I'm just going to skip this and get on with the story. But before I can do that I wanted to say, thank you for the reviews! They make me so happy. So here's the fifth chapter of Lust!

Summary: He pisses me off. I annoyed him. He makes me giddy. I leave him wanting me. But our efforts are useless because were both taking the exam and being a Dragon slayer forbids the "Sex Factor". Obviously, we don't give a damn.

Lust

Glass

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I stared out the window, pink and orange tinting the sky, black clouds began gathering as well. Night would come soon and then the party would kickoff probably with some rain. I slowly reached for my heels and slipped them on my feet. I was probably going to get bruises after this was all over. I adjusted the red rose fabric around my neck and made it comfortably tight. Just a few more minutes and I would go downstairs to greet the guest.

Sasuke, I wonder what he was doing right about now. Was he getting ready to entertain Estuko? Or was he just putting on his outfit?

I reached for my dagger hidden on the outside of my boots and wedged the blade between the silver band around my thigh and my leg. It fit perfectly, snug and tight. I was glad I had brought the band along. It was perfect for hiding weapons under clothing.

I dropped the hems of my dress and readjusted it as to conceal the weapon. My dress flared quite considerably, but not as much as Ino's or Hinata's. It would be easier to move around yet harder to hide weapons.

Ino and Hinata had already went downstairs to tidy up the rest of the refreshments and goods for the guests. They suggested I stay up a little longer until I felt accustomed to the dress and heels. I took a step forward and winced as the back of the shoe rubbed against my foot harshly. Balancing on the heels was also hard.

I slowly inhaled and took another step. Slow and steady, that was how the women in society walked. Act just like them, give nothing away. Bruises and wounds heal but the feeling of failing a mission stayed with you forever.

A knock on the door made me whirl, almost breaking my ankle. "Sakura, the guests have come." Hinata walked in and giggled. "Just take it easy and slow. It's alright to stumble a few times."

"That'd make me the laughing stock of the entire region." I frowned and took a few steps toward her. "You rich people love to make gossip, isn't that right?"

"Oh don't worry! You can just make up a name, no one will know you are related to Shiro." She ushered me out and gestured with a slight curtsy "Just don't mention that you are a Haruno and no one will notice. Besides, you and Shiro look nothing alike."

I sighed and walked out with her. "I hope you're right Hinata."

She giggled and we walked down to the main room. I tried not to gawk at how many people were already here. I also tried not to look at the refreshment table either, but that was very difficult. Clusters of people were already crowding up in the manor. Women walked elegantly across the floor with their bright skirts swishing against their feet, their hair delicately tied up or left to hang on their shoulders.

"Let's go greet the guest with Ino. She's checking the list by the door." Hinata pointed to the door and we walked over, seeing Ino and Kiba together.

As soon as she caught sight of us, she sighed in relief and escorted us over. "Am I glad to see you two! Dear Lord! There are too many guests that Kiba and I can't check them off at once!"

Kiba groaned and pulled us over to help him. He looked exhausted already. "Please help. My eyes hurt from scanning the page fifty-million times... and this Missy here," He pointed to Ino. "doesn't do squat."

I laughed and grabbed a list. Then I walked over to the other side of the door with Hinata and asked the guests for their names. One man stopped me and asked if I would like to chat with him later. "I'll come look for you after I've finished sir."

"Then I will wait." He smiled, his teeth gleaming under the light. "Ask around for Tanaka when you are finished miss."

I smiled and tried to engrave his name into my head. It would be rude if I didn't go greet him after.

Several men approached Hinata while we were checking the list. She would nervously laugh and say that she wasn't who they thought she was. I was surprised that many people knew Hinata and Ino. Well, that was to be expected. They do these kinds of things a lot considering where they grew up from.

Shiro goes to these kinds of things too. His rank makes him very popular with the ladies, or so he's told me. I know he bluffs though. Shiro's very clumsy when it comes to women.

We finished the last of the guests and got them into the manor. I was even more packed then it was before. I remembered to go greet Tanaka-san and asked some women if they knew where he was.

