NARUTO: Tobirama/Sakura - "The Lost Ones" drabble series [Part Eight] - #tobisakuweek2023

   

Prompt: Fake Dating

Rating: T, maybe M later
Squicks: Misunderstandings, loss of family, misunderstood intimacy

A/N: Age Chart


Part One || Part Two || Part Three || Part Four || Part Five || Part Six || Part Seven || Part Eight

#

“Sanity check,” said Tsunade, handing Sakura her water bottle. 

Sakura didn’t slow her ass-hauling pace on the elliptical. “I can handle it.”

“The third movie’s production has been delayed, potentially six to eight weeks. Did you want a break, or did you want to—”

“Fill it,” said Sakura, sweat pouring down her face. She doubled-down when the resistance picked up, her face red and legs straining. “Come on, just two more kilometres…”

Tsunade’s amber eyes sharpened on Sakura’s white grip.

“Something happening you need to talk about?”

Sakura shrugged.

“… Someone… approached me about a movie sequel… with Madara.”

#

It was a hellish work schedule, made worse when the unpredictable weather would spontaneously erupt in storms that risked ruining entire sets. If the film crews weren’t quick enough to cover or shelter the more delicate pieces, the day’s, or possibly week’s, filming would have been jeopardized due to the re-staging time. Knowing this, Sakura tried to be extra polite and friendly to everyone she interacted with. When she noticed Madara’s expressions becoming remote, she bit her tongue and sent a text.

When Hashirama and Tobirama showed up unannounced (and supposedly ‘without warning’) to jam, the crew were ecstatic.

 

#

Hashirama’s company warmed Madara’s spirits—in that Madara was riled and argued with Hashirama’s outlandish suggestions—just like old times.

From behind a palm tree trunk, Sakura grinned and went back to texting Ino. The crew were grabbing a quick lunch and she wasn’t needed for at least another half hour.

“You’re hiding?”

Startled, Sakura spun and found herself facing Tobirama. She laughed, shaking her head.

“No. Because of my costume for the upcoming scenes, I can’t eat for a day or so. It’s easier to just stay away from the food, for now.”

Tobirama’s crimson eyes turned flinty.

“What?…”

#

“Where’s Tsunade!”

Sakura dug her heels in the sand, her palms flat against Tobirama’s chest, her eyes furious. “Don’t you dare, Tobirama,” she growled. She glanced around for eavesdroppers.

“Days? Days, Sakura?” he demanded, grabbing her wrists to wrestle her out of the way.

“I’m used to it, I promise. I trained my body for this, Tobirama. I’ll eat on the flight to our next shoot.”

“You’re still growing! This is insane!”

Sakura yanked her wrists free.

“Pot meet kettle.”

“That’s diff…” He looked away. Swallowed. “… I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Sakura’s shoulders dipped. This man… “I know…”

#

In Sakura’s trailer the next day, Tsunade shared her tablet as Sakura’s hair set.

“Your little pick-me-up for Madara had unintended consequences… Not bad ones, but…”

“Send You’s silent star Tobirama threw hands with his brother’s starlet girlfriend, on set at her latest filming destination…” read Sakura with a groan. Beneath the headlines were pictures of her row with Tobirama the day before. She lifted a hand to her face before remembering she’d already been through make-up.

Sakura sagged, the tablet falling to her lap. She hadn’t been careful enough.

“Damn,” she muttered and smacked the table.

#

“Hands off my ‘girlfriend’, Tobi,” teased Hashirama on their private jet back to Konoha. He chortled at the pictures on the gossip site. “You really set her off, huh?”

Exhaling and pretending to ignore his brother, Tobirama stared out the window.

Sakura was definitely correct in her assertion; she trained. The strength behind the strike to his shoulder in the hospital and in holding him back bodily on the beach, were proof of that.

“She lit a fuse under you, too, huh? You look scary in that second photo,” continued Hashirama.

No, he was ‘intent’, mentally corrected Tobirama. Focused… 

Protective.

#

“This is so awkward,” sighed Sakura in Madara’s ear as the director had them hold their near-naked positions while someone fixed a broken light.

“The pictures for the paps were one thing,” agreed Madara. “But I didn’t realize this was the direction they planned for the sequel.”

He sounded sullen and tired. She could relate.

“At least you got to wear clothes,” teased Sakura dryly. “If this blanket shifts an inch, I’m going to be back on the front page for the third day in a row.”

To her surprise, Madara shuddered then hid his face.

… He was laughing.

#

With post-production winding down, Sakura and Ino visited the boutique district to get ideas for Sakura’s next Oscar dress. They’d arrived in separate cars and parked at separate ends of the district, in case they needed to make a quick getaway. This early in the morning it wasn’t usually too busy, but one never knew when the paps would wake up and breed disaster.

“Here,” said Ino, handing Sakura her ballcap.

“Thanks, I forgot mine in the car,” said Sakura, putting it on. “Nice, this has a high-pony opening?”

“Right? I love it,” gushed Ino. “Let’s start over…”

#

The morning was productive for Ino and Sakura.

It was not for Tobirama.

“I just need a pair of jeans,” he sighed as Kakashi dragged him to another shop in the boutique district. “I can order them online.”

“One of Hashirama’s sponsors wants you to be seen shopping here. They have part-ownership of the property,” explained Kakashi. 

“Then make Hashirama go.”

Kakashi just looked at his phone. “He’ll be here later. It’s your turn first. Go look at some shirts.”

Grabbing a random white shirt off a rack, Tobirama entered the nearest dressing room.

… Unfortunately, its lock was broken. 

