A/N: Hey!

There are several factors that caused my absence for the past month, but I don't want to bore you with my problems. Basically: life happens, English is not my first language, and inspiration sometimes doesn't strike. Hopefully this enormous chapter will compensate the sporadic update.

~ Happy reading!

It was a known fact – for most of his important people at least – that Uchiha Sasuke despised sweets. However, it seemed that sugary treats made the top of his shopping list recently.

The first time he had bought one, it was as a peace offering – a silent apology.

He bought Sakura some dango when he helped her during her errands. She had accepted his muted apology in a surprisingly graceful way – lacking a lecture, heated words, or the temper he'd expected – that he felt ridiculous for dreading to tell her the real reason of his absence on their session a few weeks ago.

That day, while following her around, he had watched her; the quick change of her features fascinated him. The unrestrained grin that reached her eyes, bringing a glint of bliss to them, making those specs of gold – that he now knew were always there – shine brighter within her green-green irises.

The color was so vivid and lively, a particularly alluring shade, that he decided to name it after her – as there was no known nomenclature that could do it justice.

He remembered how he had to drop his gaze, for he knew he could drown if he stared for a second longer.

Her cheeks had a faint touch of pink, and as she took that first bite – probably too big for her mouth – they puffed adorably.

See what she does to you? Sasuke thought, as he realized how pathetic it was for the last Uchiha to call anything adorable. He didn't do cute. A grunt escaped him, approving the statement.

But then again, he remembered how she chewed in nearly slow motion, savoring each little piece, as she hummed and close her eyes in delight.

Those sounds – the little hums and content sighs – they were far more sinful than they were supposed to be.

An innocent humming of pure satisfaction had his mouth running dry and his mind going overdrive in a millisecond, filling his thoughts with ways to extract more of these delicious sounds from her… And what was supposed to be an endearing, adorable moment, became a cruel, wicked torment.

The second time that he found himself purchasing yet another sickeningly-sweet delicacy, it was when the first signs of spring were clear.

Naruto suggested that he take her out for ice-cream after the blonde had found them having lunch alone.

At first, he suspected his loud best friend was pushing his buttons. Then he noticed how Sakura was off. She was fidgeting, looking anxious and insecure, no traces of the confident woman that had put him in a corner for influencing a child to misbehave under her watch.

Sasuke quickly recalled Naruto telling him once that in days like these, when she looked sad or distracted, it was a good idea to indulge her with sweets – it does wonders for mood swings, the blonde had told him confidently, the familiarity implied in the fact that his dense teammate could read Sakura so easily – better than him – made Sasuke ponder again about how close they got during his absence.

Would I know how to read her like that, too, if I'd stayed? He thought, and then shook his head… no good could come from 'what ifs' now.

The Dobe had held him back then, gripping his shoulder in forewarning, before he could leave the ramen shop and follow Sakura to the ice cream parlour.

When the pinkette's ears were out of reach, Naruto squeezed his shoulder twice and offered him a shit-eating grin that verged on a smirk. "You're so into her that it's pathetic to watch this…" he somewhat whispered and circled his finger for emphasis, then pointed at the stools they were sitting on a few minutes ago. "Make a move before someone else does."

Sasuke shrugged him off, hissing a "Shut up, idiot," and walked away. The knucklehead snickered and swatted his back, sending him off.

It was easy to catch up to her, as she paced deliberately slow, lurking around the entrance but not quite going inside. The Uchiha graciously sidestepped her, a hand pushing her lower back towards the door – the action, quickly rewarded by a sweet and coy smile.

He paid for her ice cream cone, prodding her to choose anything she wanted, and her face lit up immediately. No signs of hesitancy or restraint. That alone was reason enough to thank his quick thinking (and even Naruto) for the shared tip.

The raven-haired nin barely finished his silent gratitude prayer when he realized his mistake.

It was not the taking her for ice cream part that was the problem, nor the purchase per se, but what his primarily innocent actions had brought upon himself.

He glanced at her from his spot by the cashier, as she quickly worked around the top scoop of her cone, confirming his suspicion that he was indeed doomed.

Trying not to think about his predicament, he chose to sit beside her on the bench across the street, for the direct sight of Haruno Sakura devouring the cold dessert with such expertise and determination was becoming too much for his overly accurate eyesight – and surprisingly active imagination.

Sasuke chanced another glance her way, and as her pink tongue darted, swirling around the icy mound and diving back into her mouth, he decided that the closeness was far worse than a direct, unswerving frontal view of the medic nin constantly licking her lips.

