A/N: Hello! Sooo, I was playing with the idea of a SasuSaku story since like, well, forever. What came out was another monster one-shot, a little longer than Captain Hatake's Training Seal. I really hope you guys like it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto characters, they belong to Kishimoto-sensei.

*This is rated M, obviously.

P.S: Feel free to play "Skin" by Rihanna in the background. You'll see what I mean. :)

oOo

Midnight Delights

It was around six in the afternoon when they reached the Inn. Sasuke Uchiha was more than glad, even if he did little to show his excitement, at the fact that, after a week of sleeping under the stars or sharing a makeshift tent with his loud-mouthed blonde best friend and the infamous copy ninja, he would finally have some privacy. He wasn't a stranger of traveling and sleeping under harsh conditions, of course, but seven days with Naruto's loud snoring and Kakashi's chakra flaring up in the middle of the night because he was a light sleeper, had done more than enough damage to Sasuke's already minimal tolerance for human contact. Teammates or not, he was craving a good night's sleep in a room of his own, if only for tonight. He couldn't help but envy Sakura at this very moment. Being the only female in the team gave her enough leverage to forbid any sort of male company during the night, which was just what she had done. Lucky her.

Onyx orbs drifted slowly to said woman on their own accord. She was currently leaning over the front desk, speaking sweetly with the employee about the arrangements for their stay. Even without meaning to, his eyes scrutinized her, just as they had been doing for the last six months after it happened.

Sasuke was aware there had been many factors leading up to his current predicament, but it had been the catalyst, the culprit of placing this woman under a whole new light, one that he was still coming to terms with.

The mission had been a fairly simple reconnaissance assignment; only difference had been that it was the first time they'd been sent on a mission alone. Of course, this had been a necessary evil, seeing as the mission required a high level of stealth to see its completion. Kakashi had been on a mission of his own at the time, and Naruto had, fortunately, being out of the question. Even if he had matured quite a lot after reaching the big twenty, he could still be reckless sometimes, and that would've been a sure way to send the mission straight to hell. Alas, he and Sakura had been the chosen two-man cell, a fact that had unsettled Sasuke greatly during the mission briefing. It's not that he doubted the Godaime's decision. Truth was, it had been a long time since he had been forced to fully acknowledge his female teammate and, quite frankly, he didn't know what to expect. A nagging voice inside his head constantly reminded him of how annoying and unfitting she had been when they were younger, a fact that had him cringing during the days prior to the mission at the thought of having to spend two full weeks at the kunoichi's mercy.

What he found wasn't exactly what he had expected. He knew she was smart, and strong, and an amazing medic, but that was as far as his knowledge of his teammate went. Never had he deemed it important to take the time to actually get to know her. Therefore, it had been quite the surprise to find out just how much Sakura had changed over the years. Gone was the clingy little girl who couldn't seem to do anything without outside motivation, for she had been replaced with the most cunning, practical, analytical kunoichi he had ever seen. Wonderfully developed body aside, Sakura had almost been unrecognizable to his eyes. How had he not seen this coming? Of course, he knew her infatuation with him had, thankfully, dissipated years ago, blossoming into an enjoyable friendship. Still, he couldn't place the exact moment in which she became such a capable shinobi. Maybe, it was because they hadn't been sent together on missions for some time, as she was mostly busy in the hospital.

Truth was, he had had no such expectations of her at all, and therefore there had been no interest in her development from his part whatsoever. In those two weeks, however, he had been enlightened. There were still traces of the old Sakura: her flaring temper, her inability to stop the rants that spilled out her mouth whenever she was nervous or embarrassed, how she seemed to blush when he looked at her a certain way; but, they weren't enough to overthrow the powerful woman she had become.

Powerful and beautiful. He was only a man, after all, and the fact that her body had filled up in all the right places hadn't bypassed him. If the changes in her character hadn't hooked him on her enough, then her sinuous body had surely accomplished the task by the end of the second week. More than once he had found his eyes lingering just a tad longer on the curve of her hips, or the slight dip of her lower back, and it had taken all of his self-control to keep a straight face that time they had been forced to attend the co-ed hot springs of the small village. Needless to say, that had been another sleepless night added to his list.

It wasn't until they were back in Konoha that he realized she had captivated him in more ways than one. He found himself constantly glancing at her out of the corner of his eye whenever they went on their weekly lunch with Naruto to Ichiraku, memorizing the way her eyes glinted mischievously whenever she was about to subject the jiinchuriki to a teasing comment, or how her nose scrunched whenever he was being annoying enough for her to deem it necessary to connect her fist to his mouth. She had let her hair grow with the years, but he knew she wasn't completely used to its length, and preferred it tied in a ponytail instead. And, even with her infamous temper, Sasuke was quite amused to learn she was great with kids, as they would constantly fawn all over her every time she visited the Children's Clinic.

The more time he spent around her, the more he understood the implications of the feelings that were slowly bubbling inside him. Many years ago, crushing on this girl would've been an outrageous idea. Besides, his mind had been elsewhere at the time, a darker place. Now, though, he couldn't help but feel an urge, a need, to be close to her whenever he could. Of course, he wasn't hasty of character, so he satiated his desire in small ways: walking her home after a late shift in the hospital, training with her when she wanted to practice a new justsu, helping her with spring cleaning, even going as far as paying for her share of the bill sometimes during Team Seven's monthly rendezvous at that barbeque establishment everybody seemed to like so much.

And yet, no matter how many times he did any of those things, it wasn't enough. Somehow, he had the idea that she was still attracted to him in a way, but as she had never voiced it out loud he had no intentions of taking the first step and embarrassing himself. For months now, he had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to cross that invisible line he himself had drawn between them, but to no avail. Sakura was ever sweet with him, even throwing a few flirty comments from time to time, but there had been no signs of her wanting to further their friendship into something else. Sasuke had been content with this at the beginning, but as the days progressed into weeks, and then months, he couldn't help but start to feel impatient, a feeling he neither welcomed nor liked.

Too late he realized his thoughts had left him ogling at the girl on the counter, mainly at her backside, as she bickered with Naruto about which room they would take. Just as he detached his eyes from her body, somebody cleared their throat beside him. Sasuke turned to find their silver-haired team leader taking a place beside him on the wall he was leaning on, a knowing expression on his face. The Uchiha said nothing, his eyes narrowing slightly at the man, both demanding an explanation and warning any inappropriate comment ready to pop out of his masked mouth.

"Subtlety is a gift, Sasuke ." he said, his eyes drifting to the duo at the front desk, making sure the waters weren't turbulent yet and he wouldn't have to jump in and get the man behind the desk out of the woman's punching range.

Sasuke huffed slightly. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Kakashi stared at him, amused, the way a parent looks at his offspring when they're trying to lie their way out of an uncomfortable situation, and failing miserably. There were a thousand things he could've retorted to that, but opted for staying silent, seeing as Sakura had successfully and not-so-subtly shut Naruto up, the two shinobi making their way to them with four room keys in their hands and leaving a troubled-looking man clearly using the reception desk as a shield.

