Sorry honey, the bachelor wanted the cheesecake
A/N: As some of you know, I have a baking fetish and I base some of the moments of this fic from my own experiences.
I just want to say, there are recipes before every chapter, and they actually work. The recipes are from my own and I assure you, they're very good. If the five pounds I've gained taste testing these recipes for this story don't prove anything to you. (Damn you sugar, why must you be so irresistible!!) All these recipes are either pastries or desserts. Lots of them involving the natural aphrodisiac: Chocolate! What's a romance fic without chocolate?
In addition, I would appreciate it if you would actually take the time read them and hopefully try them out your self. These recipes are as much part of the story as the plot it self. And I do the best to make these recipes funny. Thank you.
I dedicate this story to all my readers, who told me to keep on updating, and who kept waiting patiently. Thank you.
I also give this to you as a special graduating present for all graduating students this month. I just graduated last Wednesday, March 14, so I give this to you guys.
Disclaimer: Mi no propio. Mi no hablar ingles, por favor. Gracias mi amigas.
Warning: The following recipes are explained in the strangest of ways. Prepare yourselves for a cocky and a—surprisingly—polite Sasuke (Well...Not POLITE, polite but rather good mannered but still arrogant and bastard-like). AU and OOC-ness.
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Chapter one: Sakura
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Sakura's Bet-Everything-You've-Got Chocolate lava muffins
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 stick butter
½-teaspoon vanilla extract
½-cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 –teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1-tablespoon cocoa powder
1-cup vanilla ice cream
1-teaspoon espresso powder
Butter, to coat muffin tins.
Okay, if this is your ABSOLUTE last option, you do one thing: Bet every damn thing you've got at this. What's life without a little thrill anyway? Start by preheating the oven at 375 degrees. If this is you're first time taking a big ol' risk like this, we'll take baby steps. Get a small metal bowl and place it over a saucepan that's about ¼ full with simmering water, melt the chocolate (nothing like chocolate to calm your nerves down) and the butter (Ah…butter, life's blessing) . When done, take it way from the heat and add the vanilla. See? Baby steps.
Now, when that's all ready and done, get a large mixing bowl (make sure it's clean, we wouldn't want you to have food poisoning). Combine the sugar, flour and salt. Then using a hand mixer, gingerly add the chocolate-butter mixture, all the while using the number 2 speed of that thing. Mix only until blended. When that's done, add the eggs one at a time, don't be all-macho and think that you could add all of it in now, make sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. The batter should be light and creamy; it should take you about 4 minutes. Chill batter.
You still nervous? We're half way through honey, it's okay. Okay, while the batter's in the chill box, coat each of the cups in the muffin tin with butter, not too much now, just enough to coat. Dust with cocoa powder and shake off the rest. Using a 4-ounce ladle, spoon mixture in each muffin cup. Bake for 10 to 11 minutes.
It should only take you 5 minutes to go to the bank to get the plan started. So when your back, melt the ice cream in a small saucepan with the espresso powder. When the muffins are done they muffins should be cake-like and the inside should be gooey. Remember, we want that oozing lava effect.
Now you serve our tasty sauce over that and prepare for one of the biggest risks you are ever going to take.
"Do I hear Two thousand-five hundred? No one? Two thousand-five hundred going once, going twice...SOLD! To the young woman in the third row!" As the auctioneer's gavel slammed, it was official, Konoha's 15th most eligible bachelor walked off the stage and across the Uchiha ballroom floor and to the waiting arms of his new owner. Sure, she might not have been the newest Bentley in the garage but she was still in good shape.
Uchiha Sasuke scowled. The only reason he joined this whole thing was that he was all but drunk on a damn good round of shots with Naruto and the others the other night. Too stupidly drunk to refuse Sai's dare...for god's sake, he was fucking 28! Dares were what? 10—no even more—15 years his junior?!
Oh, this was a charity all right; men agreeing to sell their dignity for 24 hours to a woman and call it a tax deduction. Sasuke sighed; at least the women were happy. After all, it was all held for one of those shelters where women go to when they were abused and shit.