The effect of her usual moans intensified with the proximity as well, causing the hairs on his nape to stand, and a prickly sensation to run down his spine.

As she released an appreciative sigh and her eyelids fluttered closed, he pursed his lips in annoyance and concluded that his seat choice was his second mistake that day, increasing his suffering tenfold.

Exasperated, he closed his eyes, leaning back on the bench.

Although he was more than happy that the treat had improved her disposition, he couldn't help but think how it all seemed like a scene ripped off of one of Kakashi's dirty books.

And he thought that watching her eat dango had caused him enough torment…

What's gotten into you Uchiha? She's a witch, that's it! She's a witch and she got you under her spell, making you go crazy and see your innocent teammate in more than a PG 13 way.

Sasuke reluctantly opened his eyes. After such train of thought, he was a little calmer than before, glad that the explanation his wicked mind provided was satisfactory enough.

Looking down at the source of his discomfort again, he paused. Predictably, the former missing nin was graced by another evil scene. He narrowed his eyes, groaning inwardly at such a fate.

It was penance, he decided, and he was paying alright.

The third time it happened, it was between an impulse and sense of gratitude… Perhaps, even admiration.

He was walking past the market, and he ended up in front of a bakery – her favorite one.

As he tried to decide if what he was doing was even acceptable, he stopped his stroll and gazed through the window, detecting and cataloguing easily all her preferences amid numerous pastries.

He wanted to thank her this time – when did the Uchiha ever go out of their way for that?

In the middle of their ice cream 'deal-date', a few days ago, Sakura was summoned by the Godaime. She excused herself apologetically, saying she'd see him soon – which he insisted wasn't the reason why his steps were lighter on his way home that day.

Not even an hour later, a slug popped onto his coffee table, startling the shit out of him – not that he was going to tell anyone that, of course.

The summon – Sakura's Kuchiyose no Jutsu – informed him that he was needed in her office as soon as possible. With a repulsive scowl and a meek thank you, he stood up and left the safety of his home again.

When he strolled past her door, twisting the knob without knocking, and looking at her teasingly as she rolled her eyes at their door-locking jest, he wasn't expecting her to be so… cheerful, happy.

For a second, he wondered if that was because of the ice cream from earlier – or maybe it was because he was there… As soon as the thought came, he shooed it away, labeling it as nonsense.

The first thing she did once the door shut closed was to jump out of her chair, prompting it to stroll backwards and hit the wall – hard – the movement so abrupt and spirited, he swore he heard a crack. Then, she clasped her hands together and rambled on energetically until she was out of breath.

And the only intelligible string or words that Sasuke could get from it was: 'the research, finally ready, you and Naruto, arms.'

Under two hours, he had the prosthetic limb attached to his stump. A new arm, completely operational.

The Uchiha was impressed with Sakura's attention to detail and how she had worked through the adaptation and tests with him. By the end of the day, he had a second arm again and all thanks to Sakura – and Tsunade his mind pointed.

It was, rather strange, to have both arms again – at least, in the beginning.

For the past six months, he had worked hard, spending most of his time adapting himself to using only one arm. He was even able to acclimate with his kenjutsu and use his Kusanagi with some level of proficiency.

And now, with two full functional limbs, he was lost. Not because he didn't appreciate it, but because he didn't feel he deserved it – not at all.

When he spotted her bright smile on their way home that night, he pushed that feeling away, because how could he refuse something she spent so much time working on (and for him)? How could he take away that happiness from her?

Still, he wasn't satisfied. He wasn't convinced that he should accept so much help and care, so freely. But he would give it a try, he decided, for her.

To celebrate, they finally had that Team Seven party that everyone was talking about since he woke up in the hospital after the war. The party to thank them for saving the world and all that jazz. And Sakura, being her chirpy self, said it was the perfect opportunity to celebrate their new arms as well.

She was thrilled with the completion of her project along with the Godaime, and seeing Sakura so content with her accomplishments was way better than having his arm back, he noticed. He was so proud of her that his newfound resolve to try harder was fueled in an instant.

He almost ditched the party that night though, however, the pink nin literally caught him when he was leaving, prompting him to stay with a sweet plead.

He was supposed to stay fifteen more minutes, but it became hours.

Sasuke couldn't leave once he followed her inside. After the shot he promised her, he hoped that the burning liquid would make his time there easier – he probably jinxed himself right at that moment.

Sakura perked up even more than her usual self – if that was even possible – after downing a few doses of liquid courage, and with a dazzling smile that touched her eyes, she ran to the dance floor with the Yamanaka girl in tow.