"We're all set." Sakura said happily a she handed Kakashi and Sasuke their respective keys. This wasn't the first time Sasuke had stayed in this place, as he had visited this town once or twice over the years he was with Team Taka, and he quickly realized her sudden satisfaction with the sleeping arrangements was probably due to winning the room with the best view of the town over Naruto. So much said her room number, which was conveniently located next to his. 'Great.'

"Good." spoke Kakashi. "We'll leave early tomorrow morning. Make sure you all have everything prepared by then." he gave an unreadable glance in Sakura's direction, which she knowingly evaded.

Sasuke, being a very observant man, noticed this and frowned slightly. During the mission briefing, it had been unclear the exact role Sakura would be playing in their mission. Tsunade had called for her and Kakashi to stay after the meeting, which meant the details of her involvement were most likely delicate and confidential, even to her teammates. He had disregarded asking her about it. Sakura was more than capable of handling whatever responsibility had befallen her. Now, though, watching as she seemed to tense and become slightly uncomfortable at the mention of the 'preparations' she would have to oversee before morning arrived, Sasuke couldn't help but wonder. Of course, he and Naruto would know when the moment came, but still. That unfamiliar impatient feeling was now seeping into him again, encouraging him to ask what had her so upset.

The moment the group turned to the stairs leading to the third floor, though, he disregarded the impulse. If Tsunade hadn't mentioned it before, then it was none of his business. And as he plopped on the soft mattress in the safety of his room with a grumbling stomach, he decided there were more important things to worry about for the time being, like dinner.

oOo

The town they were staying in was rather small, with only one street and just the necessary services flanking it. It didn't surprise Sasuke the only establishment open for dinner looked questionable, to say the least. The lights were dim, the music eerie, and Sasuke couldn't decide if the man shooting angry glances to his table was a homicidal maniac or just a very, very drunk individual. Even so, with his rugged appearance after being outdoors for days, he had to admit he fit right in. Not even the hot shower he had taken before heading out was able to take nature's hand off him, as his eyes looked tired from so many sleepless nights, and there was a light stubble on his chin and jaw that he had evaded to shave for the time being. The Uchiha sighed slowly and took a sip from his glass, the liquor warming his insides. Seeing as they weren't expecting any sort of setback in the quiet town where the inn was located, Team Seven had decided to indulge in a nice meal and a few glasses of sake before calling it a day. Sasuke had been the first to arrive and was currently waiting for his teammates. He knew beforehand that Kakashi and Naruto would be late, seeing as Naruto had announced he needed a nap the moment he stepped into his room, and Kakashi had wandered off claiming he had to buy some last-minute supplies. It didn't go unnoticed by Sasuke the way Kakashi's eyes had glued to the bookstore they passed on their way to the inn, where a new volume of Icha Icha Paradise was on display, but he didn't dwell on this. To each their own, or so they say.

This left him searching the entrance whenever the door opened, and a new patron came in, his mismatched eyes scouting for a flash of pink.

She came in ten minutes later, her long hair damp from the shower, jade eyes locating him quickly. Sakura smiled as she made her way to him through the crowd that was slowly gathering inside, and Sasuke couldn't help the slight tingle in his stomach as she approached. The kunoichi had changed her usual red top for a long sleeved burgundy shirt, most likely because the night was a little chilly, but opted to keep her black shorts, which had the Uchiha distracted with the amount of her toned thighs they showed. Of course, he said nothing, and merely settled for looking at her as she sat down across from him.

"Naruto and Kakashi aren't here yet?" she asked absentmindedly as her hands grabbed the menu, skimming through its contents.

Sasuke shook his head and took another sip of his drink. The girl sighed, knowing they would have to wait to order their food, and blushed as her stomach protested slightly at their predicament.

They decided to order some appetizers, and a few more rounds of sake, as they settled into an easy chatter. Sakura did most of the talking, while Sasuke would comment whenever he deemed it necessary. He couldn't help but be amused at the way she seamlessly downed glass after glass, the liquor seemingly having no visible effects on her body aside from the faint blush that overtook her cheeks after the fifth glass. This was another thing Sasuke had discovered during their two-week mission together: Sakura enjoyed drinking, a lot, and indulged in it with a rather high tolerance for the liquid, something he was sure she nursed under her tutelage with the Godaime. Silently, he counted the glasses, and realized it was just a matter of time before her tongue got a little loose, the first sign she was tipsy. As she called for the waiter to bring her a glass of water, he knew she noticed this as well, but it would be a while before the effects wore off, glass of water in her system or not.

"So..." she started, in a tone that signaled he was up for some of her uncomfortable questioning. Even though she was still a little shy around him, whenever she was under the influence her inhibitions seemed to blur a bit around him, and so did the carefully crafted line of appropriate conversations between them. "Any ladies lucky enough to date the great Sasuke Uchiha lately?"

If he would've been anybody else, Sasuke would've most likely choked on his drink. He arched an eyebrow at the expectant look in her face. "Why would you want to know that?"

Sakura blushed, as if she suddenly realized the territory she was slowly stepping in, and shrugged. "N-no reason, just curious." Her voice stammered slightly, and Sasuke knew the way he was looking at her, directing all his attention to her eyes, was making her nervous. He resisted the urge to smirk, as this would've been enough to shut her up completely. "I mean, I know you have a lot of suitors back in the village, and was just wondering… you know…"

He did, and some had been lucky enough to end up under his sheets in the past, but all of that had ended six months ago, when his mind decided it couldn't fathom the idea of anybody else but the woman sitting across from him underneath said sheets. Those one night-stands had been seldom and kept under wraps, which led most of his friends to believe he had no sex drive whatsoever. The Uchiha preferred it that way, being such a private person himself. The downside of his newly self-appointed celibacy was the escalating urges he got lately due to the lack of intercourse, like the one he was getting right now while staring at her plump lips as she spoke, the sake augmenting the feeling tenfold. This unsettled him greatly, as Sasuke was commonly in control of his sexual impulses, but the way she unconsciously bit her lower lip when her eyes met his was making the task more difficult than it should. He decided to blame the alcohol.

"No." was his answer, and he didn't miss the barely noticeable flicker of something akin to relief in her eyes. Then, he didn't exactly know why, added. "How about you?"

Sakura did choke on her drink this time, and it was all Sasuke could do not to chuckle at her in his alcohol laden state. It took her a whole minute to stop the coughing and compose herself, her face red as a cherry for the inquiry she was expected to answer. "W-wha?"

"You have many suitors as well." This the Uchiha said with slightly gritted teeth, trying his best to sound cool. The question had been blurted out of his mouth by sheer curiosity. In all the years he had been in Konoha after the war, he had never seen her dating anyone. Then again, neither had he seen Naruto, and look at him now, about to get married in a few months. Sasuke knew this wasn't his business, and if there was anybody with no right to ever ask her this, it was him. He knew women never quite forgot heartbreaks, or its culprits, and by no means did he think their slowly developing friendship had erased all his past transgressions against her. Come to think of it, they had never had that conversation, and Sasuke knew deep down they were both avoiding it, delaying it until there was no other choice but to sit down and talk. That would be a thousand shades of uncomfortable when it happened.

