Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters.

Chapter 38
Sasuke & Sakura

His hand ran down the curve of her hip, down the silk skin of her thigh until he couldn't reach anymore and then back up, following the same pattern until she stirred slightly in her sleep. A soft groan sounded from the pinkette, followed by cracked eyelids that revealed bottle green eyes and it made his heart skip a beat.

She always looked so beautiful when she woke up, no matter how messy her hair was or the slight part of her lips, showing those perfect white teeth of hers. Sasuke truly felt like a puppy dog around her and as much as he hated feeling so small, he felt so light and happy in her presence.

"Good morning," he spoke in a low voice as she rolled towards him. His arm came to wrap around her, pulling her closer before he dipped his head into her neck, inhaling that sweet strawberry scent he grew to love.

He placed a soft kiss there, earning himself another small groan before she giggled.

"How long have you been awake?" She asked, voice groggy and eyes opening once more as she tried to adjust to the light filtering in through the room.

Sasuke merely shrugged, thinking back to when he finally managed to wake up. His time had been filled with lying close to her, running the back of his hand and fingers along her slender curves until she finally awoke.

"Long enough," he replied before pulling away and glancing at the clock. "It's nearly ten in the morning though. I wasn't sure how long you'd be asleep."

When she managed to roll over onto her stomach, he didn't miss the slight wince that crossed over her face. He smirked at her, knowing full well what she was going to say next. He felt it himself, the soreness in his length—he had never been that sore, though he also hadn't been fucked in such a way that Sakura had done to him.

His cheeks flushed almost instantly at the thought and it took everything to fight the heat away before she saw. He opted to hide behind his black locks.

Just when he thought he was hidden from her inquisitive eyes, he felt her fingers pull the strands away, revealing his face to that point that he could see her smiling at him.

"Your hair has grown quite a bit," she remarked to which he clicked his tongue. "I like it."

He groaned at her before rolling to his side and letting his legs droop off the ledge of the bed. The air against his bare back was refreshing as it was cold, but he shook it off. The sheets continued to lie across his lap before he grabbed for his lonely boxers on the floor, pulling them up his legs until they grasped around his hips.

Sakura was still in bed, his dark sheets covering her naked body from his black eyes; even though they went round after round the night prior, he still craved her. The way her hips moved with his, the way her skin felt flush against his—all of it was absolutely intoxicating.

"Get up," he glanced back at her as he stood and she looked slightly confused. "We're going to shower then go and see Itachi."

She did as he instructed, stood from the bed and followed him into the shower. He loved how comfortable she had grown with him; she didn't feel the need to hide her body anymore, but instead he could tell that she liked it when he looked at her when she was exposed.

Even in the shower when she stood in front of him as the water trickled down over them and he washed her, she would lean against him, soaking up whatever affection he wanted to give her. Except for today, he had something new to tell her.

"Orochimaru," he said and he noticed the way she tensed up almost immediately.

It was something he was meaning to tell her and it was why he sought her out at her prom last night. It wasn't that he wanted to ruin her night by going to her, but he wanted her to know that they didn't need to worry about that snake anymore. He carefully ran his fingers down her spine, watching as the soapy bubbles washed down the small of her back, down her legs and eventually down the drain.

He pressed a soft kiss to the canyon between her wet shoulder blades, watching her body ease into relaxation before continuing.

"He's gone."

"What do you mean he's gone?"

Sasuke inhaled, the scent of her strawberry body wash strong in the air, mixing with the steam from the heat of the water. He wasn't entirely sure how to explain it, hence why he wanted to take her to talk to Itachi because it wouldn't be fair to hear this news without her there.

"Itachi and his partner have been on Orochimaru's case for years now. He's done some shady stuff, relating to drugs and behind the scene running, but they just needed some more solid evidence before making a move. And it was only a matter of time before they caught a glimpse of that."

He felt odd explaining it, almost like it was surreal and made up but from what he understood with his conversation with Itachi, Orochimaru hadn't played his cards right and he was no longer roaming freely.

Sakura clicked her tongue, her back pressing into his abdomen before she carefully glanced back at him. "Regardless of what happens, I don't want to leave your side."

Reassurance. Clarity. Promise.