"Tanaka-san?" A woman with light brown curls haughtily laughed. "Why does he want someone like you to greet him? Is that a joke?"

I gritted my teeth and tried to speak calmly. Its obviously was not working. "I was told to greet him after I was done letting the guests in. It's not a joke." I smiled sweetly as she frowned.

"There's no way you could catch his attention." I turned and found another woman coming over. Was she going to irritate me too?

She was beautiful. Her hair was as dark as the night sky, and her eyes were a even darker shade of coal. She smirked our way. "There's no way you can catch any man's attention with that kind of attitude."

I realized she wasn't talking to me but the brunette beside me. Offended, the woman huffed and strode swiftly away. I heaved a sigh of relief and smiled at my savior. She smiled back in turn.

"You're looking for Tanaka-san, right?" Her midnight eyes shined on me warmly. I nodded and she pointed to the very back of the room. "He should be over there. I last saw him talking to Hiro-san. May I ask how you grabbed his attention?"

I blinked. "Uhmm, I just greeted him at the door and he asked me to talk with him later."

"That's a huge honor." She smiled and brought her hand out for a handshake. "I'm Kashizawa Fumi. You can call me Fumi."

"I'm Sakura, just Sakura." I held her hand in mine and shook with her. "It's very nice to be acquainted with you Fumi-san."

"Well, I hope we can meet more often, Sakura-san. I must go and greet Hiro-san and thank her for this splendid party." She smiled another dazzling smile and walked into the crowd.

She was very kind. I thought and wandered over to the back of the room. I tried not to ask any women because I didn't want anymore trouble flying around. Who was Tanaka-san anyhow? And if he was so great, why was he interested in someone like me, someone he probably has never heard of before? It was suspicious.

I bumped into something, hard. I looked up and noticed the woman in front of me and dropped her glass. "Oh, ah... I-I'm so sorry!"

She scowled at me. "Hiro-san invited such hooligans to her party. How disgusting. This party is horrid."

"Hey now, I said I was sorry didn't I? You should learn to except apologizes and Hiro-san did a wonderful job creating this party." I glared at her. I couldn't take it anymore. So many people were snobs at this party, and that snotty attitude was wearing away the last of my patience.

She shrieked. "Ah! What a horrid beast!" She slumped to the ground. I tripped and fell on top of her. "Someone tell this girl to mind her manners!"

I stared wide eyed at her. She kept screaming and wailing in fake distress. Everyone had heard her and was now looking over at us. I heard the whispers.

They were all about me...

"What a barbaric girl!"

"Her hair! Those green eyes! She's a bad omen indeed!"

"Savage beast!"

A bad omen. Barbaric. Savage. I widened my eyes even more. The woman's wailing was drowned out by my memories. Of course, I could never fit in. And even if I tried, they'd push me away. Horrible dispicable things always happened around me. And I could never explain why it happened... It just, happened.

Because I was a bad girl.

"Sakura!" I slowly lifted my eyes up and saw him. He held my arm in one hand and my waist around him arm. His eyes looked down at me in worry. "Snap out of it."

"Sasuke-san, where did..." Etsuko jogged over in her heels, the sound clacking against the floor. She stopped when she saw us.

The room was silent. No one moved, not a sound was heard. I gazed at him for sometime and the woman was slowly pulled up by another man. "Han, stand up."

She stared at Sasuke and gasped. "You are..." She pointed to him, but her voice trailed off.

"I'm sorry Ma'am," Sasuke smiled and put a hand on my head, pulling me into his chest. "But I would like it if you kept your voice at a minimum during the party."

The woman protested. "But this girl pushed me over-"

"I'm well aware that she had fallen on top on you, but you were the one who fell first and tripped her slightly afterwords so it would look like she pushed you over." I couldn't see his face, but I knew he was smiling. "Besides, she is not the type of girl to push a woman like you over, even if you were making a scene."

"Sas-" I tilted my head to look up but his hand prevented me from looking anywhere but in the darkness of his chest.

"Sakura-san!" I heard Hiro-san's voice as she rushed over. "Are you alright?"