Still, he wanted, needed, to know. Even with her seemingly unfaltering loyalty to him, or what little he thought was left, Sasuke wasn't naïve enough to think she had spent her nights locked in her house, watching romantic movies, awaiting his return to profess her love for him, again. Shyness and all considered, there were certain details about the way she carried herself that told Sasuke this wasn't the case. They were minimal, but they were there. She wasn't as obvious as Ino, but there was something in the way she smiled and looked at males sometimes, the way she straightened her back when one attractive enough to catch her attention walked by, how she swayed her hips at them. Sasuke knew her innocence had been long gone, he just didn't know when, or who had run away with it. He had no right to ask her, but the Uchiha couldn't help the slight annoyance he felt at the pit of his stomach when his mind conjured this new Sakura, the one he wanted for himself, with somebody else.

The blush was still present in her face, as she averted her eyes from him, and answered, voice barely a whisper. "Not… not really…"

Sasuke couldn't help the smirk that crawled to his lips this time. Sakura's whole demeanor had changed with his inquiry: her shoulders were tense, her eyes refusing to meet his, her lower lip being chewed slightly by her pearly white teeth. He was making her nervous. No amount of alcohol could ever compete with the reactions he was still able to pull from her. He took another sip of his drink, and felt his resolve strengthen. The thought of pushing the glass aside fleetingly crossed his mind, but his attention was now focused solely on his teammate, her change of attitude just begging for him to tease her on the matter.

"Why are you nervous, Sakura?" he asked. Her big jade eyes shot to him; she seemed a little uncomfortable to be caught. "It was just a question."

"I know." the medic said. "It's just, you've never asked me that before."

Sasuke shrugged. "I was just wondering." He repeated her earlier words.

She regarded him silently, her jade orbs not straying from his as she seemed to ponder on a suitable answer. She blurted it out before she could stop herself. "I'm not dating anybody… technically."

That last word had his mind reeling. Sasuke didn't need to ask her what she meant by technically. Apparently, that godforsaken mission hadn't affected her the way it had him, because it was pretty clear to the Sharingan user that it hadn't stopped her from fooling around with someone. A dead someone, as far as Sasuke was concerned, consequences be damned.

"Is that so?" he muttered while crossing his arms over his chest, hiding his anger with a teasing tinge to his tone. "Never would've taken you for that kind of woman, Sakura."

Her brow furrowed at his words, and Sasuke couldn't help but notice she looked rather cute when she was angry. "I beg your pardon. What do you mean with that kind of woman?"

Sasuke's smirk only widened, holding in it all the answer she needed. The reaction was instantaneous. Sakura stood up, enraged, and leaned over the table, her face mere centimeters from his. He could smell the lavender of her shampoo and the strong scent of sake on her, a magnificent combination in his opinion. It didn't even cross his mind that if he kept rubbing her the wrong way, his face could end up rearranged by her fist.

"You have no right to judge me on what I do and don't do with my body, Sasuke Uchiha." she spat out. "It's my decision to make, and you made it pretty clear all those years ago that your concern for my well-being doesn't stretch that far." That one stung, and his eyes narrowed at her. "Besides, if you haven't noticed, women are pretty good at swaying gossip back and forth on the village. You think I don't know you do the exact same thing, Mr. I-also-am-not-dating-anyone-technically? Don't be such a hypocrite."

This was around the point in which another glass of water had to make its way into her system, accompanied by some greasy food, whether she wanted it or not. He'd seen her in this state more than enough times to know it was mainly the alcohol doing the talking. Still, Sasuke couldn't help but feel that horrible emotion called guilt at her words. She had every right to burst like that at him. He should've known better than to engage in this conversation with her, even more so when she was almost drunk. The topic they had been successfully avoiding up until now was slowly seeping into dinner, and he wasn't sure he was ready to face it with alcohol in they way, specially with her bad temper being fueled by it.

"I wasn't expecting it from you, that's all." he said softly, hoping to coax her into calming down. Unfortunately, his words had the opposite effect.

If she had been Akamaru, she probably would've snarled at him. "And why is that? Because I was supposed to wait until you decided I was fitting to sleep with you? When was that going to be, before or after you tried to kill me?"

God, this woman… In moments like these Sasuke questioned his infatuation with her. Her mood swings were terrible, and fueled by liquor they were even worse. The kunoichi's words had gone from a slight annoyance to a full-blown kick to the gut, and Sasuke didn't like it. His fault or not, he wasn't going to let her talk to him that way. She was too caught up in her anger to notice several heads had turned in their direction already. There was no way in hell he would let her make a scene here.

"Sakura, sit down." said Sasuke as he none too gently grabbed her wrist and started pushing her back onto her seat. She easily snatched it from his grasp using some of her chakra enhanced strength.

"What? Does it bother you when I tell you the truth? Face it, Sasuke, there was no way I was going to spend my life waiting on you to notice me that way, and you weren't planning to do so anytime soon." she said, her angry gaze directed at him.

"Sit. Down." the shinobi said in a warning tone. He saw a slight hesitation in her eyes at this, before they hardened again.

"No."

In a flash he was standing as well, his cheek pressed to hers, as his lips ghosted the shell of her ear. Sasuke felt the involuntary shiver that crossed her body at the contact. "You're making a scene." Sakura made a move to back away, but he gripper her upper arm and held her in place, stopping any further struggle. "I never expected you to wait, Sakura."

The harsh reality of his words sliced through her, and her eyes brimmed with unshed tears. Sasuke knew she was hurt with what he said, but he wasn't about to lie to her. It was the raw truth, just as he knew she would appreciate it being said, even if now it stung. Many years ago, when he was on his quest for revenge, he had wanted her to move on, to find someone who would love and appreciate her for the formidable woman she was. It wasn't until recently that he discovered he didn't want her to do that, to replace him in her heart. But these were feelings he was still coming to terms with and wasn't about to voice them to her anytime soon.

"Let me go, Sasuke." she whispered, her voice sounding a bit choked. Sake should really be considered a lethal weapon, he thought.

"I'm not as selfish as to think you would after everything I put you through." Sasuke felt a weight lift off his shoulders as he said those words. He wasn't someone who apologized for his actions, but he knew she understood what he was trying to say.

They were both silent for a moment before he spoke again. "Sometimes I wish you did."

Her head snapped in his direction, eyes widened like saucers, her long pink tresses caressing his face at the sudden movement. He met her eyes, a tumult of emotions swirling in them, and he was taken aback by their intensity. Never had he confessed something like this to anyone, let alone her. Sasuke knew he was crossing a line he was very much doubtful to step over. It was one thing for her to admit she had feelings for him, but it was a completely different story when he confirmed they weren't one-sided at all. This changed everything between them, and he didn't exactly know how to feel about it.

Before either of them could say anything, two familiar chakras made themselves known just outside the pub. Startled out of her stupor, Sakura quickly sat down, her eyes still directed at him with that unreadable expression. Sasuke went back to leaning on his chair with his arms crossed, not sure if he was grateful or bothered by the interruption. He saw Sakura's mood change before his eyes, as she pretended to be angry with their teammates for being late, saying she was starving, but didn't miss the slight tension in her shoulders that didn't seem to leave, even as Naruto and Kakashi sat down and mild chattering erupted on the table. Sasuke also didn't miss the way her eyes would wander to him from time to time throughout the course of the evening, and he'd be damned if what he was feeling between them wasn't sexual tension.

