Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything affiliated with it.

The first time Sasuke kissed her, Sakura thought it was an accident.

He had been walking her home, their arms close enough to be grazing each other with every subtle swing, and when they reached her door she turned to bid him farewell. But she didn't expect him to lean forward and graze the corners of her lips with his. It seemed like he didn't mean to do it, because he stilled like a frightened rabbit and his cheeks flared an adorable red.

He then quickly stammered a farewell and disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving Sakura alone on her porch with her fingers lightly pressed where the phantom sensation of his lips tingled fantastically.

Her smile didn't leave until she was fast asleep.

The second time Sasuke kissed her, he was caught up in a moment of excitement and didn't catch himself in time.

Kakashi had announced to them that Itachi's name would be added to the Memorial Stone for his efforts in the Fourth Shinobi World War. He thanked Kakashi for the gesture, quietly and humbly, and he escorted Sakura out of the Hokage's office before leading her down the hall. Sasuke carefully took her hand- his was shaking a little and a tad bit sweaty- and he walked her home again.

Once they reached her apartment together, they stood on the porch and Sasuke was so suddenly so overwhelmed by happiness that he wrapped his one arm around Sakura, letting out a sharp breath that could only be construed of relief before pressing his lips against hers. She was stunned for a moment, but let herself melt into the kiss. They separated after a short moment, Sasuke's cheeks not as red as hers but noticeably darker, and he poked her forehead before heading off to his own temporary apartment.

That night, the warmth of his touch kept her awake as she stared at the full moon glowing in the sky. Her heart was just as full and glowing.

The third time Sasuke kissed her, Sakura knew he meant to do it.

He decided he was leaving again, having only been in town for a few weeks because Kakashi had requested he come back for the news about Itachi, and Sakura was seeing him off at the front gates once more.

In his time in Konoha, they hadn't quite officially declared they were together. It had just happened. Since he returned after his second departure from the village, Sasuke had been spending most of his time with her. He stayed in her apartment on her couch, they ate all of their meals together- and sometimes with Naruto. They basically spent all day in each other's company. It was a silent agreement, one based on mutual understanding and comfort with each other that stemmed from years of trust and quiet affection- at least on his part. Sasuke was a lot more open with his feelings for her now, not vocally but it was there in the way he looked in her eyes or held her hand when no one was looking. His reserved smiles only meant for her told her everything she needed to know, even without a single word being said.

So when he took her hand with his and looked her in the eyes, Sakura had expected a kind farewell and then he would be gone again. But he leaned in close, let go of her hand in order to brush her hair out of her face and cup her neck, and pressed his forehead against hers before tilting his chin forward and gently pressing his lips against hers. He lingered for a moment, slowly adding more pressure and bringing his body closer to hers.

Sakura was glad it was early in the morning and no one was there to watch her become putty in his arm. Besides if there was anyone watching, Sasuke would certainly not kiss her like this. Not with so much intensity and love that Sakura didn't know how she hadn't melted yet.

When Sasuke didn't know what to say, he relayed it in his actions. And, boy, did he tell her how much he loved her right then and there.

As he pulled away from her, his thumb caressed her cheek as he opened his eyes and smiled at her warmly.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, finally straightening up and looking her earnestly in the eyes. "I wish I could stay longer."

Sakura's cheeks hurt from smiling so widely, and it didn't help they burned from the blush she couldn't hold back. The love she felt for him was overflowing and nothing could stop her from wrapping her arms around him and pulling him into a tight hug. He had hesitated for a split second, but his arm quickly was draped over her shoulder and he rested his chin on the top of her head.

"Are you going to wait to say goodbye to Naruto?"

"Don't ruin this moment, Sakura."

Her laughter was muffled in his chest, and soon they separated and he bid her a final farewell with a single poke to her forehead.

The fourth time Sasuke kissed her, it was because Sakura had kissed him first.