The whole night women we're screaming and howling, waving their checkbook's in the air, as if they we're kids trying to get ice cream from an ice cream truck. His thoughts were cut short though by the auctioneer's voice booming clearly on the audio system. "For our next bachelor, we have Rock Lee. Height: 5'11", Weight: 180 lbs, owner of "for youth we stand, protect the youth today" charity. Net worth of about 150 million yen." The auctioneer started. Lee's thick eyebrows drew together as a small blush crept up his cheeks. His hands clenched tightly on his handkerchief and his legs audibly shook.
Another sigh escaped Sasuke's lips. What Rock Lee needed was a big shot of testosterone. For goodness sake, all you have to do is entertain a woman for a day. Take her out to dinner, maybe if your lucky, get in between the sheets—something Rock Lee would clearly not end up in—then Bing, Bam, Boom, thank you. Good-bye forever, never want to see you again too. In short, no big deal. Actually, he didn't get why Lee was voted 5th most eligible bachelor. He wasn't good looking at all. He was tall and lean yeah, but his fashion sense, natural looks and charm were almost to nothing. His wonderful cousin, Mika said that he was sweet and caring from what she read in the Konoha Mega. Oh, well. Women were always hard to understand. All Sasuke could do now is wait for this to be over.
"Yo, teme." Just when he thought his day wouldn't get any worse, it did. Once again, Sasuke sighed.
"What is it dobe? Aren't you supposed to be with your new owner?"
"She's in the powder room. What's gotten you all fucked up again? Sai said this would be fun. Though I'm not having the best time, it's not all that bad. And plus these ladies are pretty hot."
"Whatever. We've seen—If not all—most of the women here before. And it doesn't make sense why we should even—" Sasuke's voice was cut off by the screams and shouts of the women in the room. Their voices we're twice as loud as the sound system. Scary.
"Where is he?!"
"Give him to us!!"
"Yeah! Put him on stage!"
"Get that freak of the stage and give us Sasuke-kunnnnn!!"
"What the hell?! We paid good money to see him!!"
"Sasuke-kuuuunnnnn!!"
The auctioneer coughed, taping the microphone that he held in his hand. "Okay, ladies, quiet down now." When the audience settled, the auctioneer continued. "Thank you. Now, our final bachelor of the night. Our piece de resistance. The man you ladies have all been waiting for, Konoha's number one eligible bachelor, Uchiha Sasuke!" Hearing that, Naruto grinned. "You're up!" He said pushing Sasuke up the stairs and on the stage. Feeling the impact, Sasuke staggered up, slightly stumbling at first. When the women saw him, they instantly screamed, shouted, whooped and catcalled the young Uchiha. Said man, cringed. He'd known most of these women his whole life and they never acted like this. What the hell have the catering been serving?? He didn't want to know.
"As you all know, Sasuke Uchiha is the youngest of the Uchiha brother's. I know you ladies we're all heart-broken when we all found out Itachi Uchiha had gotten married last winter." At that, all the women in the room whined, shook their heads and said; "Itachi-kun..."
"But as you all know, Master Sasuke is very much single. He is twenty-eight years of age and the heir to the famous Uchiha hotel chain. Height: 6'1", Weight: 190 lbs. Our young bachelor has a net worth of about 980 million yen."
Now that wasn't particularly true, Sasuke thought. He could only have that net worth if his father gave him his inheritance. And if he did what needed to be done right, he wouldn't have to worry about anything financial for a good long while. Since Sasuke was born into wealth, as did his father and his father's father, and all the Uchiha's after the first Uchiha started the hotel chain in Fire country.
Some people would say that an Uchiha is only good for two things: A good business partner and a great partner in between the sheets. The latter was the most common when related to the young Uchiha. His older brother, Itachi, had been the best at both. Most people thought of him as a playboy as well, until he met his wife: Kina. But that's another story. Sasuke was known as a "replacement" for Itachi, for quite a while. As his brother, was also naturally a good romp. But we'll get to that a little later.
"Now, who'd like to start the bidding? Remember ladies, be generous, all the proceeds will go to the "We, as women should stand strong always" foundation.
"Five thousand yen!" said a woman in the back that sounded particularly like Sumi Takawara, heir of the famous fashion line.
"Five thousand-five hundred!"
"Six thousand!"
"Seven thousand!"
"EIGHT!!"
Sasuke once again scowled. They treated him as if he was—
"Eight thousand two hundred!!"