That would be fine, a normal thing… If she wasn't almost naked and swaying her hips left and right as if she was born to charm and enchant.

She's a witch, his mind supplied effortlessly, answering all his unasked questions with the new preferred reply to explain anything pink and green. He groaned loudly; the sound muted by the blaring music.

When Sasuke noticed the stares of the majority of Konoha's male population towards the girls, especially the girl, he couldn't help but to stay around and drift closer – if only to take care of her.

What was she thinking? Was she looking for trouble? Tch.

In the end, he was the one that rescued her from the dance floor with the excuse that "Naruto was asking for the team photo". The medic nin beamed, snatching his new hand in hers and pulling him back to the bar.

Sasuke smirked triumphantly. If he knew it was that easy to make her stop her unintentionally sinful activity, he'd have done that hours ago. But he couldn't complain when he, too, enjoyed the show – even though he'd prefer that no one else had.

Exhausted after the mental run-down, he sighed at the memory of two nights ago.

He also remembered – vividly – how he had walked her home afterwards. And then, awkwardly and as fast as he could, he left as she turned the knob of her front door, bidding her a goodnight over his shoulder.

To be honest, he was afraid that if she continued to blush prettily like that, and peek at him through her long lashes with those green-green eyes, he'd do something stupid. Something that they could possibly regret later.

He wouldn't lie to himself anymore; he was attracted to her… and not only to her physique.

Her mind was captivating; he could actually listen to her stories and arguments for hours. And that was a lot considering who he was. He noticed it one day in her office, how he could actually carry a decent intelligent conversation with her, even though his input was minimal.

Her strength was mesmerizing; he had seen her in action for the first time during the war, and it had taken him by surprise. And now with their Team Seven regular training sessions, she had left him mouth agape or smirking proudly on a regular basis. If he was anyone else, he could even say that it was breathtaking to watch her in action.

She moved graciously, like a ballerina, but the destructive path she left behind each punch, kick, and turn… was devastatingly beautiful.

Her tiny fists – covered in those tight leather gloves – were hypnotic; the fluid movements and the refined dance that her palms and fists performed were as alluring as the power they emanated.

But what he liked most about her… was without any doubt, her determination and her kindness. And secretly, the way her emotions swung from one to another in a heartbeat.

She was the kindest person he knew – that was alive, that is – but still, her heart was so big for such a petite girl, that every time he was present during one of her generous and compassionate actions, he felt compelled to do something just as good.

Sakura pushed him towards the light.

She accepted him, embracing all the darkness in him, and it didn't stop at that.

Sakura believed with all her heart and soul that there was good in him, that from darkness he could let the light shine within.

And he didn't know what exactly he did to deserve such unwavering devotion.

When that realization reached his core with a force that rocked his entire world, almost as strong as when Naruto got through him, he promised himself that he would become a good man, if not for himself, but as a kernel of gratitude to his friends.

He'd become good enough to deserve them, he'd be good enough to protect them. It was a promise, dare he say it, of a lifetime.

Although he declared to himself he'd stop bottling up his emotions, it was still difficult to admit and sometimes, accept them. Old habits die hard.

Consequently, Sasuke worked in increments; one step at a time, slowly and unhurriedly, he stopped repressing thoughts when they came. He stopped feeling frustrated when facing the unknown. And then, one day, he stopped running.

He reached a point that he could no longer ignore everything that made Haruno Sakura, the perfect little thing that she is.

So fucking perfect.

So fucking beautiful.

Pink and green… the colors that painted his dreams, everything he saw behind closed lids.

He noticed, with an accurate precision that only an Uchiha could reach, every little thing that had changed since the last time he had truly allowed himself to just look at her.

Although she was still pretty much Sakura, he could not deny the curves and the dips of the woman that she became.

The taut flesh of her stomach that he had so many times punched during training. The strength of her legs; legs that went for miles, so rounded, smooth, and powerful. And it almost went without saying, that backside of hers… that more often than not he caught himself watching.

Damn witch and her damn alluring spells! Worming her way into his mind, tormenting his thoughts and burdening his will… It was a curse, unless…

When he came to the realization that yes, Uchiha Sasuke was probably, certainly, maybe, falling in love – fast – with Haruno Sakura, he felt as if a chidori had coursed through him, down his spine, rooting him to the ground, and spreading goose bumps from the back of his neck down to his toes.

That was not today.

Nor yesterday.

It was a fact that happened and was mercilessly ignored a while ago – to put mildly.