It took all his might to not follow her inside her room when they headed back. Naruto might not have been paying much attention to the sizzling static between his friends, but Sasuke was sure Kakashi had noticed. The last thing he needed was the copy ninja meddling in his business; a business he didn't quite understand yet.

As he settled into bed he discovered that, even though his body was tired, his mind was on full alert, mainly focusing on the chakra signature pacing the room adjacent to his. Thirty minutes later, she was still pacing, and he was still awake.

So much for a good night's sleep.

oOo

It was around midnight when Sasuke woke up and headed to the bathroom. The alcohol's delayed effects on his bladder almost had him running to the small room. Once emptied out, the shinobi was about to head back to bed when he felt it. Sakura's chakra was up and alert in her room. So many emotions seemed to attack him at that moment. Tired? Yes. Hungover? Not yet. Annoyed? Definitely. Was she till upset about their conversation? Was that why she was still up, trying to ease her brain of this new information that had been bestowed upon her? At that moment, Sasuke didn't know, and frankly, he couldn't care less. They would be heading out in the early morning, and he'd be brooding all day if he got another sleepless night added to his list.

They could always talk about what happened later, even if he wasn't looking forward to it. Right now, though, he needed her to go to sleep.

Sleepy and angry, he headed out of his room and walked over to the door adjacent to his. He made a mental note that Naruto and Kakashi's signatures were in a slow and continuous flow, signaling they hadn't been bothered by the kunoichi's late night activities. Why was it always him?

He knocked once. Twice. Three times. No answer from the other side. His already foul temper worsened even more. Was she avoiding him now? The Uchiha flared his chakra a bit so she would notice he was standing right outside her door. Several minutes passed, and he was about to knock the door down, when it opened a fraction, half of Sakura's face now visible through the crack.

"S-sasuke?" she stammered, and he missed the slight panic in her voice at his unexpected presence.

He didn't wait for an invitation, and pushed the door open.

Sasuke was normally a very inquisitive shinobi, who knew when it was and wasn't a good moment to barge into something. He blamed the remaining alcohol for the slip of his instincts tonight, for what he walked in on wasn't what he had been expecting at all.

The room was exactly like his, with the exception that a wooden chair had been placed by the foot of the bed, and a full-length mirror leaned casually on the wall across the bed. Also, out of nowhere, a metallic pole had materialized taking center stage between the chair and the mirror. As his mind was still processing this, the door behind him slammed closed, and only then did he glance over his shoulder to regard the woman standing behind him.

Sasuke felt his mouth go dry at the sight, all anger from before forgotten for good. There was Sakura, her expression a mixture between annoyance and fright, her jade eyes wide and glued to his. He noticed her long pink hair was tousled, framing her heart-shaped face beautifully, which was a little flustered. A thin layer of sweat covered her skin, and only then did he notice just what amount of her skin was exposed to his gaze. He did his best not to stare, but it was impossible. The Uchiha felt his body heat up instantly at the sight of the black lace brassier pushing her breasts up and barely covering them. Sakura wasn't as endowed as other women he'd seen, but she wasn't as flat as she used to be, that was for sure. His eyes traveled down to her taunt stomach, and lingered on the black shorts, a peek of black lace from underneath cheekily staring back at him from her right hip. Her strong legs went on for miles, and it was all he could do not to shiver at the slight arousal slowly making its way through his system.

Of all the bad ideas he'd had, barging into her room tonight had to be the worst.

It seemed like hours passed between them, none making an attempt to ease the sudden tension that had formed. Suddenly self-conscious, Sakura lifted her arms to cover her chest and cleared her throat, directing his attention back to her face.

"Sasuke, what are you doing here?" she asked, trying her best to sound calm and unaffected by the fact that this man was standing in her room, at midnight, when she was barely dressed. Worst of all, she had seen him openly ogling at her, no shame whatsoever in his demeanor.

"Why are you still awake?" Sasuke retorted, remembering the reason why he was there in the first place.

This seemed to catch her off guard, and she quickly averted her eyes from him, hugging her form protectively. The shinobi recognized this posture as the one she seldom took when she was about to walk into a particularly embarrassing territory. His eyes left her to examine his surroundings once again, understanding of her nightly activities slowly downing into him. When he turned back to her, Sakura was looking intently at him.

"It's my part of the mission."

Sasuke stared at her, baffled with this new information. Quickly, he composed himself and crossed his arms over his chest, a silent signal for her to elaborate. Sakura sighed, her arms falling from her chest. He had seen everything already, so there really was no point in covering it. She walked slowly past him, to the metal pole, her arm encircling it, as she began to explain.

"It's supposed to be classified, and not entirely necessary, if everything goes as planned." she almost whispered, her body circling the metal pole slowly, as if it helped her think of the right words to say. Through all of this, her eyes didn't meet his, although his mismatched orbs couldn't seem to stray away from her. "You could call it a contingency plan, if our surveillance of Matsuda were to fail. If we can't obtain the location of the records as we first planned, then… well, it's pretty obvious, isn't it?"

More than obvious, he thought. Their target, Hiroshi Matsuda, was a retired mercenary. Rumors had spread that he was running illegal trade operations on the border between the Land of Rivers and the Land of Wind. Recently, some homicides had been loosely tied back to him, but no one had solid proof of this. Therefore, Team Seven had been sent to investigate the location of the trade records, their client assuring them they surely contained information about the killings as well. Matsuda was a sneaky bastard, as they had been tracking him for days now, but whenever they got too close, he was on the move again. It had been a hassle to track him down, seeing as the places he frequented weren't filled with the most trustworthy sources to aid their search: pubs, bars, brothels, and all other kinds of lewd establishments. Asking around those places to pinpoint his location would be a risk for the mission and their cover. This left them to their own resources, and after days of fruitless search, an overheard conversation between two of his subordinates had revealed he would be attending the opening of a new gentlemen's club in a small town a day away from where they were staying the night. They were to sneak unnoticed and gather the intel, and Sasuke had wondered more than once which would be their contingency plan if he managed to slip through their fingers again. Apparently, Tsunade had that covered.

"You'll seduce him." Sasuke stated, matter-of-factly.

Sakura stopped her pacing and looked up at him, her eyes hesitant as she spoke. "Yes."

A million thoughts crossed his mind at her admittance, none of them to his liking. Kunoichi weren't strangers to missions like this; their bodies were as good a weapon as any kunai. Still, never in a thousand years would he have imagined she would be given one of them. There he had been, thinking she was still upset about their conversation, when in reality she had stayed awake practicing how to seduce a criminal. Also, it was obvious this wouldn't be the innocent flirt over some drinks at the bar to coax him into confession, the metal pole and the droplets of sweat sliding down the valley of her breasts said as much.

He couldn't help but feel something was amiss as he scrutinized her. Sakura looked genuinely uncomfortable, and somehow, he knew it had nothing to do with his presence in the room. She looked awkward standing beside the metal pole, like she didn't belong near such a lewd object. She looked as if she wanted to say something to him, but couldn't find the right words to voice her thoughts.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"I… I'm sorry if I woke you. I'm still trying to get the hang of this, you know?" she said as she grinned sheepishly at him. "I've never done this before."

