Chapter 69

-Hinata's POV-

My friends eventually forced me to ditch my cover-ups and join them swimming. It was fun, spending a day without responsibilities. I honestly had a great time.

Later that night, when I was showering to wash all the salt from my hair, Sasuke stepped in, scaring me half to death. A hand to my chest, I blushed, "H-Hey! At least make some noise!"

Immediately, I picked up on his blue aura, but he still surprised me by saying, "Did my brother bother you? I'll kick his ass."

Smiling shyly, I pulled him closer so he was also under the water, "No, I'm alright. Please don't do something irrational."

"Irrational…." Sasuke repeated the word, sounding almost dazed. When I gave him a questioning look, he shook his head once before dipping down to capture my lips with his own.

Then, again, when we were lying in bed afterward, and I was halfway through the process of falling asleep, the Uchiha acted out of the ordinary. Having dated for around eight months now, we've fallen into our own little routine. Most of the time, when we fall asleep, I'm cuddled into his side as he lays on his back with an arm around me. Naturally, we'll part through the night because expecting anything else is unrealistic.

Tonight, however, Sasuke turned onto his side, effectively shaking me from my state of half-slumber, to wrap his arms firmly around me. Before I could glimpse his face, I was pulled tightly against him.

He pressed his face into my hair, on the top of my head, and I lay there and blinked confusedly. One of his legs was pressed between mine. There weren't many ways to cuddle any closer than what we were, which led me to worry that something was on his mind. Rather than ask, I simply returned the embrace, appreciating his rare offer of blunt affection.

Sure, Sasuke and I can barely keep our hands off one another most of the time we're alone, but this was a little different because zero lust was involved. It may sound as though he's only sweet when he wants to fool around, but that's not what I mean. I guess I'm trying to say that he's usually more reserved regarding the emotional side of things, despite both of us knowing he cares.

-Sasuke's POV-

When I stepped into that shower, I had every intention of demanding Hinata tell me everything my brother said to her and why she'd grabbed his arm like that. As soon as she turned those warm, emotional eyes onto me, though, I realized I was about to repeat the same mistake I'd made countless times: allowing my jealousy to get out of hand, often leading to her getting hurt.

I can trust her.

As casually as can be, she pulled me closer, offering that genuine expression of affection that she's begun to take on lately. My heart beats so quickly in my chest every time I see it that I feel like I'm halfway through the process of having a panic attack.

It scares me because it makes me happy. That expression tells me without words that Hinata's in deep, and the fact that someone so, I don't know, close to perfect has deemed themselves as mine fills me with pride. It also offers immense pressure because, even though she's only recently begun to look at me like that, I never want it to stop. If it ever goes away, I'm not sure what I'll do, but I know it'll be an awful experience through and through.

I can trust her. I know I can.

Something was different. Something had to have changed in the past twenty-four hours because every glance, every touch…. Every single piece of attention Hinata gave me was impossible to ignore.

Has it always tingled like this when she cuddles me? How have I kept my composure all these months?

I watched her chest's slow rise and fall as she fell asleep against me, her skin seeming to glow healthily even in the dark room after a day in the sun. Hinata's always been beautiful, but as I stared in bewilderment at her relaxed face, it was like I was looking at her for the first time.

Hinata's features are delicate and feminine, from the curve of her lips to the dark lashes brushing her cheek. Some kind of protective instinct washed over me, and before I knew it, I was pulling her against me as though my arms could shield her from anything dangerous that might come her way.

I buried my face in her hair, squeezing my eyes shut when the soft scent of her shampoo made my pulse quicken once more. Fuck, she always smells so good.

"You don't deserve her. You're not even trying to protect her." Itachi's words swam across my vision as my girlfriend sleepily wrapped an arm around me before appearing to fall asleep again.

What exactly am I supposed to be protecting her from? I was so caught up in my jealousy that I hadn't paid attention to what my brother was saying. "Did you not hear anything said in that meeting?" I tried to recall something, anything, that was said during that boring meeting in question. Still, I only remembered feeling irritated that so many people stared at me like I was intruding.

My eyes reopened as I suddenly remembered that Hinata's father was there, but he didn't glare at me as my own did. No, he seemed almost amused by my presence.

Damn it, why do I let my anger get the best of me like that? I think I need to take Itachi's advice and see a therapist. Before, I didn't care about my personality flaws, but now something important is on the line, something I very much don't want to lose. As I tightened my hold around the warm body between my arms, I closed my eyes again and decided to try getting some sleep.

I can trust someone wholeheartedly for the first time in my life.

-Gaara's POV-

My fingers gripped Sakura's thighs as I moved between them, taking in every minute detail of her appearance as she closed her eyes, a barely audible pleasured sound coming from her throat.

Beautiful. She's gorgeous.