As a good stubborn and stoic person that he is, Uchiha Sasuke chose to overlook the experience and what it meant altogether, blaming his lack of sleep and the cold tiles of his kitchen floor for such random reaction – be it physical or mental.

However, Naruto's words, as simple as they were, kept coming back to haunt him.

And he found himself questioning his feelings, his wants – consistently and continuously – more than he had done in his whole life.

Growing up, he wanted revenge, and it became his only aspiration. He felt exasperatedly angry... and alone. So, so alone.

When Team Seven came into the picture, he noticed how they filled the silence and the void in his life. He noticed how they distracted him from the anger, from his path of revenge. He was not alone anymore. So, he left – because he was Uchiha Sasuke and he couldn't afford distractions.

When the war was over, right after his last battle with Naruto, he wanted nothing else more than to sleep into next month – next year, whatever. He was tired, awfully empty, and evidently exhausted.

And now, so many months after that, he was feeling conflicted; he wanted to redeem himself, work to atone his sins and past mistakes… but he also wanted pink, pink, pink.

The automatic doors of the clinic slid open for him, and looking down to his hands, he finally noticed he did indeed buy another confection for her.

The raven-haired nin was so lost in his own thoughts that he bought the sweet concoctions on reflex before walking to the Hospital in a trance.

Passing the reception desk and the crazy-psycho-blonde woman (read: Ino) in the hallway without a second glance, he marched towards Sakura's office like he was on a mission.

Steps precise and purposeful, he reached the door sooner than he expected, and with a deep breath he ignored his brain trying to pep-talk him and twisted the doorknob – already expecting it to be unlocked. He smirked.

It wasn't.

What the—

Without losing the hold on the knob, Sasuke quickly checked for her signature chakra, finding the soothing and warm energy in a heartbeat—

And she wasn't alone.

Should he knock?

Carefully, he released the doorknob and brought his arm up, curling his fingers into a fist to knock when an idea interrupted the action.

Leaning closer, he turned his head to the side and tried to listen to what was going on inside the room, concentrating a small amount of chakra around his ear to help him focus.

A voice he didn't recognize, but wasn't entirely unfamiliar, travelled through the oak planes of the door. It was a man's voice.

"…the kiss was, wow! I can't describe it, Sakura."

He heard Sakura giggling, replying immediately, "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

The hell... a kiss? Enjoyed yourself?

"I can't get enough of it." The man said with a wishful tone, sighing to punctuate the end of his words.

"You'll need to wait until you score another date now."

"That's so mean!"

"No, it's only fair."

The Uchiha – poised in front of the door, eavesdropping on his teammate's private conversation – scowled upon hearing the playful banter. Involuntarily he tightened his fist with his fingernails digging into his palm, leaving half-moons prints in its flesh, his knuckles turning white.

The man inside the office sighed dramatically in defeat, and the sound of a chair scraping against the linoleum signalled his upcoming departure.

"Ok, I better get going then, I have a date to plan it seems."

"Good luck, can't wait to know what you'll pull off this time!"

"See ya and thank you, Sakura."

If Sasuke was anyone else, he would have been caught prying. However, he's the fastest shinobi currently walking on the face of the planet – or so he claims – so when the door swung open, he was already two steps behind his previous spot, with a hand still poised to knock, his bored and emotionless mask in place.

"Ah, Uchiha," The young man exclaimed while composing himself, a hand over his chest holding his beating heart, the other still securing the doorknob. "Don't just stand like a ghost in front of doors like that, Kami."

"Aa, Inuzuka."

If the Dog's breath was expecting an apology, he'd be waiting for life, as the only thing Sasuke was throwing his way was a death glare.

And it didn't falter until Kiba sidestepped him and left the premises, the infamous eyes of the last Uchiha following each movement until he was gone.

"Sasuke-kun? I didn't expect you here until our session this afternoon, I was about to take my lunch break."

Sakura stood up, moving around her table to remove her medic coat as to emphasize that she was ready to leave, but the former missing nin had other plans.

He stepped inside her office, pushing the door close with one hand. Locking eyes with her, Sasuke twisted the door's lock without breaking their gaze, the click adding finality to his action.

"Do you need anything? How are you? And the arm?" Concern filled her eyes and her doctor mode kicked in, the avalanche of questions overwhelming the not-so-happy nin by the door.

Sasuke continued to stare, narrowing his eyes as he assessed her, the conversation he just overheard replaying repeatedly in his head.