It was all there in her voice, laced in the echoes that bounced around the shower walls. Before she could look away from him, he caught her lips with his, his tongue pushing past lips and teeth before finding her own. She tasted so sweet, a flavor he savored time and time again.

When he pulled away, he noticed the intense red that dusted her ivory cheeks.

"I won't leave yours."

. . .

"He's gone," Itachi's voice rode along the gentle breeze as they sat outside of the cafe. He picked his drink up, taking a pull from his hot coffee before setting it down again. Sakura's bottle green eyes didn't leave his, for fear that she'd miss something important in those inky eyes.

Sasuke was the one that spoke. "He's gone for good, or he's gone… to jail?"

Itachi smirked that devilish smirk that Sasuke knew all too well, it made his nostrils flare and his eyes squint slightly.

"No," he replied. "Not to jail. To prison."

Sakura stood from her seat all too suddenly, the blood rushing to her head before nearly toppling over. Sasuke caught her before she lost too much of her balance, standing her upright as she exhaled. The younger Uchiha kept his hand on her elbow, stabilizing her as he processed the news.

"I can't give you information as it would be a direct violation to the privacy of the case, but I can tell you that you don't have to worry about him anymore."

Though it felt nice to know that that wretched man was no longer roaming freely, it made Sasuke feel uneasy, as though there was still something to worry about. Instead, he focused on Sakura, the girl who usually had something to say was now speechless.

"Everything will be okay," Itachi flashed her a soft smile and Sasuke could tell his brother was being sincere. It made his own heart flutter slightly in his chest, a sense of reassurance washing through him.

When Sakura sat in her seat next to him, he slid his arm around her back and rested his hand on her ribcage. He loved the feeling of her warm body, knowing she was alive and his.

"So that's it?" She inquired, feeling her voice reverberate through her body and he gently ran his thumb along her back. "He's gone?"

Once more, Itachi nodded and Sasuke could feel the subtle breath of relief escape her body and it calmed him even more. Now they could focus on Sakura finishing school — they could focus on them once again.

. . .

Without a job, he found his mind a bit more free and his heart more open to Sakura. Not only that, but he considered going back to school; maybe him and Sakura could attend college together and he could get a degree in something and work a different job.

After all, he and Sakura had a life to look forward to.

"Sasuke?" His mind pulled from his thoughts when Sakura perked up in the seat next to him, her finger pointing at the screen on her phone. "What picture do you like more? This one?" She asked before scrolling to the next. His black eyes found her bright smile and lively eyes in both, adoring the way she looked in her beautiful prom dress.

"That one," he breathed out as he ran his finger across the screen of her phone, scrolling to the previous one. "You look more natural. Your body looks calm, relaxed. I like that look on you."

He didn't miss the way her cheeks lit up and it reminded him of when they first started seeing each other. The raw and intimate smiles, the way she would shy away from his yearning eyes. It made him pull her close to him, nearly seating her in his lap on the couch and all she could do was flutter her long lashes at him and kiss him on the forehead gently. His hands rested on her hips, thumbs roaming her body as she looked at him.

"I have to go home," she said softly and he nodded his head. He needed to check in on his parents anyway.

From the moment he walked her to his car and drove her home, he had her hand in his, calming his mind and every irrational thought he might've had for the remainder of the day. Itachi's news was big for the both of them, allowing them the freedom to finally be together without a worry — though they still had Sakura's parents to inform.

Now that was a thought that made his heart rush in his chest.

"How are we going to tell your parents?" He asked as he turned down the street to her house. Her soft hum silenced his mind, but when she didn't speak, he felt his thoughts pick back up in a flurry of rushed panic.

"I've been trying to figure that out," she said softly, but he could pick up on the sense of panic in her tone. "You can come in now and introduce yourself?"

The soft smile on her lips made him roll his eyes before pulling up alongside the curve and calming the purr of his engine. Together, they sat in silence, looking at each other with longing looks; viridian melted into obsidian, an unanswered question lingering in the small space between them.

"They technically think that Itachi is my teacher, right?"

"Hn."

She was right, considering the time at the student-teacher conferences when Itachi switched him spots. Another surge of panic rushed through him, his mind tracing back to the time they nearly got caught. It formed a lump in his throat, a sandpaper feeling making it hard to swallow.

"They do," he finally answered, his voice like liquid silk in the quiet of his car. It was when Sakura nodded that he glanced past her and at the front door of her house.