In her lovestruck haze, she had been tired of waiting and tracked him down with the help of Karin, who had been passing through Konoha with some information for Tsunade. Karin had been quite agreeable to find the last Uchiha, if not because she missed him - she insisted - but because Orochimaru had needed Sasuke's help with hunting down an old experiment. So the girls headed out - with Kakashi's blessing - and made their way to the border of Fire and Earth, where Karin could already sense his chakra.

As soon as they found him, Sasuke turned in their direction- sensing their approaching chakra- and didn't have time to react before Sakura tackled him in a bone-crushing hug and crashed her lips against his. He stumbled back a few steps, obviously flabbergasted that she was even there, and took a second to react to the kiss. But sure enough, his arm coiled around her waist and he hoisted her up so her legs wrapped around his slender hips. He kissed her back, eyes closing and arm tight as her arms hugged his shoulders.

She laughed into the kiss, so happy to see him that she began to cry. Sasuke wiped her tears away, kissing her all the while, and gently lowered her to the ground before he forced himself to take his lips off of hers.

"Wha... how did you find me?"

"How else, Sasuke-kun?"

Sakura didn't miss the way Sasuke bristled minutely at the sound of Karin's voice, but he schooled his features and looked over the top of Sakura's head to spot the redhead behind her. He narrowed his eyes, his demeanor changing immediately to annoyance, and he demanded curtly, "What are you doing here?"

Karin approached them, flashing Sakura a little grin before her eyes darted back to Sasuke. "I was just helping out an old friend find her lover. Is that a problem?"

"Friend?" Sasuke frowned, looking from Sakura to Karin with the most confused look on his face. "Since when were you two friends?"

"No thanks to you," Karin pointedly said as she crossed her arms and popped her hip. "It just so happens that we ran into each other. She figured that I could help her find you, and that was that." Karin then bared her teeth in the most feral and teasing smile as she said sweetly, "She's a delight though. I think I might steal her."

Sasuke blanched at that statement, then he quickly grasped Sakura's hand as he growled and began tugging her away without another word.

Karin called out, "Wait up, Uchiha! I've got stuff for you!"

He stopped and glanced over his shoulder, irritation literally rolling off him in waves, and Karin approached with two scrolls, one black and the other red. Sakura could only imagine what the other one was about, since Karin never brought it up while they were travelling.

"No rush with either," Karin remarked with a smirk. "One's from your Hokage, the other from Orochimaru."

Without another word, Sasuke took the scrolls and tucked them into his bag before grabbing Sakura's hand again and pulling her away without a goodbye. Ever polite, Sakura waved over her shoulder and shouted with a smile, "Bye, Karin! Thanks again!"

Karin waved back, albeit a little sadly, but still gave Sakura a small smile as she called out, "Have fun, you two!"

The couple rounded a corner and found themselves in an alleyway between a hotel and bar. Sasuke turned to her and gave her the most disapproving look.

Sakura crossed her arms. "Don't look at me like that."

"You had her help you find me?" he asked, almost humorously.

She just shrugged and grinned. "I was tired of waiting."

Sasuke's look softened slightly, as if he didn't expect her statement, then he frowned and his head tilted to the side. "I left less than a week ago."

"I missed you."

The way his lips pulled into a smile almost made Sakura's heart stop. He was just so breathtakingly beautiful when he truly smiled, and they were a rare sight to be seen. She didn't miss the way a small chuckle escaped his lips before he leaned forward and pressed his lips against the center of her forehead.

"I missed you, too."

They agreed then that Sakura would stay with Sasuke and travel the world with him, exploring new places and revisiting old. It was when they were resting in a cave that Sasuke kissed her for the first time like this.

He was always gentle at first, letting the intensity of his kiss build up steadily- as if he was afraid of kissing her too hard or that she would pull away and reject his aggressiveness. Sakura always welcomed his affections, because they were always few and far in between. Sasuke was never a vocal person in the first place, so she never expected to hear him declare his feelings for her. And he was very private as well, so any time he desired to express how he was feeling it was almost always when they were all alone.