Somehow, this didn't surprise Sasuke. He doubted the Godaime would often send Sakura into these assignments, not when she had more voluptuous and experienced kunoichi at her disposal. Tsunade was most likely counting on the fact that the information gathering would go smoothly, Sakura's apparently inexistent seducing skills being a last resort. Still, there was no telling what would happen tomorrow, and she had to be prepared. Although, right now, she seemed readier to bolt out the window and never come back.

"You've never seduced a man before?" Sasuke asked as he started to pace slowly, disbelieving this was the case, as she had so bluntly confessed before she wasn't a blushing virgin.

"I-I have. It's not that. It's this." She glared at the pole menacingly, as if she wanted nothing more than to tear it to pieces with her bare hands. "And I'm supposed to give him a lap dance to top it off. Do you have any idea how horrible that will be? The man is like, what, sixty? I swear to God…" she trailed off before composing herself again. "Honestly, Sasuke… I have no idea how to do either of those things. I've been practicing, but it just feels stupid. Plus, it's not like I have a man here to tell me if I'm doing it right."

Sasuke resisted the urge to smirk as the implication of what she had just blurted out dawned on her slowly. She blushed, from embarrassment this time, and ran a hand exasperatedly through her pink locks. And then she was looking at him, and Sasuke could see the gears in her brain turning full speed. Before she could say anything, he sat down on the wooden chair with his arms crossed over his chest.

"What are you doing?" she asked, warily.

"Helping you practice."

Sasuke Uchiha was a man who recognized opportunities when he saw them, and had no reserves on taking them, especially one such as this. The fact that she hadn't punched him into oblivion the moment he walked in was a sign he was still in her good graces. How long had he waited to be alone with her, without any chance of being interrupted? His body still yearned to be close to hers, as the episode earlier that day during dinner had only accomplished in flaring that impatience he had been nursing for the last months. The way she had kept stealing glances at him, her eyes intense and filled with a dark desire he had never seen in them before. She knew now that he shared the feelings she harbored for him, and there had been a certain eagerness in her eyes that didn't go unnoticed by him. They were both adults now, their relationship no longer strained by the dark shadow of his revenge, at least not to the point it had once been. Sasuke wasn't one to voice his emotions out loud, even for her, but there he was, alone with her in her room at midnight, completely at the mercy of whatever she wanted to do to him to assist her part of the mission. If that wasn't an invitation with flashing neon lights, he didn't know what was.

"Sasuke, you don't have to do this…" she muttered, her voice both eager and doubtful at the same time.

The man huffed. "If you can't do this properly, you can jeopardize the mission. I'm not letting that happen." His eyes connected with hers, and she was taken aback by their intensity. "Are you afraid?"

Recognizing he was teasing her, she frowned. "No."

He watched her. For a moment, she didn't move, and seemed to be mentally preparing herself for what would happen. Slowly, she made her way to the door and locked it, something that inwardly excited Sasuke. No Naruto or Kakashi would walk in on them now, neither would they be able to peek in any other way, as the next thing she did was drape the curtains closed. Sakura walked over to the light switch by the entrance and flipped it off, the only source of light now being the dim bulbs of the nightstands' lamps, giving the room and eerie and intimate appearance.

His senses had heightened tenfold in the slight darkness of the room, and it took everything in him not to gulp as she watched her putting on a pair of black high heeled shoes. Then she walked over to the dresser, where a small battery-powered speaker sat, and turned it on. The sensual music filled the room, and something seemed to shift between them. As she turned to the pole, Sakura didn't look like his innocent teammate anymore. Before him stood a full-fledged woman, a temptress that had so easily wrapped him around her little finger with two weeks of submitting him to her amiable personality and unconsciously forcing him to realize she had become a woman more than deserving of him. Maybe, he was the one who didn't deserve her, with all the damage he had done in the past. Still, he was the one under her smoldering gaze right now, watching as she took a stance with her fingers grazing the pole lightly.

"I used a soundproof jutsu, if you're wondering." He wasn't, but it made sense. The music was loud enough to be heard up to the other end of the hallway. Figures why he hadn't heard what she had been doing for the last hours.

All thoughts seemed to dissipate from his mind as her body started moving, her hips swirling slowly, like a serpent dancing for its charmer. The woman's voice coming from the speaker guided her movements, enticing Sakura's body into a sensual display of the power femininity could hold on a man.

I know you hearin' it,
You got me moaning now
I got a secret set I wanna show you, oh
I got a secret I'mma drop 'em to the floor, oh

Her steps were determined and precise as she circled the pole, her eyes never leaving his. She twirled her body around it a few times, before hooking her leg around the metal surface and arching her back, her long tresses cascading down almost grazing the floor, and Sasuke thought he had never seen anything more beautiful in his life. As she came back up, her body undulated against the pole, first her breasts, then her stomach, her pelvis, only to separate from it and repeat the movements all over again.

Sasuke had attended strip clubs before, during the years he had been a rogue nin. His mind had been set on his childhood goal, and usually he frequented those places in search of information, the women grinding naked on the poles just background noise to him at the time. He'd watched them, of course, and knew the way they performed almost by heart. Even so, he couldn't recall any of them ever moving as his teammate was now. Strippers were usually raunchy, their movements not necessarily intent on being enticing and sensual. Most of them just spread their legs and wriggled her breasts for the man with the biggest wad of bills they saw.

Maybe, it was because this was Sakura, but the little show she was putting felt much more intimate to him. The way her jade orbs looked at him had his body hot and bothered in no time, as if she had made it her mission to arouse him until he couldn't take it anymore and combusted. Never had he felt so much desire for a woman.

So why you standing over there with ya clothes on,
Baby strip down for me,
Goin' take 'em off
Don't worry baby,
I'mma meet you half way,
'Cause I know you wanna see me

In an unexpected move, she turned her back to him, and bent her torso, her hips still moving sinuously, as her hands reached for the waistline of her shorts. Sasuke was thankful for the pounding music at the moment, as it drowned the moment his breath hitched when she started to slowly pull them down her legs. It occurred to him that the peek of lace he had seen earlier didn't belong to just any set of underwear, as the lacy black thong was slowly being revealed to him. When the shorts were halfway down her derriere, though, she pulled them up again. A frustrated grunt escaped his lips at this, and it didn't go unnoticed by her, as Sakura straightened up again and flashed him a smirk of her own.

The kunoichi went back to the pole again, her body seamlessly colliding against it in a primitive dance. She was alluring to watch, and Sasuke had to wonder exactly why she felt stupid doing this. If plan A for obtaining the intel didn't work, Sakura would have Matsuda babbling his home address and childhood fears with a snap of her fingers. Inwardly, though, he was hoping it didn't come to that. With every new twist and turn of her body, the idea of any other man seeing her in this state had Sasuke's blood boiling under his skin.