It was there that he found her father standing on the porch and the blood rushed from his face and he felt his stomach curl with anxiety. When he stepped from the stone tablet and began walking towards the car, Sakura's head finally turned to see what he was looking at and her hand instantly tightened around his own.

"Oh shit-"

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Sasuke released her hand and removed his seatbelt before exiting the car. He was met with Kizashi's stern gaze as he stood on the sidewalk next to the vehicle; it wasn't too late, roughly five o'clock but he could tell that Sakura's father had something to say. His eyesight never left Sasuke.

"Good evening," Sasuke greeted as he walked around the front of the vehicle, pulling his hand from his pocket and extending it towards her father. "Haven't seen you in awhile."

Kizashi took his hand in a firm yet brief handshake before he cracked a smile. His eyes lit up just like Sakura's would do and it made Sasuke's heart calm slightly.

"I wasn't expecting to see you again," he joked heavily before releasing Sasuke's hand yet the Uchiha only raised a brow. It was when Sakura joined them on the curbside that she poked her finger into her father's ribs. He winced as he pulled her in for a hug and a muffled groan sounded from the pinkette.

"What're you saying to him?" She asked when she pulled herself away from her father's grasp, though Sasuke could see the grin lining her thin lips. It made him smile as he watched the two interact.

"Nothing really, dear. I saw you guys pull up and figured I'd come say hello since he never walks you to the door."

It was an instantaneous jab to Sasuke's pride, knowing full well how much he wanted to walk her to her door, but just couldn't. He didn't want to risk getting caught, didn't want to risk putting Sakura through so much trouble with her parents; he also didn't want to get in trouble, but Sakura was his primary focus. Though, it did feel somewhat nice to know that her father didn't yell at him or berate him for it.

"How was prom?"

Sakura's smile started beaming, her white teeth flush against those pale pink lips that he loved so much. It made him smile too, but when she started speaking about all the fun that her, Karin and Ino had together, Sasuke lost himself in the way she described every detail, the admiration and adoration in her voice for her friends warmed his heart as well — it was brief instances like these that he loved so much.

When their conversation died down, he noticed that Kizashi's eyes immediately darted towards Sasuke and a question rolled from his tongue.

"You didn't go?"

"No, sir. I actually don't attend school with Sakura. I'm a couple years older than her."

Sakura's eyes widened next to her father and it wasn't his intention to let the cat out of the bag right then and there, but he was tired of hiding it. He was tired of keeping their feelings for one another a secret. Sasuke truly cared for her, and the last thing they needed to do was tell her parents and be up front.

Albeit they couldn't go into detail like they wanted, but they needed to know that Sasuke was older than her.

"Hm."

It wasn't exactly what Sasuke was expecting, but it also wasn't the worst thing that could've happened. Instead, the man shrugged at him then turned to Sakura. His eyes found her wide ones, a soft smile pulling at his lips before he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"As long as you're good to my daughter and she's happy, then I don't mind."

Sasuke's heart managed to plummet to his chest, an entire anchor lifting from his shoulders as a jolt of shock rushed through his veins. He could hardly hold himself upright, hardly control his thoughts as an actual smile pulled at his lips and plastered itself onto his porcelain face.

Acceptance.

"Now, before you go," he turned Sakura with him as he started walking towards their house. He turned his head over his shoulder, beckoning for Sasuke to follow and he did so. "You'll need to meet her mother."

Once inside the door, Sasuke hadn't expected such a modern and cozy home. It was comfortable and laid back; it screamed the Haruno's name.

A small entrance that allowed one to take their shoes off upon entering, as well as a small coat closet and shelf that held knick knacks and welcome decorations, and attached to the left was their living room. A L-shaped couch filled most of the spacious room, while their television stand stretched from wall to wall, holding picture upon picture of memories from the past.

From where Sasuke was standing, he could see various photos of a smaller Sakura grinning at the camera, up until she reached her current age — he noticed her lively aura in every single photo. From the living room came the kitchen, a dining room attached that held a medium sized table with four seats. It was only a matter of a minute that Sasuke heard her mother's voice coming from that very room, and then he saw her appear in the doorway.

"Hello there," she greeted him, green eyes glimmering with familiarity as she waited for someone to explain who this young man was. Instead of waiting though, Sasuke took it upon him to introduce himself.