Luckily for her, during their travels that happened a lot.

Though Sakura never imagined this.

Sasuke's hand was deft, so much that he plucked at her skin like strings on a harp. Their privacy in the cave allowed him to be more free with his ministrations, and he saved no time when it came to giving her body attention. His mouth moved from her lips and trailed down her jaw towards her neck. Soon he was grazing his teeth against her pulse and soothing the nips with a languid swipe of his tongue, followed by a gentle suckle from his lips. Sakura was surprised he was so incredibly skilled at pleasing her, so much that her gasp when his hand touched the bare skin of her stomach was louder than she intended.

He immediately stilled and pulled his lips away from her neck. The startled look was there again and Sakura cursed at herself for not slowing him down. She wanted this, certainly, and it was obvious he wanted it, too. But going to fast could spell out big trouble for the both of them. That was absolutely something she couldn't bear.

To reassure him, Sakura pushed his forelocks out of his eyes and cupped his face. With a loving smile, she murmured, "Sasuke-kun... please don't stop."

His eyes widened and for a half second, Sakura thought he was going to retreat and that would be it for who knew how long. But he grinned and leaned forward a kissed the center of her forehead again, then her lips. He drew this one out, moving his lips with hers and tracing his tongue along her mouth. His thumb rubbed circles on the skin of her stomach, right above her belly button, and he gradually began moving upward towards the bottoms of her breasts.

She was panting now, anticipating the touch he was inevitably trying to give her. Never had she been touched like this and never did she imagine it was Sasuke who would be touching her. Well, she had in her wildest dreams that woke her in a cold sweat and wet in between her legs. And now that he was actually touching her in real life on the cold and hard floor of a cave, she realized those dreams never came close to what was happening now.

Sasuke tore his lips away from hers, panting as well, and a sly smile graced his lips and his cheeks a dusky color that complemented the darkness of his eyes. He looked at her with hooded eyes, some red starting to bleed into his right eye. He blinked a few times, letting it go away, as he pressed his body closer to hers and his fingers grazed the underside of her breast.

A stifled gasp left her and Sasuke chuckled at her a little before withdrawing his hand completely and sat back on his heels. There was something in his eyes behind the bravado- timid and unsure- that flared as he reached up and gripped the collar of his shirt. He pulled it over his head, discarding it on the ground behind him, leaving him shirtless as she knelt between her legs.

Sakura was breathless, staring at this beautiful specimen of a man in front of her. She resisted all urges to reach out and squeeze the muscled plains of his chest and run her hands down his rippled abs. Instead, she met his eyes and boldly reached for the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head. Now they were both shirtless, the only thing covering her upper body being a thin bandeau bra that didn't keep her hardening nipples from poking up in the fabric.

Sasuke's eyes looked at her hungrily, and it was completely obvious that he was having a hard time believing that this was actually happening.

She was thinking the same thing, too.

Hesitantly, Sakura reached forward and ran her hand against the scar above his heart. She knew it had been from the war- she remembered him telling her what had happened between him and Madara- and it was still there, a puckered white line on otherwise smooth skin. There were others, but none stood out like this. She noticed that he had reached across and his thumb was grazing the scar on her lower stomach- a similar white line raised up against the rest of her perfect skin. He was focused on it, probably remembering how she recounted her battle with Sasori all of those years ago.

Though Sasuke had been damaged, she couldn't fathom anyone being more beautiful. She could only hope he felt the same way about her.

Her hand moved from Sasuke's chest to his face and she slowly brought him closer. His hand withdrew from her side and he carefully cupped the back of her head, pulling her close so their foreheads were touching.

"I.. I don't want to do something you're not ready for," he said tentatively.

Sakura smiled and caressed his cheek with loving care. "I have been waiting for you for over seven years... I don't think I can wait any longer."