"She's fine." I felt his hand stroke my back. I bit my lip, trying to stop the tears gathering at my eyes. "I'll take her up. Sai, watch over Etsuko."

"Right."

Swiftly, I was lifted up and into Sasuke's arms, one hand behind thigh and the other on my back to steady me. I gasped as he easily carried me away. As we walked up the stairs, the people began to talk again and the party went back to normal. Only Sasuke and I were not attending.

He brought me back up to the room and set me softly of the bed, as if I were made of glass. I had always considered myself strong, stronger than Hinata or Ino. But at times like this, I was weak.

He sat beside me and wrapped an arm around my head, bringing me to his warmth. "It's okay to let it out, to admit your flaws."

I felt hot tears slip down my cheek. My vision blurred and I grasped his shirt, crying silently into his strength. He wrapped his arms around me and laid his chin on my head.

"Why... why am I hated," I gasped and felt my body shake uncontrollably. "Why was I born a... bad omen...? Why... why... why!"

I felt a hand slowly run up and down my back in a soothing notion. "You're not a bad omen."

"I am!" I clutched the fabric he wore tighter. My chest felt heavy, my stomach churning. "No one wants me! I cause trouble to everyone, whether it's Shiro or my friends! Deep in their hearts no one wants me around!"

"They do." His simple sentence made me look up into his dark black eyes. "Hinata and Ino both love you dearly. Shiro-san probably loves you too because he sacrificed his freedom to bring you up. Don't you see! No one here hates you!"

"You're lying!" I pushed at his shoulders and backed away from him. "DON'T LIE TO ME!"

I was suddenly pushed over, my back against the cottony bed. The next thing that happened was a blur. Our lips crashed together and I felt something hot invade my mouth. I gasped and felt my arms being pulled over my head. I finally stopped resisting and let him kiss me, let him dominate me.

He released us from our lip lock, both of us gasping for air. He laid his forehead on mine, our breaths mingling together. "I don't kiss anyone I don't care about."

I felt my chest ache. I wasn't strong at all. I was fragile, like glass. My heart was racing, like I was running fast in the forest.

He whipped my tears away with his thumb and delicately caressed my cheek. I cried, for the longest time since I was little. I cried for my parents who hated me. I cried for the man who had left me. I cried for my village being burnt down. And I cried for being cared for, because it felt so nice.

I'm like glass...

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"Huh?"

"I said, why don't you try and make friends in the village?" He flicked me in the forehead. I yelped and brought my hand up to nurse my bruise.

The wind howled and blew through the grassy plains on my yard. I didn't speak for a long time until I felt a hand on my head. "It's okay if you don't want to talk. I was simply just asking, I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

"Because!" My sudden outburst surprised him. I clutched the frills of my dress. I was nervous on how I was going to tell him. Nervous that if I told him, he would never see me again. "I don't need anyone else to be my friend but you! Besides, every time I try to help or fit in, someone ends up dying..."

He stared at me for a second, then flicked me in the forehead again. I scowled and felt my face heat up.

"You can't think like that. What would you do if I were to suddenly die one day?" He sounded sad, almost hesitant.

I darted my eyes back to him. "You're not going to die! Not you!"

"The world is unexpected... People come and go everyday, with the dangers outside and all." I felt tears well in my eyes. He sighed and hugged me. "What I'm trying to say is that having only one friend isn't good. I'm happy that you think I'm all you need but you feel empty inside when I'm not around, right?"

He was right. Every time he came, I was so happy to the point I could cry. But every time he left, I felt a hole build in my chest, one that grows as he continues to leave everyday. No matter what I did, that void never ceased to grow. I was hallow when I was alone. But making new friends meant the void would only increase. Day by day.

I was quiet for a while and he sighed. "Don't worry, you'll make lots of friends, and you also have me right?"

I stared up and him, his smile warmer than the suns rays. "Un!"

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After I had stopped leaking tears, I told Sasuke to go back to the party. He asked if I was going to be okay and I smiled. Guarding Etsuko was his responsibility, no matter how much I wanted him to stay. I told him off and said I was fine, he bonked our heads together one more time before walking out of the room.