"Hello. My name is Sasuke Uchiha—"

He couldn't finish his sentence before she had marched right up to him, meeting him in the entry room and staring up at him. It wasn't that he was an incredibly tall person, but he had a couple of inches on the older woman. It was then though, that he saw a glimmer of realization in her eyes and something curled in his stomach.

"Mebuki Haruno," she introduced herself and he took her smaller hand in his, carefully, before shaking it gently. "Sakura's mother."

A smile pulled at her taut lips, wrinkles forming around the dimples she possessed and Sasuke mirrored the expression. It wasn't until she released his hand that he noticed Sakura standing off to his right, smiling softly at the two of them. He could see the lingering anxiety and fear in her forest green eyes, but he remained still.

"Joining us for dinner, or?"

"He's just dropping me off, he has other plans for tonight." Sakura butted in, knowing full well that he wanted to see his own mother and father. Mebuki didn't look too convinced, though, and Sakura's brows knitted together.

"Raincheck?" He asked with a softened facial expression but Mebuki placed her hands on her hips. She clicked her tongue before nodding, a sigh of exasperation sounding throughout the room.

"This time," she teased lightly before turning on her heel and heading towards the kitchen. "Don't be a stranger anymore, Sasuke Uchiha." She warned lightly before turning the corner.

With that, Sasuke glanced back to Sakura and raised his dark brows.

"I'll see you around. Text me?" She asked with shimmering and hopeful eyes. Sasuke nodded his head before bidding her father farewell, only to have Kizashi follow him out the door. The Uchiha felt a wave of panic wash over him, but he discarded it almost immediately; it was going well, there was no need to panic.

Once outside, Sasuke met the man's green eyes before he spoke.

"I know you and Sakura have been seeing each other for quite awhile now, and as her father, I need to make some ground rules. I know she's been staying with you on the nights that she's out with friends, but we really don't need any— uh—"

Sasuke shook his head, his face fighting the sudden force of heat that rushed his cheeks. "No," he answered almost immediately. "I agree, completely."

Kizashi cleared his throat before looking away awkwardly. "Good," he said. "I'm glad we're on the same page."

Sasuke sighed and shook his head, shaking the itching and burning feeling in his cheeks before turning.

"It was nice to meet you and Mebuki tonight," he said as he started to walk towards his car.

Kizashi laughed and shook his head. "It was nice to see you tonight as well. It's like Mebuki said, don't be a stranger!"

Sasuke nodded his head, knowing full well that from this point forward, he wouldn't be a stranger in Sakura's world anymore.

x x x

After having dinner with her parents and taking a shower, Sakura was absolutely exhausted. Her mind, body and soul were all tired — not exactly from prom or Sasuke, but from opening up and telling her parents about Sasuke.

It was all they could talk about at the dinner table. They commented on his looks, his tone, how mature he acted. They didn't know too much about him, but from what she could tell, they were highly impressed. Albeit, her father spoke to him alone outside and she was curious as to what was mentioned, but she would ask Sasuke about it tomorrow.

For now, she just wanted to curl up in her sheets, close her eyes and allow her mind to drift into a comfortable slumber.

"Dear?"

She rolled onto her side, her hand fidgeting with the lamp on her nightstand before lighting up the room. At her door stood Mebuki, a slight crack showing her mother's face and she welcomed her in. It wasn't always that her mother would come to her room, but she felt comfortable and protected in the enclosed space right now.

That was, until she noticed a small smile lining her mother's lips and it made her mind wander to various thoughts.

"What?" She asked, a sense of urgency rushing the word from her thin lips.

Mebuki sat at the foot of the bed, her hand coming to rest on Sakura's covered feet before her green eyes landed on her daughter's.

"He was the one you drew that picture of, wasn't he?"

She raised a brow, lost in a void of confusion, trying to rack her brain for some sort of clarity but it wasn't until she remembered drawing in Sasuke's features and shading it with the side of her pencil during his class that she recalled exactly what photo she mentioned.

Anxiety rushed her chest, clawing at the muscles and skin and forming such an ached pain that she wanted to vomit. She had no idea what to say or how to answer the question, because as far as Sakura knew, Mebuki now knew that Sasuke was her teacher at one point.