Sasuke inhaled sharply and held his breath. For a moment, Sakura thought she might have said the wrong thing, based on how he didn't move and how his eyes were shut tight. But when he let go of that breath very slowly and his eyes opened, smoldering and dark, and stared her down, she felt her whole body shiver with anticipation and sudden lustful need for this man.

On cue, they both tilted their lips towards each other's and lost themselves in the kiss. Sakura wasn't afraid anymore, knowing how much Sasuke cared for and desired her. This wasn't going to be just sex. They were going to make love and she couldn't think of anyone more perfect than the man she had loved for almost a decade.

Sasuke's hand was caressing her stomach again, inching up to her breasts with timid apprehension. Sakura's hands were busy running all over the expanse of his chest and shoulders, feeling the corded muscle underneath the soft skin. His hand was calloused and the rougher parts were dragging against her skin in the most sensuous of ways, leaving goose bumps in their wake as he finally got the courage to slip underneath the fabric of her bra.

Her gasp was loud- a mix of a sharp intake of breath and a moan- when his thumb dragged over her nipple. When he cupped her entire breast in his palm, it became drawn out and she broke their kiss in order to breathe right. Sasuke merely leaned down and latched his mouth onto her neck once more while he slowly massaged her breast in his hand.

Soon their pace increased and Sasuke eagerly pulled Sakura's bandeau over her head so her breasts were revealed to him entirely. She didn't have the time to cover herself in her unconscious modesty because Sasuke was already capturing her nipple between his lips. The jolt it gave her spread all the way from her chest down to her toes and it took everything within her power to not thrust her hips up and arch her back with a loud groan. Instead, she settled with burying her hands in his hair and pulling him closer to her chest. Sasuke quickly gripped her left breast in his hand while his mouth lavished on her right. It was easy to get lost in his touch, so much she barely noticed he had let go of her breast and had began his descent to her crotch.

It wasn't until he was cupping her sex in his hand that she was brought back to reality. That pleasure was so incredible and unimaginable that her reaction couldn't be stopped. While his finger traced up and down her slit, she moaned and her back arched out, pushing her breast harder against Sasuke's mouth and her pussy deeper into his hand.

Soon he slipped his fingers between her folds and a whole new world of sensations erupted within her. Sure, Sakura had touched herself before but that was nothing compared to the touch of another. And like everything else Sasuke did, he was particularly gifted when it came to bringing her pleasure to new heights. His thumb pressed and rubbed her clit while his index and middle fingers slid in and out of her vagina. With his mouth still giving her nipples apt attention, it was too much for her to handle and she was prepared to explode.

But all too quickly, Sasuke quickly withdrew his hands and pulled away. His unseen speed was at work when he pulled down her shorts and underwear, leaving her completely bare to his keen eyes. Sakura was trembling with need as Sasuke's eyes devoured the sight of her panting and spread-eagled on the ground of a dank cave. Before she knew it, he was bending over and kissing the insides of her thighs, sucking and nipping every once in a while before he leveled his face with her crotch. Slowly, he dragged his tongue up her slit, starting from her opening and ending at her clit. The sound she made was inhuman and Sasuke had to hold her down with his arm so she wouldn't buck her hips out of the way.

His tongue was warm and wet, flicking and stroking her pussy with such finesse that she was convinced he had done it before. Or just because he was Uchiha fucking Sasuke and everything came so fucking natural to him.

Soon a tight coil in her stomach began to flutter and a warm spread all over her body, making a sweat break out on her skin and for her breathing to quicken even more. Every stroke of Sasuke's tongue paired with a thrust of his finger tightened the coil even further, bringing her closer and closer to what she could only describe and unparalleled bliss. And as soon as that coil snapped, spasming and ripples of white hot pleasure flowed throughout her body, causing her toes to curl, her hands to grip Sasuke's hair for dear life, and for her voice to go hoarse with moans and cries of pure pleasure.

