The Flower and the Avenger

Chapter 31

"I don't want to see it," blurted out Sakura as soon as she saw Sasuke.

Rin was next to her, holding a dustpan, looking surprised. "Sakura-chan?"

It was a formality to add a "-chan" or "-kun" when Sasuke was around. Since no one really saw him except Sakura and Tsunade, it was to show that they were on their best behavior. Of course, Sakura thought that it wasn't necessary as she had seen how much he really cared for his servants.

She ignored Rin as she looked at him straight in the eye. "The dress. I don't want to see it yet." Sasuke looked surprised, too. "Why not?" Rin whispered, "Sakura, what are you talking about?"

"I'm going to wait until the day of the ball. Just like last time. I want to be surprised."

Sasuke now had a small smirk playing on his lips. "Oh, you want to be surprised, do you?" His voice cut in deep like it did when they were alone as Rin started to grow red. "Sakura-chan!" she hissed.

She nodded, then curtsied, feeling awkward. "I'll- I'll be on my way now," she stammered, then ducked her head as she ran and turned a corner, Rin in tow.

When she let go, Rin was rubbing her wrist. "You have a really strong grip, you know that?" she complained. Sakura laughed sheepishly. "Sorry, Rin."

But the woman already had stars in her eyes. "Sakura, what were you talking about? The ball?" She smiled and played with her hair as she said, "What about the ball?"

"Don't play dumb. You and he were totally flirting!" Oh, right. No one knew about their confessions, did they? They didn't even know that they were 'interacting' so much. Sakura considered telling Rin everything- she wasn't a tattle. She was mature. And she was Sakura's best friend.

So it was decided. "Okay, fine."

She told her everything. About Karin and the stranger in the mask, the kiss at the ball, the drugs, the infirmary, how he wanted her to be his personal servant and the stolen kisses. The ball which was his idea, the dress that he gave her in the first ball, and now the dress that he would give in the second.

Rin's eyes grew wider and wider every second that she was talking, until she had to blink. "SAKURA!" she screeched, and Sakura almost fell. "What?" she hissed, face red.

"Why didn't you tell me about all of this before?!" Rin said, lowering her voice to a low growl, but her face was holding in a smile. "Because it's embarrassing!"

"It is not! Okay, okay, just listen- a stranger comes to the low servant in a masquerade ball. He fancies her. He breaks her heart and then comes right in with true love's kiss- oh!" she squealed, pretending to faint. "It's a dream come true!"

Sakura hushed her, smiling at the ridiculousness. "Rin, be quiet! Okay, listen- it wasn't like that," she tried telling her, but Rin was already gushing, "I wish Kakashi could have done that to me! I would have been so flattered, really-"

"Rin!"

The girl finally shut up as Sakura gently said, "You can't tell anyone about this, okay? I want to... I want to tell them myself," she said, glowing red. Rin smiled gently as she said, "You can count on me. Just inform me about what happens next, okay?"

"Promise."

Even if Rin was years older than she, she was like a sister, mother, and best friend all in one.

If I ever get married, she decided, She's gonna be my maid of honor.

If only she knew.

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Sasuke paced the room.

So Sakura didn't want to see the dress. Fine. But now he was having doubts about the ring.

The dress was good enough. A friend of his offered to make her a dress for the ball. Sasuke planned it out so that the dress that she was wearing was going to be the one that she would wear to the wedding.

So of course, he needed a ring to go with it.

He had it all in his head. He would ask her to dance. The specialized music would come on. Right as it would end, he would propose to her and she would say yes. Easy-peasy.

Except, he needed someone to help him.

As much as he hated the dude, Sasuke had to admit that he was the best on for the job.

Naruto.

"Tsunade? Ring Naruto upstairs please. Yes. Yes. Thank you." He waited impatiently for the blonde to get up there.

He appeared in the doorway. "Yo, Duckbutt! What do you want now?" He glared at him. "Shut up, loser."

"I ain't a loser and you know it."

He sighed and sat down, Naruto following suit. "I gotta tell you something."

"What, is it about Sakura again? I swear, you two are just like a sappy romance novel that just refuses to end-"

"I want to marry her."

Naruto stopped talking mid-sentence and shut his mouth. He stared at Sasuke for a moment- so long Sasuke had to snap, "What?"

"Nothing. Just wondering something."

"What is it?"

"If you really deserve her."

Sasuke pursed his lips as he said, "You don't know how I'm treating her." Naruto shook his head as he said, "No, I don't, but I have a pretty good idea. You probably shower her with jewelry and money and favors. You probably tried to do everything in your power to keep her."

He opened his mouth, but Naruto was on a roll. "I don't know if she loves you, or not, but I sure as hell know that you don't deserve her. At all. You broke her heart at the last ball- now you want to hold another one? For what? To break it again?" Sasuke butted in, "Of course not!"

"Then what. You're going to ask her to marry you then, huh? You are, aren't you? Isn't that a little too much?" said Naruto, jabbing in every place that hurt. "Sakura is a girl who sees everyone like they really are. She's the first person who didn't pity me for my curse. She's Tsunade's favorite. And she's only been working here for a year."

"I know that!"

"She doesn't deserve a cold-hearted bastard like you, Sasuke. I'm sure you're fully aware of that." He finally nodded, defeated for once. "But as an ass you are, I'm one hundred percent sure that she's going to say yes."

Sasuke blinked. "You do?"

"Yeah. And while you don't deserve her, she deserves you and this entire manor. She would run this place a million times better."

"I know that, too."

Naruto smirked. "I know you do. So what did you want me to come here for?"

Sasuke looked away. "I.. need help."

"Oh? What was that? Couldn't hear it over your oversized ego." Sasuke gritted his teeth as he said, "I said I need your help, dumbass!"

"Why didn't you just say so?"

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Again, I'm very sorry that this is such a filler-y chapter.

I think that the ball would probably be the chapter after the next, as I can't keep doing this (I really hate filler chapters).

Naruto is me if my best friend got married xD

Is anyone else excited for Sakura's wedding/ball gown? I sure am!

Like always, thank you for reading and please leave a comment below so I can get so much more motivated :D

-Storywriter-