The pinkette opted to nod her head softly, fighting her own body with remaining calm but she was far too exhausted. She couldn't keep up this kind of facade in front of her mother, especially because Mebuki knew by now. Instead, she was met with a soft squeeze on her feet from her, a comforting and reassuring one.

"Had we known it was your teacher's younger brother, we would've brought some sort of baked good to your conference. Why didn't you tell us sooner?"

Sakura clawed at her own mind, a sense of relief washing through her for the millionth time that day and shrugged. "He's my first real… boyfriend. I wasn't sure how to tell you."

The soft sigh that came from her mother was a reassuring one and when she scooted up the length of the bed until she was seated next to Sakura, she sat up in bed and wrapped her arms around her mother.

"I know I've been strict on you this year, and every year prior, but as your parent, you can always come to me. I'm not going to look down on you, or reprimand you for things. I know I've blown things out of proportion in the past, but I want this to be a new beginning for us. I'm not a perfect mother, but I only do things because I want to protect you."

Sakura wanted to cry and she fought hard to hold the tears back. She couldn't keep this secret anymore.

"Mom…"

"Yes, dear?"

"Sasuke was my teacher at one point."

Just like Sasuke had done earlier that day, Sakura took the dive. She was tired of holding back and tired of keeping everything a secret. With how painful it had been to experience everything alone, she was tired of hiding things back from her own parents.

To Sakura's surprise, Mebuki didn't say anything. She pulled away from their hug and looked her daughter in the eye, tears lining her waterline but she only shook her head. Of course it was a hard thing to hear, a hard thing to sort through in one's mind, but now it was out in the open and Mebuki had every right to decide on what she wanted to think.

She didn't have to approve of her and Sasuke's relationship, she didn't have to like Sasuke, but Sakura wasn't going to leave and give up on everything she had gone through with Sasuke. One fear that raced through her mind was her own mother reporting him to the authorities, but she knew her mother wouldn't be that heartless.

Instead, she was pulled in for another hug and this time Mebuki heaved with such a loud sob that Sakura's body stilled with shock.

"I know," she said and Sakura couldn't feel her heart in her chest anymore. "I know, Sakura."

She was met with her own tears streaming down her face, soaking into the cotton of her mother's shirt as they embraced one another.

"I've known for awhile, I just wasn't sure what to do. You seemed happier than you had been in years; you were going out, trying new things, even going to prom. As a mother, you don't want to see your child stay in their room, locked in the dark with only music playing and for once, my heart felt content that you were with other people and not by your lonesome. You made a new friend this year, tried new things. You got accepted into your dream college—" her voice cut out as she choked back a sob. When her mother pulled away, she wiped at her eyes, the red and puffiness bringing out the vivid greens of her irises. "I just feared that one day he would hurt you, or try to take advantage of you. But after seeing the two of you together, I know for a fact that he would never intentionally hurt you."

Sakura nodded, the back of her hand wiping at the tears that trailed down her ivory cheeks. She hiccuped once, and ran her fingers through her pale strands of pink hair. The world had been lifted from her chest; she could breathe once more, see clearly and focus without a clouded mind. It still troubled her soul that she hid this from her mother for so long, it pained her that she lied but now that she knew, Sakura hoped they could work on mending whatever might've been broken between the two of them.

"Just be safe for me, okay?" Mebuki added with a stern tone, her hand coming to rest on Sakura's cheek as the padding of her thumb pushed the last tear away. "Don't do anything stupid."

"I won't, mom." Sakura reassured her and when Mebuki rose from Sakura's bed and exited the room, for the first time in months, she inhaled a clear breath of fresh air.

No worries, no stress, no anxiety.

She clicked the light off, closed her eyes, and slept the entire night away. Her and Sasuke were finally on to the next chapter in their book together and Sakura had never felt happier and more at home.

alas, another chapter done!

thank you so much for reading and i'm hoping to get the next chapter posted fairly soon. i have always had fun writing this story and it's so bittersweet to almost be done with this fic. seriously, thank you to everyone that has read this and has been supportive of me. i can't thank you enough! as always, feedback is very appreciated or if you just wanna say hi, that's okay too!

a side note: i hope you all have been staying safe during these trying times. remember to wash your hands too! anyway, see ya guys next time at possibly the last chapter of sakura's secret!