A familiar feeling rose between my legs, and I held my breath, bating my senses so I could hold on until the flawless being beneath me could find her release. Since I was on my knees, I was bent over her rather than completely on top, so I easily glanced down every so often to take in the intricacies of her body.

As a man, I've seen my fair share of porn, meaning I've seen many naked women, but none come close to Sakura.

Her breasts are perky, and I honestly think their size suits her far better than anything more possibly could. Tan skin, smooth and soft as can be, glistened with sweat as she got closer and closer to climax. The sun did wonders for her today, too.

Her muscles are firm due to years of dance and gymnastic training, but not so much that they were imposing. Every so often, when she bends a certain way, a glimpse of her abdominals will flex, and it always mentally sends me into a frenzy because it's so sexy.

Sakura looks like some kind of Summer goddess: vibrant and full of life.

The woman in question suddenly ran a hand up my torso, chest, and up to my face, where I opened my mouth when I realized that's what she wanted. I closed my lips around her thumb, leaning further over her and picking up the pace as brilliant green eyes burned into mine. Her skin is salty.

A charming blush came to her cheeks, and she mewled between her filtered moans, "...Baby..."

The heat on my face began to match hers, but I didn't falter and continued, eager to make her feel good. As she approached her endgame, I felt her insides tighten slowly, steadily, and her other hand tangled into my hair, pulling me closer.

The finger in my mouth disappeared, and then she gripped my thigh, arched her back, and breathed out, "C-Close! I'm close!"

My forehead hit her chest as she held me tightly, and I looked between us, where we were connected, breathing heavily as I struggled to hold on for her sake. Then she outwardly froze, but her insides did the opposite. My fingers unintentionally dug into her skin as I pressed into her once last time, finally letting go since she was satisfied.

Moments later, we both gasped for breath. Sakura's hold loosened, and I came up to kiss her, feeling as exhausted as she suddenly seemed, "I didn't hurt you, right?" She shook her head, kissing me once more and making a negating sound deep in her chest.

After showering, we laid back down and got ready to sleep. Sakura turned my hand over between hers as though trying to memorize each detail even though the room was almost pitch black, "Did you see Sasuke's face earlier?"

I kissed the top of her head since her back was against my front and made a sound of agreement.

Unsurprisingly, the woman kissed my palm before pressing it to her cheek, something she does habitually that makes me love her that much more, "I think he's in love with Hinata. Don't you agree?"

I paused, unsure—Sasuke's my closest friend, other than Sakura. I'd like to think he'd tell me if something like that was happening, but as I considered it, I realized he'd never do that. I replied into her hair, "Do you think Hinata knows?"

Sakura scoffed, "How could she? You know how he is."

"Yeah, I know how she is, too, I guess."

She sighed wistfully, "I want to help because I know they'll be great together, but Sasuke'll be pissed if he finds out."

I couldn't hold back a short chuckle and held her more tightly, brushing her cheek with my thumb as she held my palm there, "Maybe it'll be for his own good. Itachi doesn't seem like the type to beat around the bush."

Sakura gasped, "You're right! I'll use that as my excuse." An amused sound followed her half-joking statement, and I grinned. Deterring her from getting involved would be impossible, so there's no point in trying.

-Sakura's POV-

All day long, I put feelers out to see if Hinata would bite and tell me what Itachi said, even though I'm pretty sure he confessed his feelings. By the time we arrived at the LMC building, it was apparent to everyone, my Hyuuga friend included, that that was my goal.

True to his character, Sasuke all but cussed me out when we got a moment alone, Hinata and Gaara standing aside with red faces as we argued. We shut up only when Kakashi appeared to coral us to hair and makeup, not wanting anyone to get into trouble with the CEO.

To my relief, the tense aura between the Uchiha man and I didn't hinder our performance, and the concert went smoothly, an overwhelming success. The staff surprisingly offered to touch up our hair and makeup, even going as far as allowing us to keep our stage outfits so we wouldn't have to go home and change before going to Tenten's party.

It was almost midnight by the time we arrived. The mansion was surrounded by a tall fence manned by multiple security guards. Nearly twenty cars were parked in the sizely roundabout, meaning it was a full house.

Once inside, we searched for Tenten, wanting to greet her before doing anything else so she'd know we didn't stand her up. We found her in the kitchen, sitting on the counter with one Neji Hyuuga between her legs as they made out. A dozen others in the room completely ignored them, and they returned the favor.

Hinata awkwardly greeted them, her face as red as a tomato, likely due to seeing her cousin performing such an act. The man offered an irritated frown but nodded in greeting as he wordlessly grabbed his beer from the counter beside Tenten and brought it to his lips.

The popstar was already drunk, but not so much that she wasn't aware of what was happening around her, "My babies, you made it! You look so beautiful!"

