#ssm22d9

“What are you doing here?” Naruto all but sobs. 

“Uh…there was a lecture series on cellular therapy?” And also there was always really good catering. Sakura tightens her grip on her bounty. 

“But…but…” 

Now Naruto really does look like he is about to cry. 

“Naruto, what happened? Are you okay?” She tries to lay a comforting hand on his shoulder without dropping all the free food in her purse. 

“I…I asked Sasuke…if he wanted to get ramen and drinks,” she could barely make out the words in between his tears, “and he said no because he was on a date!” 

—

If she had less confidence in their relationship, Sakura would have probably immediately been plunged into the pits of despair that their mutual friend was currently wallowing in. 

But Sakura and Sasuke had been going steady for the last year and a half. Or as Sasuke likes to point out, “we’ve been together for 2 years Sakura.” 

In that time, Sakura likes to believe that she has gotten a good handle on how her boyfriend (of a year and a half Sasuke-kun!) communicates. 

Sasuke is a man of few words but his blunt way of speaking and grunts have their own nuances. 

She knows that to him, efficiency and brevity are key and he doesn’t say more than he needs to. After all, he is a man who expresses himself with his actions. 

Perhaps that’s why she loves him so much.

And also why she is so annoyed she always has to pick up after him when his lack of communication gets him in trouble. 

After all, Sasuke had been under the impression that their anniversary was a full 6 months earlier than it actually is!

And despite Naruto’s claims that Sasuke was indeed doing something shady and salacious with an unknown party, Sakura had been receiving cat memes from the so-called adulter the entire time she was in the auditorium. 

When she gets back home, she of course finds Sasuke lying on her couch watching cat videos on his phone. 

Like where she thought he would be. 

“Welcome back,” He mumbles. She hears her phone chime, no doubt Sasuke sending her another cat video. “Do you need help?” 

Although he asks her, Sasuke is already taking her bag out of her hands and unpacking all the food she took from her lecture.

“Hey, we need to talk.”

Sasuke’s head snaps up. He knows that tone, it’s the one she uses when he has done something she doesn’t particularly like.

“About what.”  Is this because he didn’t go to that talk with her? Or because he sent her a funny cat meme every five minutes so that she couldn’t concentrate? Or?…

“Sasuke-kun,” Sakura pauses trying to find the words. Sasuke tries not to allow the panic show in his face. “Did you tell Naruto that you were on a date tonight?” 

“Oh that.” 

“Yes that! You should have seen him! He was distraught!” 

Sasuke doesn’t seem too concerned. He is already reaching for the food. “Don’t mind him.”

“He thought you were cheating on me!” 

“He is an idiot.” 

Which in its own way, the tone of that last comment is very reassuring to Sakura. But she still has to at least make sure that Sasuke does not cause any other unsavory misunderstandings! 

She sighs, “You should just tell him you don’t want to hang out with him today. You are going to cause Naruto so much stress when he assumes stuff wrong.” 

Sasuke gives her a look. 

“I’m sure he would have understood if you just wanted to spend some time alone.” 

“Sakura,” his eyes are piercing, “he would have kept asking.”

She rolls her eyes, but Sakura still finds a comfortable spot on the couch to cuddle up next to him. 

“Plus the dumbass is much more scared of you than me.” 

—  

It is 8 pm on a Friday night before Sakura gets home. All she wants to do is shower and curl up in bed and watch true crime documentaries. 

She is about a 3rd of a way through her to-do list when her phone rings. 

Of course, it’s Ino. She glances at the time and knows that there is only one thing her best friend wants at this hour. 

“Girl! Let’s go!” Ino is likely already downtown if the pulsing club music wasn’t already a give away. “Let’s get DRUNK!”

No, how about Sakura take an 8 hour nap?

“Sorry Ino, I’m out with Sasuke right now. Maybe next time!” 

“What? UGH! Boo!” And with that Ino hangs up. 

Relieved, Sakura burrows under her covers. Sasuke, who had been in her bed since she got into the shower, curls up beside her. 

As Sakura reaches for her laptop, Sasuke rolls over to face her, propping himself up with one arm and asks “So you want to do it?” 

The way he smiles smugly at her antics and similar tactics makes Sakura want to mess with him a little. 

“Sex? Now?”

Sasuke’s ears immediately heat up. 

“What? No! I mean yes…I mean,” Sakura giggles at his flustered reaction as he continues, “do you want to go on these dates?” 

“I do.” the way Sasuke looks at her makes her warm, “but maybe later.” 

She wraps her arms around him and tucks her head underneath his chin. Sasuke responds with a peck on the forehead. “I like it here too.”