"Did I interrupt something?" He cut in as she parted her lips to spill another string of questions.

"Uh, no. Kiba was just leaving," she confirmed nonchalantly.

"I see." No, he didn't. And a nagging voice inside of his head begged him to press this further, "Why was the door locked?"

"Well, wasn't that what you wanted me to do?" She replied coyly, a small smirk tugging her lips.

For a moment, he only stared at her. The question hanging thick in the air could be a direct reference to their harmless, simple inside joke. Because, he had certainly asked her – repeatedly – to just lock any damn door behind her back, for her own safety… not privacy.

He never considered that she would interpret his insistence as a means of discretion. The thought alone made his stomach churn.

Perhaps it could mean that she finally listened to him and moved on. She finally accepted his countless rejections and his indifference towards her affections – since she was, apparently, dating that idiot with stupid face tattoos, he snarled inwardly.

"Doctor patient confidentiality," Sakura said, breaking the silence and offering him an emptier explanation than before, "I lock the door when talking to patients."

The irritation inside him boiled to the brim.

He would accept if she didn't want to talk about it, but lying about 'talking to a patient' that was clearly not one? It was the last straw, and he felt his anger curling over the edge and washing over him like a tsunami.

"Don't lie to me, Sakura. You know I can tell when you're lying."

"I'm not, I'm—"

He moved closer with long strides and firm steps, determined to get to the bottom of this unpleasant argument. "You're dating him? That dog?!"

The scowl marring his face dripped with disgust as he considered his own words, admitting that Haruno Sakura had a boyfriend – and you aren't the lucky bastard, he heard Naruto's snickering voice echoing in his head.

The medic nin's face scrunched up, twisting in defiance and repulsion, her hands moved up in the universal sign of surrender. "What? No! And Kiba is not—"

"Don't lie," he stepped closer and threw the sweet's container on top of her desk, increasing his volume after each string of words, "I heard you two talking about your kiss," the last word was hissed through gritted teeth, and as an afterthought he added, "and the next date."

He noticed how her face morphed in different emotions in half a second, from incredulity to disbelief to anger. "Moving fast, aren't we?" His voice cracked by the end of the sentence as if he was even afraid to spill out the accusation in the first place.

"Wha— you're mistaken, Sasuke-kun," she started, increasing her tone and moving to stand in front of him, but he didn't let her continue upon hearing the way she said his name.

"You should drop the kun now, your boyfriend wouldn't like that…" He trailed off, regretting his suggestion already, the words tasting bitter on his tongue.

"WHAT?!" Her nostrils flared and her chest heaved as her breathing became erratic. She was fuming, a fiery spark lit her eyes as they narrowed on him.

"I didn't expect this from you though," he started, because he couldn't take this theatrical reaction any longer. And because he was a jerk (or maybe because he wanted her to feel the same way he was feeling now), he continued without sparing a second to think it over, "—locking yourself in your workplace with the new boy toy… how convenient."

His words dripped with venom. Sasuke watched the pink nin as she trembled after his statement, she was beyond pissed at this point. Good, he thought, with a satisfied smirk on his face, that only aided to riled her up more.

"Shut up," she hissed and leaned closer, her fists tightly tucked by her sides. Her shoulders were shaking slightly, and he could only imagine how mad she was if she couldn't come up with any smart retorts. Then, she planted a hand on her hip, fixing him with a pointed stare. She was unquestionably calculating her next move before pouncing him with everything she had.

"What? Don't like to hear the truth?" He pocketed his hands, leaning forward and then down to look deeply in her eyes, "—because I do."

This was low, he knew, because even though that small irksome voice still told him not to trust her, to believe she was lying all along, that she was a deceiving little creature that tricked her way into his mind… he knew that her feelings for him were real – at some point, at least.

And it was so low of him to press this, to make a big deal out of all this mess. Because, in the end, he didn't deserve them – the feelings or her.

He was just a jealous brat bitter over something that slipped through his fingers before he had a chance to taste it. He clenched his jaw, gritting his teeth, if only it would help his sharp – typically unused – tongue to keep still.

"Oh, you do, don't you?" Sakura snapped, matching his volume this time. "I'll tell you the truth, you arrogant asshole," as the words bombarded the room, Sasuke's eyes widened slightly at her dirty mouth, and he quickly schooled his face to conceal his surprise.

"Now you're going to listen to me," she cleared her throat and crossed her arms, pressing her breasts up against the material of her blouse. "I'm going to say this only one time, and you better engrave this in that thick brain of yours, Uchiha," her face hardened and her eyes pierced his with her resolve, "I don't know what kind of woman you take me for, and to be honest I don't really care at this point, but I'll tell you what kind of woman I am not."

