NARUTO: MadaSaku - "Shangri La" Ch 4 - Snippet

[moor]

The first three chapters of this fic are posted on AO3.

 

Rating: T, for this snippet (rest of the fic is M)

Pairing: IzuSaku, for this snippet (rest of the fic is primarily MadaSaku)

Words: approx 1,200, for this snippet (rest of the chapter is 20,000+)

AN: This chapter is clocking in at over 20,000+ words (yes, 20K) and is still a WIP. I am unsure if the scenes below will be included and/or altered before the rest of the chapter is posted. I also noticed my writing is far more casual in this particular chapter compared to the previous three (writing evolution?). Concrit is appreciated. :)

For the first time in nearly two years, Sakura worked alone in her office while the sun shone through the windows behind her, spilling over the reports on her desk. Kakashi was off handling something in her stead, Izuna was home with the boys until the nanny returned later that afternoon from an errand.

She smiled to herself. “Home with the boys.”

How casual that statement had become.

The curve of her lips faded in the corners.

He knew. He agreed, she told herself when the guilt pushed up inside her, as it was wont to do.

What were his options, though? To watch her with his own blood kin from a distance? He was too intelligent to risk alienating. Too dangerous. Not to say anything of his connection to the biggest threat in her and Konoha’s wellbeing.

He loved the boys. The village treated him like the boys’ father, and he had stepped into it without a single misstep. He had embraced his position, his role, his duties.

She knew his end goal. He had never hidden it from her. She could feel it when he looked at her, spoke to her, sometimes she wondered if the heat that rose in her was from what he thought of her. He banked it around others, but if they were alone, he didn’t hide anything from her.

He hadn’t offered since that day with Kakashi separating them. But he didn’t have to. His eyes told her everything.

She recognized it all too well.

Her chin fell at the memory and she inhaled deeply. She knew exactly what his looks meant, and who they took after. He’d really only ever had one influence in his life until he came to Leaf.

Sakura ran her hand through her hair, ignoring the report on her desk.

Pushing it away, she stood and went to the door.

“Ino,” she called to her closest advisor and friend. “Are you up for a night—”

“I ALREADY HAVE YOUR OUTFIT READY.”

***

Giggling, Sakura stumbled home that night several hours later. Earlier than she normally would if she had been working late, but the sun had fallen below the horizon and the room was dark.

She sighed happily as she leaned against the wall to remove her sandals. She had had a wonderful time with Ino and some of their girlfriends. She sometimes forgot how much she sacrificed to serve the village. She was forever grateful to her friends for not abandoning her due to her perpetual unavailability.

Singing to herself, she wandered to the kitchens and drew herself a glass of water, dancing a bit in place.

“Sakura, are you alright—”

Izuna’s footsteps slowed as he entered the kitchen.

Sakura smiled at him brightly. “Hello.”

He sniffed the air and nodded at her. “Out with friends?”

“Ino,” grinned Sakura. She sighed. “It was a good time.”

“The boys are in bed asleep. They had a good day,” said Izuna, leaning against the counter.

“Thank you. I’m lucky to have you. You do a good job.”

The corner of Izuna’s lips quirked up in amusement. He folded his arms across his chest, relaxing. “Thank you, Hokage.”

“You’re welcome. You deserve a raise,” she decided, nodding to herself. “And it’s Sakura at home.”

Izuna laughed, his eyes shining.

“You drank a lot tonight, didn’t you?”

“Mmmmmm, no. Maybe.” Sakura shrugged and drank more water. “I don’t nurse the boys anymore, it’s okay now.”

“I’ve never seen you drink before.”

“Mmmmmm, Tsunade and I used to drink together in her office,” said Sakura. She set her glass down on the counter a bit louder than normal, her chin falling as she looked at the floor. Her giddiness shrank to a pebble. “I miss her.”

“You’re doing a good job,” said Izuna softly.

Sakura looked up at him from under her lashes. “Really?”

“Yes.”

“That’s good. After everything, I just… Mmmm.”

Izuna listened to Sakura’s thoughts drift.

“You just what?” he asked, still leaning against the counter.

“Hm? Nothing,” said Sakura, shaking her head. “Was thinking about something.”

“Oh?”

“Mmmmm. Trying to think of what to give you and Kakashi.”

Izuna’s Adam’s apple bobbed and his arms tightened across his chest. “We’ll let you know. Don’t concern yourself with it for now.”

Sakura nodded. “I want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy.”

His expression flickered. “I am happy.”

Sakura lifted her head, her green eyes luminous and all-knowing. “Not as happy as you should be,” she said sagely. “I make you unhappy while I make you happy.”

“I think it’s time for you to go to bed,” said Izuna.

Sidling closer to Izuna, she ran her hand playfully down his chest. “Join me?”

The room stilled.

In a lightning-fast sweep of his arms, Izuna collected Sakura to his chest and swiftly carried her to her room. With the gentleness of a prince, he lay her down in her bed and caressed her cheek. Her mouth fell open, her eyes wide.

Knowing he had Sakura’s full attention, he lowered his lips to hers as she lay under him, revelling in the catch of her breath.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” he said.

Then he left, closing the door behind him.

***

Ino looked down at Sakura the next morning, her arms crossed and a smirk on her lips.

Clutching her head at her desk, the blinds in her office pulled shut to block out the glaring sun, Sakura groaned. She’d metabolised the alcohol in her bloodstream and nullified the hangover, unfortunately her shame could not be so easily erased.

“You don’t need to send him something to apologise. You’re the Hokage,” said Ino.

Sakura sighed, dropping her head to her arms.

Ino’s eyes danced. “Bed him sober instead. You’ll make his year.”

“Ino!...”

***

When Sakura returned home the next evening, Izuna met her at the door.

“How was your day?”

“Fine,” said Sakura, slowly hanging her hat and mantle. “You?”

“Well. The boys enjoy the shape blocks Ino’s husband carved them.”

Sakura smiled warmly. “Sai is an artist. He wanted to give them something special for each of their birthdays.”

“I thought about what you said the other night.”

Sakura’s throat closed up for a moment. “Oh?”

“Yes. I’m not sure what a raise would look like.”

Sakura’s shoulders lowered. “An increase in pay and vacation. A new title?”

“Would you take vacation time with me?”

She straightened to face him. “Is that your favour from the boys’ birth?”

“No,” he said, holding her gaze. “A simple request of my Hokage.”

Her eyes searched his; for the first time she noted that she couldn’t read him. She refused to display how much that small change unsettled her. His sincerity had been so reliable that she’d always known what his plans were, what he wanted, what he sought. This newfound confidence bordered on guile and made her cagey.

“The Hokage rarely takes vacation. The boys were the only reason I passed my duties to others last year.”

“Maybe she should take more.”

She tilted her head, appraising him. “What is it you really want, Izuna?”

“To serve my Hokage to the best of my abilities and fullest potential.”

“Then you’re doing just fine.”

She shifted to move past him and he leaned down, his fingertips tracing her wrist, his lips brushing her ear.

“I could do more to please you.”

Goosebumps rose along the back of Sakura’s neck but she kept walking. She didn’t answer him.

TBC