Sasuke licked his lips as he rose from his place between her legs, a smirk quirking the corners of his mouth before he settled over her and gave her a short kiss on her cheek. Sakura peeled her eyes open to see him hovering over her, the smell of her fluids lingering between them, and she gave him a worn-out smile before sitting up and kissing him right on the lips. The taste of herself was subtle, but she didn't care. In fact, it made her feel possessive and her arousal sparked right back up. Right now, all that mattered was returning that favor Sasuke so generously gave her.

Though it seemed he had other plans.

While their mouths were occupied, Sasuke used his hand to begin pulling down his pants. Sakura noticed and immediately went to help him. Together they tugged his pants down his legs and he kicked them away before hovering over her once more. Sakura opened her eyes as she pulled away and was greeted with the sight of his erect penis, standing proud and throbbing with want. She gulped, and every nerve in her body stood at attention- very much like he was at that moment.

It made her feel powerful, but apprehensive at the same time.

This was something they could never come back from. For a moment, Sakura had doubts that she could do this. But with Sasuke's twin look of nervousness, plain on his gorgeously flush face, she quelled that fear and took his hand with hers and led him back down in between her legs. He stared at her, obviously as uncertain as she was, as she reached out with her other hand and firmly grasped his erection.

The choked sound that came from his lips was enough to make Sakura unravel even more, but she did her best to maintain her composure as she slowly stroked him up and down. He seemed to grow even more in her hand and she could feel his pulse through the velvety skin of his shaft. His breathing was coming out in hot bursts that fanned her face, and the completely transfixed and enraptured look on his face showed his own slow loss of control. In turn she felt her blood boil under skin at the thought of her being his undoing.

It was a frightening and empowering feeling.

Sasuke stopped her by withdrawing his hips and taking her hand away from his crotch and kissing her knuckles. He then settled himself against the heat of her center and Sakura shivered so heavily that it felt like a tremor shook through the entire earth. Sasuke gave her a concerned look, but it was soon wiped away when she gripped him again and led the tip of his penis to her opening.

Together, they took a deep breath and Sasuke gradually pushed himself in. The slow exhale they simultaneously took was long and drawn out; hers ending in a low moan and his rattling in his chest. Sakura half-expected the penetration to hurt- based on commentary from everyone she had ever asked- but she was surprised to find he was a snug fit and only pleasurable. No pain. She couldn't imagine how it felt for him.

Sasuke's eyes were hooded again, and it looked like it was taking every ounce of his self-control to not thrust into her again. Sakura felt herself get excited at the very thought, accidentally moaning and tightening herself around him. He groaned and his eyes fluttered shut, but he kept still.

"Please," she whimpered, pulling him closer by his shoulders. "Please, Sasuke-kun..."

He simply nodded and began moving his hips, slowly at first, but he gained a rhythm that matched the beating of their hearts. Every thrust into her sent sparks into her eyes and an electric pulse through her veins. Sasuke's breathing quickened and she could tell it took everything he had to not pick up the pace and let himself feel release. Instead, he brought her closer, wrapping his good arm around her shoulders and burying his face in the crook of her neck. He held on her so tightly and Sakura returned the embrace with tight arms around his chest. She continuously peppered kisses all over his shoulders, accepting the weight of his body as he plunged into her over and over, and felt a second orgasm build up in the depths of her belly.

Sasuke wasted no time in helping her get her next climax as he grazed his teeth on her neck and nibbled on the lobe of her ear, grinding himself against her pubic bone so efficiently that stars appeared in her vision and her entire body coiled like a spring and exploded. She screamed his name, wrapping her legs even tighter around his hips as he pumped once, twice, three times before groaning out her name.

They laid together for a while, never untangling their limbs from one another, and soon Sakura felt herself get tired and thirsty. Sasuke must have been feeling the same way, because he pulled himself out of her and rolled to the side. With one last kiss, he grabbed his canteen, some food, and a blanket, and together they spent the rest of the night repeating the last hour.

After that, Sakura stopped counting how many times Sasuke kissed her.

the end.