the Nara questioningly and tried to imagine what must have happened, but in the end only came to the conclusion that it was definitely nothing good for the brown-haired man.And every bet: It was Ino's fault!
After Sakura sat down next to the Uchiha and began to smear her bun, the two friends fell into a special kind of conversation.

"Don't you think that blue thing wasn't too expensive?"
"No, that in red was much more expensive and then the matching shoes! Which color would you rather prefer?"
"It's very difficult because I don't know what it will look like. But otherwise I would of course prefer red!"
"But red is so intrusive ..."

Without them noticing, the boys sneaked out of the dining room into the living room. When it came to fashion matters, then you should leave the girls to their own devices and run away as quickly as possible, otherwise you will also be asked your own opinion, which is then discussed lively by the two of them.
Sighing, they sank into the armchairs and took a deep breath."What did Ino actually do with you that you are so exhausted?", Sasuke asked curiously. Shikamaru's cheeks turned a faint red. When he noticed this, he immediately turned his head away from Sasuke and did not answer him. The Uchiha was now really curious and asked again.
"It couldn't have been THAT bad!"
"Oh yes! It was torture!", The Nara replied indignantly.
"Whatever you did to Sakura ... please apologize for it!" He pleaded. His face was written in pure despair, which put a grin on Sasuke's lips.
"What did Ino do now?"
Shikamaru was silent. He didn't want to share the memories of last night with Sasuke, although the punch was only a small foretaste of what was to come ...


"Tell me, Sakura, haven't you told him yet?" Ino asked her pink-haired friend, who just shook her bowed head. The blonde sighed barely audibly and then continued."But you have to do it, otherwise you will lose him! And anyway: Why is he not allowed to kiss you anymore? And why do you want to punish him for it? He can't really do anything about it!"
Sakura was silent. She knew that there was no plausible reason to punish Sasuke FOR THIS, and certainly not by forbidding him to kiss her or touch her in any other way ...
She missed his gentle touch on her skin, his bewitching scent, which drove her mad, and his incredible warmth, without which she felt terribly lonely and abandoned. This warmth was something like her shield and created the most beautiful feeling in her that she knew. Desire. A desire for him. And only after him.
And it was only because of her fear that she had done this to him ...
Ino gave her a pitying look. Then she put a hand on Sakura's shoulder and smiled at her.
"I have an idea! Tell him tonight! And lift this stupid ban at the same time!I could hardly pull myself together last night. I need Shika like the air I breathe! But I don't want Sasuke to suffer alone, that's why- "
"It's okay, Ino.", Sakura interrupted her. The blonde looked at her in surprise.
"I'll tell him tonight ..." added the pink-haired woman. Before she started clearing the table. Completely lost in thought, she didn't even notice how Sasuke came in and Ino gestured to leave the room. She just grinned and went to Shika, beaming with joy, who had been waiting for her in front of the door.
"Well, honey? Do you have to go?" Ino asked. The Nara just nodded and pouted at her. The blonde thought his face was so cute that she flung herself against his chest and hugged him tightly. Shikamaru looked down perplexed.
'She just wants to test you, Shika! Don't fall for it, otherwise you will have to face the consequences again! 'he kept telling himself when he suddenly heard Ino's low voice.
"Are you up to something tonight?"When she didn't get an answer from him, she continued.
"I want to finally feel you again ... not like now, but ..."
The blonde lifted her head a little and stood on tiptoe to whisper something in Nara’s ear. After her last words, he hugged her tightly and let his head sink onto her hair.
"Don't you change your mind!" Warned Shikamaru, whose face had a clear red sheen. Ino just shook her head and after a few seconds they broke away from their embrace.
"Don't worry. I need you and Sakura will probably lift the ban today. Besides, I finally want to sleep with you again! Last night was torture!"
Shikamaru grinned cheekily at her.
"What can I do if you're so addicted to it?"
A question he shouldn't have asked ...
"Me? Addicted? No, dear! Only you are addicted here!"In order not to hear any more nagging from her, he ran towards the front door and quickly put on his shoes. He was about to leave the house when Ino suddenly jumped at him from behind.