I sighed and laid my arm over my eyes, thinking about my past, him. He was my light, my driving force. I wished to see him again. But then there was Sasuke, the one who lifted me up when I was stumbling. They are so much alike. In looks and in character.

A knock on the door made me jump. "I-It's open!"

The door swished open and a man walked into slowly. I gasped when I saw it was Tanaka-san. "That young man who carried you said I could visit you here. Is that fine?"

"I-Indeed!" I rubbed my eyes and moved over slightly so he could sit on the bed with me.

He was middle aged, likely in his mid-thirties. He gracefully sat down next to me and I noticed he had stunning blue eyes. "That woman must've been out of her mind to cause such a ruckus. Are you okay now though?"

I nodded and he smiled. "Uhmm, why did you want to talk to me?" He blinked at me and I stuttered, embarrassed that I was too straight-forward. "I-I bumped into Fumi-san and she said that it was an honor to talk to you... so why would you want to talk to me when I'm nothing special?"

"Because you're Shiro-san's daughter."

I blinked for a couple of seconds. Maybe even a few minutes.

"H-How d-d-"

He laughed and pointed directly at my nose. "I've met you before. I knew you forgot me but it's predictable considering you were only seven at the time. We met at the party up near Clarines and I was introduced to you by Shiro-san."

It was fuzzy but I remembered. "You were the man who gave me candy."

He laughed and pulled out a bag of round multicolored sweets. "And I'm going to give you more."

He dropped the bag into my arms and I gaped at him. "B-But... why d-do y-you...?"

"Hiro-san and I are close. When she told me that Shiro-san's daughter was going to be at the party, I brought a bag of candy for her just in case she was feeling down like before." He smiled and stood up. "Well, there are more people to greet, enjoy the candy little miss."

The door closed and I stared at the bag below me. Taking out a round pebble of candy, I plopped it into my mouth and smiled. "It's sweet."

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I walked down the stairs and found Sasuke leaning against the wall in the very back. I walked over and tapped his arm. "Where's Etsuko?"

"She went to dance with the idiot. Look," He pointed to the middle of the room and I could see Naruto grinning while he and Etsuko twirled across the room. "I'm surprised he can dance. Learn something new about him everyday."

I laughed at the scene. I grabbed his wrist and dragged him toward me. He gave me a questioning look. "Let's dance! I feel like stretching my legs."

He blinked. "Even in those heels?"

"Yes!"

He hefted a sigh and pulled me toward him. "Fine but do you even know how to dance?"

I swayed with him, I could tell he was surprised. "I once learned a long time ago, when I was around six. It was really fun." I smiled up at him. He smirked and danced along with me.

"Who taught you?"

I blinked subconsciously. "I don't remember his name. But you and him resemble each other very much."

"Is that so." His voice sounded strained.

"Hmm?" I looked up at him and saw that far away look in his eyes. He looked like that a few days ago too. I grabbed his wrist and he flinched. "What's-"

A loud Blast came from the middle of the room. We whirled around to see smoke gathering around. Sasuke glared at the scene. "The hell-"

Another blast, then another. The guests screamed and ran around in terror looking for an exit. Chains of explosions came from everywhere in the room.

"What's going on?" Hinata rushed over to me and stared wide eyed. "These explosions just...!"

I reached for the dagger under my dress and told Hinata to calm down. She pulled out hers and we ran into the crowd with Sasuke beside me.

I kicked off my heels and ran barefoot around the room looking for Naruto and Etsuko. Eventually we found him but he was alone. "Where's Etsuko?"

"She's outside with everyone else. We have to find the source of these detonations!" He tried to yell over the sound of the blasts.

I nodded and told Hinata to go find Ino and get outside to calm down the guests. She reluctantly agreed and dashed off to find the blonde.

Luckily the room was high above our heads, or it would've caved in my now. I noticed the blasts came in patterns. It started with the middle, then the corner left of the door. After that it went across to the corner in the back right. The last one we heard was the one in the right corner near the entrance. So the last blast was on the left, in the very back. We had around a few minutes before it went off.