Her temper came off in waves from her, and adding his own incensed state, the air around them was crackling and heated. Sakura's frown deepened as she continued her rant and he couldn't decide if he disliked this sight as much as he should.

"I'm not a woman that proclaims her feelings to the wind. I'm not a woman that engages in random embraces or locks herself up," her arms dropped and she lifted a hand, making a circling motion to add emphasis to her words, "with a random man, who isn't the one she loves," she hissed-whispered those last words, making them her own personal weapon.

And then, as if that wasn't good enough to open his eyes, she continued in a tone so low that if he wasn't a shinobi, he'd have missed it completely. "I'm not a woman that gives herself off without meaning." She punctuated the last word with a chakra enlaced jab over his chest and before she could repeat the motion, he captured her wrist with his good hand.

"That all being said," she continued, breathing irregularly, "the truth is, Kiba is indeed a patient, and the conversation that you clearly eavesdropped on, you little shit, was about his date with Tamaki – which in fact I helped him plan during his last medical appointment. He told me all about it today, while he dropped by for a follow up to learn the results of his medical exams."

She waited two more seconds for the information to sink in, and then resumed, a challenging smirk tugging at her lips: "Not that I need to explain myself to you, this is none of your business – you are not my father, you're not my brother, and you're definitely not my boyfriend."

She stopped then, and the room felt silent.

He missed the buzz in his ears, the sound of her loud voice speaking up to him angrily, because now, when they were just two people looking at each other in a suddenly too empty room, he could hear all the words Naruto told him, and then his internal rant from earlier – everything that happened since he woke up that day to this moment – before and after he stepped inside of her office.

Hi sharp mind put the puzzle together as fast as the strike of lightening to the ground, the similar sound of such phenomenon echoed inside him upon such insight. He searched her eyes, looking for any emotion other than unwarranted anger and he found confidence and pride daring him to say or ask anything.

He found her blushing too; the color rising and painting her fair skin.

That could be a natural reaction to her temper alone, but it could – certainly – be caused by their proximity as well. He was still bent down, towering her, their breaths mingling as she kept her head high, fierce glare unwavering.

Sakura was, he decided right then, stunning like this.

When her emotions dominated her, when she expressed everything she was feeling with abandon.

As fast as everything started to make sense, something snapped inside of him, and he could hear the idiot's words like a whiplash: "Make a move before someone else does."

He pushed the thought of that idiot away at the same time he pushed her against the nearest wall.

Sasuke, by any means, had no idea what he was doing. Nonetheless, he moved with the grace a shinobi would when engaging in battle. An arm snaked around her waist while he stalked forward towards the wall in a swift motion, pinning the wrist he was still holding above her head.

The next thing he knew, he was swallowing her startled gasp, the heat of her lips pressed against his own. Still, he wasn't sure who moved first, erasing the thin space between them.

They say when you kiss someone you love – or you think you love – there were supposed fireworks and butterflies and all that sparkling-heart-eyes-shit involved, he couldn't remember for sure.

Sasuke didn't feel any of those though.

But when did he understand anything he felt at first?

One thing was certain; time stopped still and there was only her and him. Nothing else, no one else. Doubs, uncertainty, hesitation; it was all gone.

Her eyes were shut close, and he allowed himself to sink in this new feeling that hammered inside of him, threatening to burst open his ribcage. Closing his eyes, surrendering, he jumped this free fall.

When he moved, same as in a battle, there was nothing gentle about this kiss. They were both vicious shinobi – couple that with their heated argument – and their passion transpired in their current activity effortlessly.

He devoured her; his lips punishing at first, still angry. He pressed hard, demanding everything from her. Then, slowly, afraid that she'd disappear if he was too brusque, he unlatched his fingers around her wrist, sliding them over her forearm, ghosting a path to her shoulder, allowing her to regain the movement of her arm.

His other arm tightened around her waist, pulling her closer, her front glued to his. Her slight unbalance, almost imperceptible after that action, hinted him that she was probably holding herself on her tiptoes.

Their lips decelerated their frenzy, the kiss became less rough and more seductive. And it was then that he finally confirmed; her lips were as soft as they look, they felt as smooth as he thought.

She whimpered when his hand moved from her shoulder to her neck and twined through pink tresses, angling her so he could deepen their kiss.