"Eight thousand three hundred!!"
—something to be bought in a flee market or in some bazaar. They just kept putting prices on him. Didn't these women have any concern of how he felt? It made him feel—
"Nine thousand!!"
"Ten thousand!!"
"Ten thousand for hundred!!"
—Cheap. As cheap as a pack of M&M's—on wholesale, I might add.
And they said this would be fun. It was just creepy, that's what it was. C-R-E-E-P-Y.
Sasuke swore, after this was done, he'd kill both Naruto and Sai. Surely, his father would get a good lawyer to back up his case when the police find their bodies...one day. A sigh escaped his lips; he'd been doing that a lot lately. Sasuke watched as the women bid higher and higher in hopes of getting a full 24 hours with him. Strange…
"Fifteen thousand, six hundred!!" Called a woman's voice, a voice Sasuke didn't recognize. After her bidding, an awkward silence fell. Dark eyes narrowed in hopes of finding this mystery woman. He didn't see her. Sasuke speculated the audience and him were thinking the same thing: What would this woman want to do with him to make her bet such a price tag on him?
Fifteen grand...Wow. "Do I hear Fifteen thousand seven hundred?" The auctioneer scanned the room. Continued. "None? Fifteen thousand six hundred going once, going twice...SOLD! To the woman in the back row. Ladies, don't forget to pay and claim your men in the accounting booth in the ballroom hall outside, okay? This auction is over. Thank you all for participating." And with that, both he and Sasuke left the stage.
Like most auctions, they served complementary cocktails and food. Sasuke was passing through the crowd, again, in hopes of finding his "owner". Unfortunately, he ran into Naruto and Sai. Grrreeaatt...just the people he wanted to see. Having a closer look at the two, they looked like a pair of drunks...or perverted teens on their first time at the playboy mansion. As he walked closer, Sai's arm came around Naruto's shoulders, and they both laughed.
They were probably talking about him. If Sasuke had one yen for every time they made fun or even just talking about him and the messes he's gotten himself into, he'd be five times richer. But they were his friends, bastards.
When the duo noticed his presence Sai punched his shoulder, chuckling all the while. "Feel like a pair shoes don't 'cha?"
"Ha-ha, very funny." It was strange that he knew exactly how he felt. But then again, he'd known Sai and Naruto since his early childhood, so it might just be normal. However, he wasn't helping, and to make things worse, Naruto joined in the fun.
The blond laughed. "Bet 'ya feel all cheap, having all those women wave their checkbooks—as if money meant nothing—at you."
"Again—" Sai cut him off and put his other arm around the Uchiha's shoulders.
"Suck it up Uchiha, that's life. Now you know how it feels to be working in the industry." Now that he thought about it, Sai had always been auctioned off, one way or the other, working in the acting industry. Sai's family owned one of those hot-shot producing companies that made some—if not all—the block-buster movies, most of them staring him, of course. Aside form making money out of acting; he was Konoha's third most eligible bachelor, second to Naruto and himself. "At least you get 24 hours with a babe. Who knows, you might just get laid." He said, in a joking tone.
"Okay. Whatever. So you saw her?" The two looked at him questioningly.
"Who?" They asked in unison.
Sasuke rolled his eyes. Idiots. He was friends with idiots. "The woman who bought me."
"Oh. No, sorry we didn't."
"Ah. Well I'll just have to look for—" A female voice interrupted him.
"Excuse me." That voice. It was hers. Sure, it was softer now, but it was still hers. Since their arms were on each other's shoulders—at least Sai's—they ended up all facing the woman behind them. Both Sai's and Naruto's jaw's dropped while Sasuke's eyes just widened slightly.
She was small, the three of them was about a head and a third or so taller than her. But to make up for it, her body was perfect. She lacked the fifteen-pound diamonds, the skimpy mini-dresses or the four inch Jimmy Choo's. Instead, she was in a green cashmere sweater that—almost—stuck to her body like second skin and had a nice teasing scoop in front of her chest, not big enough to reveal her breasts but just enough to linger in and tease a man's imagination. Sasuke smirked.
This'll be interesting he looked at her cleavage again. Yes, this is definitely going to be interesting. Sasuke's gaze then went to her heart-shaped face, her pink locks framing it. Deep Onyx met sparking emerald, lingered. "It...It's you."