No teasin',
You waited long enough
Go deep,
I'mma throw it at ya,
Can't catch it
Don't hold back,
You know I like it rough
Know I'm feelin' ya, huh
Know you liking it, huh

Her hands were on her shorts again, and this time they went all the way down, swiftly kicked away by her foot when they reached the floor. Sasuke noticed a slight hesitance in her now, as she kept dancing, but didn't turn her back to him, self-conscious of her state of undress. Maybe, she just needed a little coaxing.

"Turn around." he said, his voice husky from restrained desire.

Sakura bit her lip, and he almost groaned at the sight. Slowly, she turned around and glanced at her teammate over her shoulder. She wasn't at all surprised to see that his eyes where nowhere near hers. Tentatively, she rolled her hips from side to side, and couldn't help but smile when she felt his chakra flare in response. There was the infamous Sasuke Uchiha, reduced to a mush of heated flesh and raw desire on her account. She had never felt more powerful.

Sakura turned around, her hands reaching up to grab onto the pole over her head, and she slowly slid down to the floor. Sasuke's gaze turned almost predatory as he watched her get on her hands and knees and start to crawl over to him, like a feline about to pounce on her prey. When she reached him, Sakura placed her hands on both his knees and slowly pulled them apart, her body gliding a hair away from his in between them. Her lips reached for his left ear, warm breath as she spoke sending shivers down his spine.

"Am I doing good?"

Sasuke chuckled. "I still haven't seen how you do a lap dance."

His words were enough to make her forget this was supposed to be just practice, and it was all she could do not to smash her lips into his, as she so badly wanted to, as she had badly needed to for so long. Every single boundary between them had been already crossed or was in the process of being crossed. She knew he knew this, and it was clear that by the end of the night, they would be doing much more than just him watching her as she danced. Still, the teasing had been delicious so far, and she was intent on drawing it out as much as she could.

"Don't be impatient, Sa-su-ke." She whispered and bit his earlobe playfully. "I was about to get to that part."

Without waiting for a reply, she turned around and sat down on his lap. His hands shot to her hips, no longer content with inaction, and she kept hers on his knees for support. She started to move.

No heels,
No shirt,
No skirt,
All I'm in is just skin
No jeans,
Take em off,
Wanna feel your skin
You a beast, oh
You know that I like that
Come on baby,
All I wanna see you in is just skin

Such a dangerous game to be playing, and Sasuke couldn't care less. His hands itched to move and thread in her hair, caress her back, wrap around her waist, but he kept them at her hips as she moved. His nymph of a teammate was rolling her hips directly over that part of him that she had awakened the moment she took the first twirl around the pole. His hands squeezed almost painfully whenever her backside did a harsh grind, almost taking his breath away. It occurred to him that maybe he had never really woken up from his sleep, and this was just a dream. If that was the case, God help him, he never wanted to wake up.

After the third harsh grind against his straining groin, Sasuke's ears picked the sound of a sharp intake of breath. His eyes traveled to the mirror in the wall directly in front of them, and it took everything from him to hold the pleasured groan that threatened to slip past his lips at what he saw. The Uchiha wasn't the only one affected by their little session. His mismatched orbs took in her face, how she threw her head back from time to time, her eyes shut tight and her lower lip being chewed between her teeth to hold in any sounds that might want to echo off the walls. She was beautiful, a sex goddess conveniently placed at his mercy. Even as she was supposed to be the one calling the shots, he had no doubt at this point he could twist and bend her to his will, and she wouldn't protest in the least.

Making up his mind that he wasn't going to let her do all the work, for this obviously had trespassed the boundaries of appropriate behavior between teammates a long time ago, his hands slid from her hips to the side of her closed thighs, fingertips leaving a scorching trail on her skin. Sakura looked at him over her shoulder, curious as to what he might do. In a swift movement, he grabbed the underside of her knees and spread her legs, so that now they rested on either side of his parted ones. In order to keep her balance, the kunoichi arched her back and leaned forward a bit, her hands still grabbing onto his knees. Sasuke's hands trailed back over her thighs, her hips, up her back, and stopped at the lacy material of her brassiere, fingers ghosting over the clasp.

"Will you have to strip for him?" he asked, fingers playing with the material, insistent, as if he wanted nothing more than to rip it off her.

"No." Sakura answered, her eyes darkened with desire. Then she added. "But I could for you."

It felt as if a taunt string had snapped. Sasuke didn't need to hear anything more. He grabbed a fistful of her pink tresses and pulled her mouth into a searing kiss, their lips moving hungrily over each other's. The free hand expertly unclasped the offending material and quickly dragged it down her arms, letting it fall to the floor with a soft sound. His arm encircled her waist and pulled her back flush against him, their mouths still connected. Eventually, her tongue slid over his lower lip, and he didn't hesitate on inviting it into his mouth, massaging it with his own in a sensual display of raw male dominance.

It was pure bliss, having this woman he had desired for so long finally in his grasp. He wanted his hands everywhere at once, his mouth to explore every inch of her luscious skin, to make her his in a thousand different ways until the only word she could remember was his name. Sasuke felt at a crossroads, his pent-up desire urging him to take her, but wanting to savor the moment at the same time. Her hips had started moving again with urgency, wanting to alleviate the ache between her thighs if only with such a minimal skin contact. It felt like heaven to him.

All in baby,
Don't hold nothing back
Wanna take control,
Ain't nothing wrong with that
Say you liking how I feel,
Ain't gotta tell me that
Just put your skin baby on my skin

Their mouths parted when the need for oxygen became unbearable, Sasuke's wasting no time in latching onto the junction between her neck and her shoulder. His teeth grazed her porcelain skin, tongue licking slowly, tasting the saltiness of sweat courtesy of her little show before. Sakura sighed at the pleasurable feeling, her eyes opening slowly and landing on the mirror. She could feel her underwear drenching with only their reflection. The image of their bodies intertwined in the chair was so erotic when combined with the dim lights and slow music, a soft moan escaped her lips, and she instantly felt the Uchiha heir's smirk against her skin.

"Who's impatient now, hn?"

She would've retorted if it wasn't for the devious hand that had slid to the inside of her thigh, the tip of his finger playing with the elastic of her underwear before dipping inside and dragging oh so deliciously slow over her womanhood. She felt so vulnerable like this, unable to close her legs, with barely any clothing left. He was exuding total control over her, and she loved every second of it.

Sasuke hissed the moment he felt just how much she had been affected by their little mission practice.

"Fuck." he gritted between clenched teeth, his member hardening even more than before, making the material of his pants the most uncomfortable thing in the world. "Get up."

Sakura glanced at him, confusion gracing her features at his abrupt stop. For a second she worried he had changed his mind, that he had been here only to help her, and her arousal had confirmed her mind was elsewhere, in a darker place full of raw passion and zero inhibitions. But the moment she was upright, a strong hand had pulled her body around the chair and on top of the bed behind it, the springs of the old mattress protesting for being treated so harshly.

There was only so much he could take, and Sasuke was done playing voyeur. His eyes pinned her in place as he stood in front of the bed and lifted his shirt over his head. A sense of pride overtook him as she ogled him shamelessly, taking in every detail, every muscle under taunt skin from years of arduous training. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her, and he was more than ready to give into those dark desires that had haunted him over the last six months. He wanted to make her forget there had ever been anybody sharing her bed before he came around, for even if he had been truthful when he told her he hadn't expected her to stay pure for him, a selfish part of him wanted to be the only one to ever make her feel like she was now: hot, bothered, flustered, and wet.