She stumbled when she came to a stand, Neji absently steadying her with a hand on her waist. The woman grinned sheepishly, pulling us into a big group hug, "Let me show you your room before I black out, okay?"

Gaara and I shared an amused look as we followed her through the crowded kitchen, family room, ballroom (the primary setting for the party while being packed with more than fifty bodies), and up a spiral staircase. After getting lost in her own home, she finally gestured to a large wooden door with her arms spread wide, "Tada! Mi casa es su casa!"

Sasuke helped himself, realizing as we all did that she wanted us to go inside and look around so she could measure our reactions. Four massive beds, bigger than king-sized, were inside. Beautifully crafted furniture and expensive-looking paintings also lie within. It looked like some sort of upscale hotel room, complete with an ensuite bathroom.

After looking around for a moment, we turned toward the doorway only to find that Tenten and Neji had disappeared, leaving us to return to the party without a word.

"It's sweet of her to prepare a room for us," Hinata mumbled as I wrapped my arm around her elbow and guided our group back downstairs.

Flash forward a couple of hours, and the four of us somehow remained relatively close to one another. Since we have a room here, there's no reason not to let loose and have a good time.

Gaara's hands ran up my hips to my waist as we danced amidst the crowd. Even in the low-lit room, his beautiful teal eyes shone brightly. Sweaty, drunk, and happy, I casually rested my hands over his shoulders, moving to the rhythm. Regardless of how self-centered it makes me sound, I love it when he looks at me.

Hinata, Karin, Ino, and, to all of our surprise, Konan were dancing nearby, Deidara and Sai joining them. Sasuke was standing with Yahiko and a few others nearby, next to a long table filled with a variety of alcohol.

Thankfully, the Uchiha man's attitude lightened substantially after a few shots. He's always nicer when drunk, as odd as it is. Hinata, on the other hand…. I turned in Gaara's arms, pressing against him to the music to survey our friends. The Hyuuga girl fell victim to Ino and Deidara's peer pressure and joined a drinking contest between the three of them, Kisame and Karin.

She's a lightweight, so she naturally lost, but after being forced to eat some crackers by Sasuke and Yahiko, she balanced out, and now she's the life of the party. It's hard not to stare at her on a typical day, but she's an entirely different person when she relaxes like this.

Hot breath dusted against my moist skin, and I felt Gaara press a chaste kiss into my neck, distracting me. I ran my hand through his hair, enjoying how his fingers squeezed my hips greedily.

My boyfriend gets quite confident when he's drunk, too. Usually, he'd be too shy to touch me like this in public, even though everyone's too far gone to notice a thing, and Tenten claimed that everyone's devices are going to be checked on their way out to make sure no unwanted media was being released.

Goosebumps rose on my skin, and I closed my eyes to enjoy how his voice tightened my insides when he spoke deep and low, "Let's get out of here, Sakura."

I knew what he was saying and smiled, eyes reopening as I leaned into the kisses he returned to pressing into my shoulder and neck. When I went to respond, my thoughts were jumbled by the sheer surprise of what was happening before me.

Sasuke Uchiha and Hinata Hyuuga were dancing, and it looked way more casual than I ever expected from the pair. Both were well past inebriation, but at least Sasuke is used to partying, so he must be somewhat aware of his actions.

"Baby, let's go. I'm about to rip your clothes off."

Blush rose to my cheeks at Gaara's half-slurred words, and I nodded, sparing our bandmates one last glimpse before allowing him to pull me through the crowd toward the staircase.

-Hinata's POV-

The hue of my vision was warmer than usual and seemed to pulse with vibrance with each hit the bass in this song offered. Deidara grabbed my hand, twirling me around with a grin, causing us to laugh drunkenly.

He reached up to pull his hair into a ponytail, talking loudly over the music so I could hear, "I didn't know you could get like this!"

When he was done, I pulled his hands down, interlacing our fingers on one hand and lifting it up high so he could twirl this time. He snickered, doing as I wanted.

This is so fun. Sasuke was right when he said we needed to all get drunk and go out again. There's something so therapeutic about letting go of your inhibitions, dancing, and just having a good time. It's like my soul is getting a short break from being engrossed and focused on my career for many months.

Speaking of my boyfriend….

My eyes darted over to the wall I'd last seen him standing beside Yahiko and Nagato and locked onto his darker ones in a snap. "I'm gonna dance with Sasuke now, okay? He's really hot!"

Deidara's eyes widened slightly, but he tossed his head back and laughed loudly, "I have to agree; He's quite sexy. Go get him, then!"

I stumbled through the dense crowd, coming to stand in front of him with a red face. The corner of his mouth twitched as though he wanted to grin, but he held it back. I tugged on his shirt so he'd lean down, resting my hand on the side of his neck as I rose to my tiptoes and spoke into his ear loud enough that he could hear, "No one's paying attention anymore; come on!"