Before he could do just that, her tongue swiped at the seam of his lips and their mouths both parted instinctively. Her arm finally dropped from the previous position, fisting a handful of his shirt as if it was a lifeline. Her other hand though, reached to his shoulder and hold onto it, securing her poise.

Sakura hummed approvingly when his tongue finally entered her mouth, exploring and caressing it impatiently. She was sweet, he thought, so, so sweet.

He never liked sweets, and he didn't remember exactly why. It was most likely a palate preference, and this was his usual explanation, since finding answers in his young happy days was still too much.

He learned quickly that this, the honeyed taste that was becoming so addictive, was purely Sakura. And it didn't bother him. It was not the same sweet of dangos, ice creams, and ripe fruits. It was her essence and he'd much like to drink that for the rest of eternity if he could help.

When she started to respond with the same fervor, lacing her fingers between dark locks, desperate and taking as much as he was giving, he groaned against her lips.

He leaned back and pulled her bottom lip between his teeth, savoring and nipping it. Opening his eyes, he gazed down at the pink minx in his arms and stilled.

The raven-haired nin was instantly hypnotized by the erotic image she unintentionally painted; a hint of green peeking at him through long lashes, rhythmic pants and whimpers escaping her red bruised lips, her blush spreading over her cheeks at his intense, smothering gaze.

The shade of her eyes darkened – if that was even possible – and he inwardly questioned if it was desire what he saw overflowing her expressive orbs. Before he could find his answer, she released a needy moan that filled the stifling room, unconsciously responding his question, and awakening something primal in him.

Swiftly, his hand left her hair, only to descend directly to the back of her thigh. He grasped the creamy flesh with less care than his previous touches, squeezing it before lifting her at eye level.

His first thought was that she was weightless; so easily maneuvered between his hands. He refrained a smug smirk even as she hitched in a breath, recovering from the hasty position change.

The movement made her bounce once before he could finally pin her to the wall with the weight of his body. That startled the kunoichi and a surprised, shocked expression covered her face.

And that simple sight alone – widened, shimmering, green eyes; the silent scream that parted her lips, shaping them into a "o"; and the pretty flush painting her ivory skin – told him that one day, this little witch that had not idea how sexy she could be, would be the death of him.

He lazily brushed his lips over hers, swiping his tongue teasingly, never pressing further. She followed his enticing dance, demanding more and he chuckled at her eagerness. Leisurely, he slid to her chin, and then nipped at her jaw.

When her head fell back, resting on the wall, he attacked the column of her neck, and continued his torturous ministrations at its expanse – because Uchiha Sasuke could tease too, and this was payback for all the times she, unintentionally or not, made him writhe.

Her hand, the one in possession of his dark locks, guided him to where she needed him most. A descending path that started from a sensitive spot behind her ears to the juncture between her neck and shoulders.

He quickly found a flimsy strap on his way and pulled it between his teeth, moving it slightly away from her skin. Without hesitation, he released the delicate material, and the elastic hit echoed around them, resonating the snap at her flesh.

Red quickly colored the skin around the stretchy band of her bra. The pink nin jumped at the assault; yelping loudly, forgetting completely where she was.

She resumed her position with a harsh grind of her hips against his. The movement – purposely done as a vain form of punishment – sent jolts of pleasure up his spine, scorching his skin in its awake. He fought the urge to shiver.

In a haste, he attacked her collarbone, groaning between licks and bites, a hand toying desperately with the buttons of her blouse. The medic nin tried, unsuccessfully, to shrug off the material that currently obstructed him from skin contact.

It didn't take long to have it half open though. A few buttons were already unfastened, and the pull of the fabric unlatched a couple more. He glanced down, peeking through dark bangs, to see the full mounds of her pressed breasts, encased in pale-blue lace, and so, so close to him.

He licked his lips in anticipation, dragging them around the thin strap of her bra, making her pant and tug at his hair. He smirked against her skin, ready to answer the silent, urgent plea in her whimpers; ready to give her more.

The newness of these feelings coursing through him didn't scare the dark-haired nin as much as he imagined. It was thrilling; a rush that filled all his senses at once, an uncontrollable desire to be lost in her.

Although that was pretty much his plan, the sentiment was erased quickly by a sequence of several unexpected events that wouldn't have the same result if they were in different circumstances (or maybe if they happened in a different order).

Before he could reach the next destination in his tantalizing path, there was a knock at the door, and then a loud, annoying voice travelled through the wood, which prompt Sakura to stiffen up on his hold.

"Sakura, are you ok? I heard a scream."