Slowly, he climbed onto bed with her, his strong body towering over her smaller frame. Their eyes met briefly as he spoke. "You have no idea what you do to me."

Soft hands found his face, caressing softly, as a sweet smile made its way to her lips. "I make you want me." she whispered.

Sasuke closed his eyes, relishing on her loving touch. "Sakura…" he started, and met her jade orbs again, more intensely this time. "I'm not holding back."

"I don't want you to." she said, breathless, and they both knew this was it, the point of no return.

Sasuke took in every small detail of her in his line of vision: her long pink tresses spread on the white sheets, her expressive green eyes filled with lust, her long eye lashes, the small nose, the plump lips, her slender neck and delicate collarbone, those rounded breasts with puckered peaks, consequence of how much she wanted him. Sakura truly was breathtakingly beautiful, and for what remained of the night, she was his. His to kiss, his to touch, his to love in any way he wanted. Many times, he had tried to imagine how this moment would be, when she would finally allow him in. Albeit not exactly how he had expected it, the small strip tease had never been included in his original scenario, he found himself not wanting it to be any other way. Everything felt so natural between them now that the initial hesitance was gone.

"Kiss me." she whispered, to which he more than willingly obliged.

Her hands threaded in his ebony locks as his mouth claimed hers softly, tenderly, trying his best to put every single thing he felt for her into that one kiss. Strong masculine hands traveled up and down her sides, caressing the skin of her belly, over her ribs, and stopping at the underside of her breasts. His mouth swallowed the small moan as his fingers found her nipples, flicking them slightly in tandem with his tongue inside her mouth. The tiny action was enough to have her writhing beneath him, her pelvis moving against his insistently.

Sasuke's mouth left hers and left a trail of hot, open mouthed kisses down her neck and collarbone, until he reached her breasts. Her back arched deliciously against him as he engulfed a hardened peak with his mouth, his tongue flicking it gently. She whispered his name over and over as he switched breasts, giving them equal attention. Wanting some sort of relief, he grinded his clothed member against her heated core, hissing at how wet she felt, even with the fabric of his pants and the lace of her underwear acting like a barrier between them. He did it again, and she groaned loudly, her hand finding his wrist and grabbing it almost painfully.

"Touch me." Sakura breathed out, needy.

He smirked against her nipple, and gave it a playful flick with his tongue, his hazy eyes meeting hers. "I am."

"No." she whimpered. "I want you to touch me there."

"Where?"

A flicker of annoyance passed through her jade orbs. Suddenly, she wrapped her legs around his slim waist and ground harshly against him, a growl resonating deep in his throat at the unexpected contact.

"Don't be a tease, Sasuke." she warned, her fingernails dragging down his torso torturously slow until they reached the hem of his pants. Quickly picking up what she intended to do, Sasuke backed away from her, earning a frustrated whimper from the kunoichi.

The Uchiha gave her a wicked smirk, and before she could do anything about it, dipped his head to the valley between her breasts and licked his way down her body until he reached the black lace. Her breathing quickened as his teeth bit into the fabric and started pulling down. He locked his eyes onto her expectant ones as he did this. It was like being drunk all over again. None of the women he had been with before had been so alluring during sex. Of course, those encounters had been quick and impersonal, sometimes without even taking their clothes off because of the haste. This time it was different. Sasuke wanted her to enjoy every second, every touch, every kiss. He wanted her as drunk in need as he felt.

Sasuke stepped back, her black panties dangling from his teeth, as he sat on his knees and leaned forward on his hands. His mismatched orbs traveled to that sacred place between her thighs, but she quickly brought her knees to her chest and crossed her ankles, successfully covering herself from his hungry gaze with the black heels she still wore. He arched a brow at her and stretched his hands to grab her ankles with the intention of separating them. She caught up on what he planned and scurried back on the bed, her eyes mischievous.

"Sakura." he groaned, in a tone that signaled he was slowly losing his patience.

"Take off your pants first." she ordered.

Of course, Sakura wouldn't have wanted to be the only one undressed. Sasuke decided the heels didn't count, for she looked so sexy with them on, he had no intentions of taking them off. As indulging her would be beneficial for both of them, Sasuke got off the bed and made a quick work of his pants and underwear. His member sprung free, and he watched as her eyes locked in it, licking her lips at the sight. Who would've ever thought this girl was such a sex kitten?

"Come here." she said.

Sasuke did, a little faster than he would've wanted, and she giggled at his obvious impatience.

"Will you let me see you now?" he asked, voice hoarse from desire.

His pink haired lover gave him a dashing smile before untangling her ankles and slowly spreading her thighs. She was so wet; her juices had smeared the inside of her thighs and the trimmed patch of pink curls atop her womanhood. Sasuke felt his ego inflate a bit at the fact that all of this was his doing. God forbid if he ever let another man have this effect on her from now on.

"Like what you see, Sasuke?"

He nodded at her, a smirk on his lips. "What do you want me to do, Sakura?"

The raven-haired shinobi had expected her to repeat her earlier statement of wanting him to touch her. Instead, she stretched her arms above her head to hold onto the wooden headboard at the same time one of her legs draped over his shoulder, the heel of her shoe digging into the skin between his shoulder blades, and pulled him down. Just voicing that she wanted him to use his mouth there wouldn't have been as sexy.

"Oh! S-sasuke!"

Her moans filled the room and intertwined with the music, the song she had used to dance for him repeating over and over again. Sasuke quickly discovered she enjoyed this much more than the average woman, as her back would arch and her hips grind endlessly with every lick and suck on her sacred place. Her hands found his hair and grabbed onto his locks for dear life, her hold on them verging on painful. His body was begging for release, and he knew he wouldn't be able to hold back much longer. A gasp erupted from her lips as a masculine finger slipped between her folds and inside her wet heat.

"F-fuck! Ah!"

Her cursing was music to his ears, as he made his way up her body once again, adding another finger and alternating between a fast and slow pace, scissoring them inside her from time to time, preparing her for what was to come.

"You're so fucking wet, did you know that?"

Sakura could only nod, her eyes shut tightly as the mirage of moans and mewls kept spilling from her lips. Suddenly, he felt her walls start to flutter around his digits, signaling him she was close. This wasn't how he wanted her first orgasm with him to be, and at the last moment, he retracted his fingers from her. Her eyes opened wide, brimmed with tears for not being able to reach that delicious bliss, and for a moment he worried she would punch his face for denying her release.

"Please, please! Now! I want you now! Now! Now!"

He groaned as she trashed under him. Holding her hips down, he positioned himself between her legs and entered her slowly. They both gasped at the feeling, her for being filled and stretched by the man she had loved since she was little, him for the way the walls of the woman that had bewitched him, body and soul, seemed to pull him in further. Soon, he was buried to the hilt inside of her, and only then did he risk a glance at her face. Her hooded eyes observed him, her mouth parted slightly as little whimpers passed by. Sasuke leaned down and kissed her lovingly before he started to move.