I dashed off. Sasuke probably noticed the pattern too because he had ran off before me. The heavy smoke made it hard to breath. I ripped off a piece of the dress and covered my face with it. I reached the corner and found Sasuke already there, looking through everything for the cause of the explosions.

He turned to me. "Look over there!"

I nodded and looked behind the chair, desks, and bookcases. Behind the very last bookcase was a tiny ball, a red shiny ball. I gasped as I noticed the string attached to it was burning. Reaching in as far as I could, I was able to grab the sphere and cut the string from the explosive.

"I got it!" I ran back over to Sasuke and showed him. "I knew they were Flares."

He grabbed my wrist and we dashed outside to the awaiting guests and out Team. Thunder rumbled and we made it safety outside, rain dripping on us. Hinata hugged me and Ino too. I smiled and comforted the sniffling girls.

"You guys were in there for so long...We thought you were going to-" Hinata sniffled then let out a small whimper.

I laughed and patted her head. "I'm fine. See?"

"Now's not the time to be worrying." I looked over to Sasuke and he frowned considerably, more than he usually does. "Everyone on the list attended. And Hiro-san greeted everyone. They were all familiar to you correct?"

Hiro-san nodded and held Etsuko who was shivering.

"Then somebody on that guest list put those Flares into your house while we were having the party." I murmured. Sasuke sighed and crossed his arms. Thunder rumbled again.

"Let's out of this rain and talk about it then." Sai Suggested.

Hiro-san pulled her daughter close. "We have another building close to the manor. Let's go there." She turned around to the guests and told them that the party was over. Many sighed in relief and started to leave. We said goodbye to all of them and watched as they left, one by one.

"Only mages and Slayers can buy Flares." Sai announced.

Flares were like bombs. They're smaller but they deal the same damage a bomb does. The reason only magicians can purchase Flares are because they're licensed by law. Mages have certificates proving they were dubbed by the king of the region, as do Slayers.

But with us Slayers, we're dubbed only by one king, the king of Jintou. The reason for that is because every Slayer takes the exam in this region. Whether you were trained in Dunther region or Cervine, you still take the exam here. That's ancient Slayer rules, or so I've heard from Shiro.

But this year, there's been way more teams than any year, with the attacks and all. So there's the fact that we have to travel to Beaumont, which is the preliminary round. The first 10 Units to make it to Beaumont pass the first round.

Second round was battle strength. They set you in an arena with your Unit and the ones to deal with the dragon fastest pass.

Every year, there are only five teams that pass, out of the ten that make it to Beaumont. So the competition's tough. The best of the best compete to become the top and I have a feeling we're going to struggle in the end.

Hiro-san thought and shook her head. "No one on that list is associated with Magicians or Slayers."

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"So? Did you put the Flares to use?" A voice spoke, quiet yet radiating powerful.

A woman bowed and smirked. The powerful storm wind knocked her hood off her head, revealing jet black hair and dark eyes. "Indeed. They were very effective. They are smart though, they'll probably know it's someone from the party right away."

"Nevermind that part, did you meet our little 'Bad Omen'?" The voice chuckled slightly.

"Indeed. She's very fragile. We'll have to be careful if we want to use her wisely."

A man in a black and red robe smiled sinisterly. "Why be delicate when we can just break her, right My Lord?"

"Hush already. I don't want any of you to kill her. You will bring her to me when the time is right." His voice was angry as he told the other seven shadows.

"Yes, My Lord." They all snickered, hoping to cut the flesh of the woman.

A woman in the same colored robe laughed quietly. "Just a little more... like a fruit bearing tree we'll let Uchiha-kun tend to you until you're just right for the picking... Haruno-san..." She giggled again, the sound blocked out by the thunder.

Swiftly, all eight shadows dashed away into the deep darkness of the storm, the rain masking their scents,

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I hoped you enjoyed this fifth chapter! Please tell me what you think by reviewing!

EngimaLight- 8:42