#

Ino’s mouth dropped open and she tripped, gaping at her phone.

“Whoa, Ino. Is something wrong? Ino,” repeated Sakura, dragging her friend behind an outdoor column and trying to see if anyone was watching them. All clear. “What is it?”

“God damn,” wheezed Ino, showing Sakura her phone. “Did you know about these abs??”

“Know about wh…” Sakura sighed. “It’s Tobirama. It looks like he’s chang… oh my god, he’s here.” Sakura whirled around, searching for him. “Shit.”

“Well, with that pic, he’s about to get mobbed…” Ino’s eyes widened at Sakura.

“Take the bags,” said Sakura; then she ran.

#

“Kakashi,” called Tobirama. He held his phone closer to his ear over the raucous screams and cheering. “Kakashi?”

“Just a second, security’s coming,” said Kakashi, huffing through the phone. “Stay where you are.”

“Kakashi, come on, this isn’t…” Tobirama swallowed and braced a hand against the Employee Only door at the back of the store. He wasn’t sure how much longer that door was going to withstand the wave of fans who’d suddenly appeared at the store, as if summoned by black magic. He looked behind him. The EMERGENCY EXIT door was close.

Could he make it?

… Crack…

He sprinted.

#

Pulling his hoodie up over his distinctive hair, Tobirama hurried away from the delivery entrance of the store. The corridor emptied out near the back of the boutique district, near the dumpsters and storage depot, and he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Back to the car, he just needed to make it back to the car, around the crazy mob, and then he could hide out there until Kakashi—

“It’s him!”

Glancing casually over his shoulder, hoping he was wrong, his eyes widened at their proximity.

“There he is!”

Wild screaming rose around him.

Today was not his day.

#

Fine, he’d get a personal trainer if he lived through this.

His heart pounding, Tobirama bolted for the parking garage. Behind him, hundreds of feet thundered, chasing him down. He would never disagree with Kakashi again about abusing the Priority Parking spaces. He should have just said yes and paid the fine and shut up about it, but no, he had to speak up about abusing the system, and Kakashi had sighed and gone along with it, dammit—!

Suddenly a cherry red Mazda RX-7 FD squealed to a stop in front of him.

“Get in,” ordered the feminine driver.

#

“Sakura—?!”

“Now!”

The second his door shut she seized the e-brake, pulled an illegal U-turn and gunned the finely tuned rotary engine. The G-force threw him into the door. He grunted.

“Hold on,” she ordered. “And buckle up.”

“What is this?”

“A five-point harness.”

“Why do you have a car with a… You drive?”

“Deal I made with Tsunade,” said Sakura, glancing behind them in the rearview mirror. She adjusted her ballcap and sunglasses. “Grab a hat and sunglasses from the glove compartment. We’ll be hitting traffic in a sec. The windows are only so tinted.”

#

They hit the freeway and Sakura opened up the throttle; the car leapt forward.

Tobirama stared at her.

“Twin turbo,” she explained, as if that was his question. “Uh, could you set your address in my phone GPS, please? I don’t want to get a ticket for touching my phone while driving.”

She pointed to the dash-mounted bracket.

—As if she wasn’t driving double the speed limit.

“Your car will be impounded at this speed if you’re caught.”

“Nah, they just ticket me for speed. I’m their quota income. They’re only serious if they catch me touching the screen.”

#

They slowed to a reasonable pace as they approached Tobirama’s warehouse. When Tobirama looked at her speedometer, Sakura shrugged. “I don’t shit where I eat.”

He couldn’t help the way the corners of his lips tugged at that.

“How old is this car?” he asked instead.

“As old as you,” she said, grinning at him. “It was a good year,” she added with a wink behind her sunglasses.

“Hold on,” he said, typing a code into his phone. “Turn left at the next alley. Ignore the GPS.”

As Sakura turned, an industrial garage door loomed open.

“You can drive in.”

#

The engine idled down as Sakura parked her getaway car.

Tobirama looked down at his five-point harness and began unbuckling it.

“Would you like a drink after that rally?”

Sakura laughed. “I use my WRX for… Uh, sure. Is this whole building yours?” she asked, stepping out and staring around her with awestruck eyes. “You can just drive in and park anywhere?”

Tobirama nodded. “It makes it easier. Lots of room.”

Sakura shook her head. “I’m jealous. It’s so quiet.”

Tobirama directed her to an industrial elevator which he operated by hand.

“Too tired to walk?”

“Yes,” he sighed.

#

“Tour?” asked Sakura, peeking around his shoulder when they got to the next floor.

Tobirama stared at her pointedly.

She smacked her palms together. “Please?”

He held her gaze a moment before nodding. Sakura thought she was doing a good job being impressed a normal and reasonable amount—until they arrived at one particular room.

“I want to play them all,” she begged, her face pressed up against the glass, her breath fogging it up. On the other side of the glass, his collection of instruments from around the world was carefully arranged and protected.

“No,” he said.

“Evil tease.”

#

Sakura’s phone beeped at noon.

“I gotta go meet Ino for lunch,” she apologized. “Wanna come?”

He shook his head. “Finally eating?” he asked as he walked her back down to the garage.

“Making up for lost time. I’ll text you their menu. Their mantoo is to die for.”

He nodded, a small smile on his lips.

Sakura tilted her head. “Hm?”

“Thank you,” he said. 

“Oh.” She blushed and shrugged. “I know what it’s like to face a stampeding crowd without security.”

“Is that why Tsunade agreed to the stunt driving and coaching?”

“… Mostly,” hedged Sakura. “Take care, Tobirama.”

#

TBC