The woman raised an elegant...strangely pink eyebrow. "If you mean the woman who bought you then yes, that's me—or would be if you'd let me get to the accounting booth." She said, waving her checkbook at his face at the same time, making her way through the trio. Finally getting back to their senses, Naruto and Sai turned to Sasuke.
"That's your owner??" They asked in unison. Sasuke nodded, taking in the view he had of his owner's lovely ass. "Seems like it."
Sai let out a low whistle, looking in the same direction as Sasuke. "Damn. She's hot. However, she's not quite like us. She's not from our side of the block." Sai looked at Sumi Takawara's obviously colored lavender hair and anorexic-like body structure and Sasuke's buyer, did a one-second comparison, then quickly turned to Sasuke and grinned. "I take it back. She's very hot. I don't care whether she's a millionaire or just a department store sales' clerk, I'd screw her any day." Sasuke glared. "She's mine."
Naruto gave him a knowing look. "Getting possessive already?" Then grinned. "Down boy. You only get to be with her for twenty-four hours, or until she's done with you. She's the boss. This time you're the waiting puppy in the pound."
As a waiter passed with a tray filled with drinks, Sasuke grabbed a flute of champagne and took a long good sip, again, starring at his owner. "We'll see about that."
Sai sighed and shook his head. "Ah, the oh-so famous Uchiha arrogance. It just bursts out of you."
Naruto nodded in a consenting manner. "True, true." He simply put. After a moment's silence, an evil glint shimmered in Naruto's azure orbs. "Two thousand yen says you won't even get to first base with her tonight."
At first, Sasuke thought about it...what would a bet prove? However, he was an Uchiha and he was a male...
Sasuke smirked. "Two thousand? I didn't know Mrs. Uzumaki knew you bet that much of your allowance."
"Hey, whatever. Her money, my money, it's still money."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow.
Naruto shrugged. "Are we on or what? You to chicken to take on my offer?"
"As much as I hate to take money from friends who don't know what mess they're getting themselves into, Uchiha's we're never one to back down from anything." He held out his hand.
Naruto chuckled. "Whatever you say Uchiha. Just be sure not to be all grumpy when you empty your wallet to my hand."
His smirk widened as his owner make her way through the crowd. He watched as her lithe frame, her rounded hips moving side to side. "Oh, trust me; I'll be far from grumpy tomorrow."
"Uchiha arrogance." Sai put in. "You know Sasuke, one day, all that arrogance will be your down fall."
Sasuke took another sip. "Maybe, one day. But for now, I'll wallow in its perquisites. Excuse me boy's, I only have twenty-four hours to win that bet. " With that said, he went to properly introduce himself to his owner.
Preview of next chapter: Sasuke
At that, Sasuke's eyebrow raised in an almost disappointed manner. "So you aren't interested in me?
"Oh, I am. But not for mere kissing." Liar, liar, lips on fire. Liar's go to hell, Sakura.
"Really now?" He smirked. "I only assumed that that was the reason why you 'purchased' me."
Ugh. The man had an ego that went so high; it broke through the ozone layer. But what had she expected? That the number one playboy in all of fire country—maybe even throughout all of Japan—be nice, polite and humble?? That he would assume that, she wanted him for his name and power and not for his body? But taking a closer view at Uchiha Sasuke's tall frame and being that close to him made her think about it. Suddenly the idea of using the guy for his body didn't seem like such a bad idea after all.
IMPORTANT REMINDER ! IMPORTANT REMINDER ! IMPORTANT REMINDER !
A/N: Chapter ended! I have terrible news for you, right I said I am almost done with the succeeding chapters of "A Magician's Performance", well, I am almost done and I'll only post if you actually like this story. I don't want you saying, "I like this story!" just to make me update "A Magician's Performance" okay? I want your honest opinion. If you don't like it, I'll update at an even slower pace. Alternatively, maybe even put the story on HIATUS.
It's not to spite you guys or anything but that's the way it has to be. This story keeps my mind flowing, you see. If I don't continue, I won't have inspiration to write in the first place. Think about it, if I continue, I'll be able to update...every two weeks or so. So tell me your opinion in your review, okay? Thank you.