Sakura was washing dishes, but she still didn't notice that Sasuke was standing right behind her now. Her thoughts were far too far off for her to be able to perceive anything. And the interesting thing was that she thought all the time of who was standing behind her at that moment and was enjoying her sweet scent.
Suddenly the pink-haired woman turned and crashed into him. Before she could fall to the ground, however, she held Sasuke by the upper arm and pulled her into his arms. But instead of giving in to his embrace, Sakura pushed away from him and landed rudely on her bottom. Slightly confused about the current situation, she looked at the Uchiha, who had kneeled down to her and offered her a hand.The pink-haired girl first looked at his hand and then looked into his eyes. They were so empty and ... sad that Sakura's heart contracted and it made her feel tremendous pain. Not physically, but mentally. Why did she hurt him so much? Because of this matter? Did he deserve it? No! But then why does she act like that?
Reluctantly, she grabbed his hand and was pulled up by him. When she was safely back on her own two feet, she looked again into his deep black eyes, which looked very hurt ...
He said goodbye to her in a cold, monotonous voice.
"I have to go to Tsunade now, I'll see you tonight."
With that he turned away from her and headed for the door. Sakura stared after him motionless. She hadn't noticed how much she had hurt Sasuke with her reaction, nor how much she had harmed herself with it ...
A single tear ran down her cheek and dripped to the floor.'Sakura! What did you do Now at least show him that he doesn't have to worry! 'cried her inner voice desperately.

Sasuke suddenly stopped in his movement, because two arms were tightly wrapped around his upper body and pressed him against a small, petite body. The black-haired man looked back over his shoulder in surprise.
"Sakura?" He asked quietly, but got no answer. Not knowing what to do now, he simply closed his eyes and leaned against her.


"Ino, what-", Shikamaru shouted, shocked, because he hadn't expected such an attack. The blonde sat down next to him and grinned happily at him.
"I don't care who's addicted here. I just want you!" She breathed into his ear. Shikamaru gave her a slightly embarrassed smile and mumbled back:
"I only want you too ..."
Then she pressed a quick kiss on his cheek and got up again.
"I'll get Sasuke, otherwise the Hokage will scold you again that you're too late!", she said to him. As soon as the words were spoken, she was standing in front of the door to the dining room and carefully pushed them open.
The two were still leaning against each other and not moving. Actually Ino didn't want to disturb her now, but Sasuke had to go to work ...
"Sasuke!", The blonde whispered softly. The addressee opened his eyes and looked sleepily at her. He visibly enjoyed her touch ...
"You have to go ..."
After a short sigh, he nodded and freed himself from Sakura's embrace. She was startled by his sudden movement and looked at him helplessly, as if she had been torn from her most beautiful dream ...
"See you later, Sakura ..." he whispered to her before he approached the door without giving her another look and left the room in silence.
Ino took her in her arms and hugged her tightly. She felt her friend crying silently and also her fearful trembling, but what should she do?The two of them had to take this problem out of the world on their own ...


The glowing red sun was already sinking behind the horizon when Sasuke and Shikamaru returned home. Sasuke looked quite absent, which the Nara had already noticed before they had even left the house. Even during today's mission, he wasn't quite at it. No doubt he had done it perfectly, but his thoughts were always elsewhere. And the constant sighing, which otherwise only came from Shikamaru himself, could now be heard from the Uchiha. But that's not enough: Sasuke has never been the most talkative guy, but today he hadn't said a word during her assignment ...
Now the Nara sighed too.
'Hopefully it'll settle down afterwards! Otherwise I see black ... '

Sasuke carefully opened the front door and stepped inside. He looked around searchingly, but Sakura was not in sight, as was usually the case. Instead, Ino received her. Smiling, she hugged her boyfriend and kissed him.Shika replied happily, but soon broke away from her, because Sasuke stood there motionless and looked at them both blankly. There was an irrepressible desire in him again for his sakura, but it was not here, which is why he took the shortest route to the bathroom and took a shower.

"How did your mission go?" Ino asked to draw Shikamaru's attention back to himself, because Sasuke had been staring after Sasuke and almost forgot about the blonde.
"Nothing demanding, but what worries me is Sasuke. He didn't say a word today ..." he answered her, looking into her sky-blue eyes, in which he was hoping for an answer to Sasuke's behavior. But he didn't get this, just a quick kiss on the lips and a few words of encouragement.
"It'll be fine! But the two of us have something different to do now, don't we?"