The kunoichi's fingers tightened around his locks, and they locked their eyes, the desperation clear in her wide ones.

He groaned, displeased with the interruption. Sakura shot him a reprimanded look before pushing his face against her breasts, a poor attempt to muffle any sounds escaping the impatient nin.

It was laughable; the action itself shouldn't have this effect – the opposite effect – washing over their previous rush, when he had his entire face buried in her cleavage. If not for the person expecting a reply in the other side of the door, he would be enjoying the treatment.

The annoying woman – surprisingly not the one with pink hair for a change – twisted the doorknob, awakening Sakura from her frozen state.

He knew she was about to panic; her breathing was becoming erratic, causing her breasts to bounce with the heave of her chest, pressing up against his face. Instinctively he made a noise of protest and she hushed him with a hiss, deciding to finally reply.

"Uh, I'm ok, Ino."

"You're late for our lunch— and why is your door locked? You never lock it."

"Ah, I—I'm just freshening up – changing – it's too hot today. I'll be out in a second"

The raven-haired nin, nearly forgotten by the woman above him, huffed between her creamy mounds, amused with her lack of composure and choice of words.

"Oh-kay." Ino dragged the word, probably not believing her best friend.

"Wait for me by the entrance, I won't take long. Promise!"

"Huh, hurry, Forehead, I don't have much time left."

Once they could no longer hear the faint click of the woman's shoes, Sakura finally relaxed and schooled her breathing. She removed her fingers from his hair, slowly almost reluctantly.

He missed the warmth, her touch, instantly. And trying to follow its direction, Sasuke lifted his head from the temporary pillows.

They locked eyes and he was met with a storm of emotions and questions. Things that he didn't want to try to decipher or understand, at least not right now under her powerful gaze.

She uncrossed her legs, that were securely around his waist, and slowly slid them to the floor as his grip on her thigh loosened. He carefully helped her, moving his hands so gently to support her body, an action that contradicted the way he previously moved her. The preceding passion, nearly ignored now, replaced by something deeper.

He held onto her until she regained her balance and her feet were stable on the floor. Sensing some discomfort of her part, he stepped back, adding some space between them.

She broke eye contact first, when the silence was becoming too much. She cleared her throat and turned to fix her clothes. The former missing nin was almost certain that he saw a flash of worry, possibly doubt, in her eyes before she gave him her back.

Not sure what was the etiquette when getting caught making out wildly in the workplace, he glanced around and quickly found his route of escape, completely ignoring the hypocrisy of the words he threw in her face about ethics not even one hour ago.

He moved towards her chair and unlocked the window beside it. Glancing behind his shoulder, he opened his mouth to say something, anything… but came down with nothing.

As if reading his internal contradiction, the kunoichi saved them both by whispering a hopeful "See you later?", which he replied with his typical "Aa."

He hated how she sounded; unsure, lacking that confidence he liked so much. If he was another type of man, he'd cross the distance between them – physical and metaphorical – and take her in his arms, assure her that this was it, and maybe he'd add one more kiss or two for good measurement.

But Sasuke still had a long way to go, he knew that, and he wouldn't become a good… boyfriend? his mind enquired… a good partner from day to night.

He jumped for the second time that day, through the window this time, towards all the rooftops that would take him to the safety of his still new home, away from the object of his affections, away from the confusing and abrupt situation that took place between those four walls, away from pink and green.

For the first time, he wasn't running because he wanted to, and that was progress, he decided.

The silence was his friend now, and it would accompany him home again, where he'd get lost in his own thoughts… because Sasuke wasn't someone that could easily seek the help of a best friend to talk about situations like this one.

This, whatever this was and whatever this would become, he'd need to digest and figure out by himself. And the big question hovering over his head was: where do we go from there?

A smirk tugged at his lips, and he allowed it to take its course and form a small content smile, because life had provided him the answer before he had formed the question.

She'd soon find the gift he left behind, on top of her desk. And it seemed that he had a date to plan after all.

A/N: And that's a wrap! (for this chapter)

7,522 words, 19 Word pages. Phew!

So, I named this chapter "Sweet Dreams" in connection with all the sweets Sasuke had bought, plus how Sakura is indeed sweet, and because "sweet dreams are made of this" just like the song - SasuSaku make sweet dreams! xD

So, we got some action! (and jealous Sasuke because we love him) and I went back to the past, because we still have a baby to make ;) lol

I have reviewed my story timeline plan and I think we have just a couple more chapters until the full transition to the 'present'.

I hope you guys are liking the development of the story so far, let me know what you think :D