His breath dusted my damp skin as he let out a short laugh and replied into my ear, "Lead the way, Hyuuga."

Yahiko met my eye when I glanced over but offered a half-drunken smirk, letting me know that he, too, was too inebriated to care about what was going on. Sasuke interlaced our fingers, but I paused to lean toward the Akatsuki's leader with a teasing grin, "You should go dance with Konan! She's been looking at you all night!" The tall, usually stoic man's face turned redder than it already was, his eyes darting behind me toward his crush.

Without further ado, I gave the gorgeous Uchiha man my full attention and guided him into the crowd. Those deep, dark eyes burned into mine when I finally turned to face him a little ways away from the rest of our friends.

I couldn't look away. It was impossible.

Then we began dancing as naturally as breathing air.

My drunken smile sank away a minute or two later when he finally released my hands to pull me closer, almost flush against him. Oh, sweet lord, it suddenly felt hotter in the room a million times. He's just so firm, so strong.

Fingers danced slowly around my hips, up my back, to run into my hair. My palms pressed against his abdomen, eager to feel the muscles I knew were beneath that thin black shirt. I let my head fall back, closing my eyes as we moved to the thumping music, enjoying how it felt for his fingers to tangle into my sweat-dampened hair.

"Look at me." Sasuke's voice pulled me from my euphoria, and I obeyed.

At first, I was curious, but when our eyes met, I no longer had to wonder what he wanted. He would've undressed me right then and there if we weren't in a room full of people. Instead, he held my gaze as though trying to wordlessly tell me his plans for my body.

An explosion of arousal erupted between my legs, and my mouth opened slightly, brow furrowing. The realization came over him, and he glanced around momentarily before grabbing my hand and turning to pull me toward the exit. I thought he'd want to go upstairs, but he didn't resist. No, I simply stared at his broad shoulders as he led me through a few dark hallways before finding a nice, shadowed corner where no one could recognize us before we could sense them coming near.

Then my back hit the wall. Desperate hands explored my curves as Sasuke kissed me as though he's been dying to do so all day. My heart fluttered excitedly, and I returned his passion with my own, running a hand under his shirt while gripping a belt loop with the other.

There were many people in this hallway, and a few would walk past every so often, all paying no attention because, to them, we were just another drunken couple feeling heated. They can't see our faces.

That made it seem even hotter when Sasuke whispered against my lips, making my eyes open to meet his heatedly, "Fuck, you're too brave like this, Hina."

I couldn't even comprehend the shortening of my name for the first time. Instead, drunk and unfiltered, I replied with my exact thoughts, "Stick out your tongue." I swear on God, and everything that I own, Sasuke Uchiha blushed. In my inebriated state, I didn't react to the fact and simply kissed him deeply, enjoying the familiar sensation of his tongue dancing with mine.

The skin of his abdomen under my fingertips was so hot it felt like it was burning me, but I enjoyed every second of it. The Uchiha man touched me eagerly as though trying to memorize every inch. He loomed over me with his spectacular height. That, paired with his intoxicatingly yummy scent and appearance, left me struggling to control myself. Losing the battle slightly, I tore my lips from his and released his belt loop to slip my hand over the pants covering his sex.

He whispered into my neck as he dipped to suck and kiss into it, "We can't do that here."

I breathed, too aroused to let his words discourage me, "Then take me somewhere that we can." Sasuke pulled back so I could see his poorly guarded surprise, but I cut off whatever he was about to say, running a thumb over his bottom lip, "I really want to touch you more."

Then I was being led back through the hallways, up the stairs, and into the room Tenten told us was ours. It was pitch black inside, but I recognized the sound of someone in the room, even in my drunken state. I panicked because they were hooking up, but Sasuke didn't and simply pulled me into the bathroom, closing the door behind us as quietly as possible.

As soon as it was locked, I found him in the dark room and fumbled to unbuckle his belt. He kissed me with as much drunken passion as I was giving off. My shirt was pulled off over my head, parting us for a fraction of a second, and then I unbuttoned his pants and slipped a hand beneath the cloth.

With the zipper undone, the clothing fell an inch lower on his hips, and I pulled him into my hand to massage and caress between us. I tried to pull out of the kiss to focus more on making him feel good, but Sasuke didn't want to let me go.

I spoke hungrily between presses of his lips to mine, "I want…to…I'll put it in my mouth." Apparently, that's all I needed to do for him to let me act on my own because I seamlessly made my way down to my knees to make good on my declaration.

I hope that one day I'll be capable of being bold like this while sober. For now, we'll just have to enjoy my short bursts of courage brought on by alcohol.