“Fuck, look at you,” Shisui growled as Sakura moaned, panted, and whimpered before him, face flushed, eyes half-lidded, utterly fucking beautiful. “Such a good kitten, taking my cock. Tell me how good it is, hmm?”

“So good,” Sakura gasped, the fire in her belly burning hotter, brighter, so fucking close— “Fuck, harder, please,” she mewled silently, only for him to hear.

Her only warning was a savage growl before her hands were abruptly released, and unthinkingly Sakura flung herself forward, nails raking his back red as her lover fucked her. Hands slick with sweat, it was all she could do to keep her grip on his body as he pounded into her again and again, hard, punishing thrusts that had white-hot heat spiraling throughout her body and winding the coil in her belly even tighter.

“Then cum for me,” Shisui growled in her ear, right before delivering a hard, grinding thrust as he dragged a digit over her sensitive clit, and Sakura spiraled headfirst into ecstasy.

Body going taut as pleasure the likes of which she had never experienced before coursed through her body in crashing waves of bliss, Sakura wasn’t sure if she cried out his name, due to her pleasure completely eradicating any sort of coherent thought. Fire licked through her veins, setting her blood aflame, the coil in her belly exploding in a maelstrom of sensation that briefly robbed her of the breath in her lungs.

Then all at once, she came crashing back down, her body shuddering with the force of her orgasm, skin slick with sweat, and her brain came back online just in time to hear Shisui’s rough shout of completion. His arms locked tight around her as he buried his face in her neck, and she could feel his cock throbbing inside her as he gave a few more short, stuttered thrusts of his hips. 

“I love you,” he softly whispered into her neck as he finished inside of her, holding her small form against the window as he calmly breathed her in.

A few moments later, he carried her into the bedroom where he found Itachi already back in his boxers. Itachi picked up her tired form from Shisui’s hands, pressing her to his chest as he gave her a small, fond smile. As all three of them slipped between the sheets, cuddled together, Sakura smiled happily, cocooned between her two lovers.

“You are ours now. ”

Art credits: @dijayeah