It was slow at first, both of them getting used to the other's body so intimately connected to theirs. Feminine arms wrapped around his upper back as he hid his face in the crook of her neck, relishing in the feeling of his member slipping in and out of her. It was heaven to be like this with her.

"I've wanted you for so long, it hurts." she breathed out between moans. "All these years have been pure torture, Sasuke, you should know that."

He lifted his head and placed a gentle kiss on her wide forehead. "I know. I'm sorry."

This time, she was the one who initiated the kiss, searing and rushed, pouring all the years of frustration into it. Soon enough his pace quickened until the sound of slapping flesh echoed off the walls along with her moans. His grip on her hips was almost painful and he pounded into her again and again. The familiar fluttering of her walls appeared again.

"I'm so close! I'm so close!"

A curse slipped from his lips as he reached a hand between them, his thumb pressing firm circles on her clit, pushing her over the edge once and for all. A loud, guttural moan reverberated on her throat as her back arched off the bed, her legs wrapping around his waist and holding onto it for dear life. Her grip was so strong, for a moment he couldn't move his pelvis, and settled for watching her as she rode her orgasm. Her mouth was opened in a silent scream as tears slid down her cheeks from the force of her climax. The image was almost enough to send him over the edge as well, but Sasuke held on, not wanting everything to end so quickly. Once the orgasm subsided, her body slumped on the bed, spent. She had the most blissful smile on her face.

"That was nice." she voiced, her tone soft.

"I'm not done with you yet, Sakura." he whispered, and saw the flicker of lust come alive again in her jade orbs. "Can you stand?"

She bit her lip at the implication behind his words. "I think so."

A seconds later, she found herself on her hands and knees, and had but a moment to catch her breath before he entered her swiftly from behind. The blunt force of his thrusts soon had her burying her face in the pillow, her hands fisting the sheets with enough force to almost rip them apart. Sasuke's hands held her hips as he plundered mercilessly into her, intent on making her orgasm again before reaching his own completion. Grabbing a fistful of her hair, he pulled her head off the pillow, forcing her back to arch as he kept the rough pace.

"I want you to come again. Can you do that for me?" he said harshly, the slight tingle in his abdomen getting stronger with each thrust, warning him he wouldn't last much longer.

Sakura nodded, and he watched as her hand disappeared underneath her to rub at her jewel. Her fingertips grazed his member from time to time, and it was all he could do to hold on. Soon enough, she was moaning loudly again as the second orgasm of the evening hit her with such force, she buried her face in the pillow again, the soft material drowning her moans as her body shuttered with the amount of pleasure it was withstanding. The sight was enough to send him over the edge as well, and with a few harder thrusts, he came, his hot seed spilling into her. Sasuke had half the mind to pull out of her before collapsing by her side.

They stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity, catching their breath. Sasuke risked a glance at her, to find her already watching him, jade orbs holding so many emotions in them, it was hard to focus on them without feeling like they were digging a hole into his very soul.

"Are you okay?" Sasuke asked her, and she gave a small nod in return.

It occurred to him that he hadn't exactly planned what he would do once his pleasure was satiated. She looked expectant, as if she was waiting for him to make the first move, only he didn't know what would be appropriate at this time. He had all but barged into her evening and had ended tangled with her in bed. With any other woman, he would've already been out the door, but Sakura wasn't any other woman. He didn't even know how he should start explaining his feelings to her in the first place, for he knew she knew this wasn't just a mere one-night stand. Sakura was a smart woman, and he was sure she would've already figured out he felt something for her aside from the obvious physical attraction, but was waiting for him to say it.

In a bold move, Sakura dragged her body to his and laid her torso on his chest, her breasts squished between them. His arms wrapped lazily around her waist on their own accord. "Since when?" she asked.

Sasuke started at his female teammate, inwardly cursing that little brain of hers for putting him in such a troublesome position. He wasn't one to talk about his feelings, not even to her, so it took all he had to put his thoughts in order and answer her.

"Six months ago."

Sakura seemed to ponder this for a while, until her eyes widened in realization. "Wait. Wasn't that the mission…?"

"Hn."

A lighthearted giggle passed through her lips, and he narrowed his eyes at her, taking this as a sign that she was mocking him. After all it had taken from him to spill the beans, she was laughing at him now. She flicked his nose lovingly and rested her cheek on his chest.

"Silly Sasuke." The pink haired woman said. "Why didn't you say anything?"

He avoided her eyes that seemed intent on piercing through his very soul, his cheeks gaining a pink tint to them. "I thought you were over me."

Sakura leaned over and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. "I tried, I'm not going to lie, but I never could. I don't think I ever will."

Warmth spread across his heart at her words. It was like a heavy weight was lifted off his shoulders. It occurred to him that he should get off the bed and leave, for he surely didn't deserve such a wonderful woman in his life. After all these years, after everything that had happened between them, she still loved him. Her heart, as broken as it had once been because of him, was willing to open again and welcome him in, flaws and all. Having her there, between his arms, made him feel like the luckiest man in the world, a feeling he wasn't ready to give up anytime soon.

His arms wrapped tighter around her form, fingers caressing her hair. Sakura sighed in content.

"I'm sorry." Sasuke muttered into her hair.

"I know."

His eyelids felt heavy, as did his body. He was just about to fall asleep when he felt something warm and wet on his neck. The Uchiha glanced at the woman on top of him in disbelief as she straddled his waist. It had been a long time since he'd done double rounds on the bed, his body screaming for rest. But with the way she was looking at him, eyes full of mischievous intent, something told him he wouldn't be getting any tonight.

"I'm not done with you, Sasuke Uchiha."

And so it began again, and Sasuke mentally added another sleepless night to his seemingly never-ending list.

oOo

The sun was just starting to rise when a knock was heard on the door. Sasuke opened his eyes groggily, the headache hitting him with its full force as a sunray filtered through the curtains and illuminated his face. It took some effort to keep his eyes open and sit up on the bed, as his body was screaming for the Uchiha to hide under the covers and return to sleep. Scratch that, to sleep, period, the one he hadn't gotten at all last night.

A feminine whimper at his side alerted him that he wasn't alone in the bed. His mind was still mush from drinking last night and the lack of sleep, and it took him a whole minute to recognize the woman occupying the other side of the bed. He was met with a mop of pink hair and a smooth ivory back, as the woman was turned away from him, the covers dangling dangerously low on the curve of her hip. Memories of last night flashed hazily through his mind, as the knock was heard again. Annoyed at the insistent noise, Sasuke threw the covers off and marched to the door. It never occurred to him he was naked, nor that this wasn't his room, as he harshly opened the door, his mismatched eyes glaring daggers at the intruder.

"Hey, Sakura! It's time to wake up! We're about… to… leave…"

Black and violet clashed with cobalt blue, both pairs of eyes widening. For a long minute, neither said anything, either too shocked or too scared to acknowledge what they were seeing. Then, a voice from inside the room spoke.

"Sasuke, what is it?" the pink haired medic asked, voice hoarse from lack of use in the last hours, or overuse maybe, Sasuke couldn't be sure.

Disregarding the state of undress of his teammate, Naruto poked his head inside the room so fast, Sasuke's barely awake brain couldn't muster the necessary reflexes to stop him. It took Sakura a second too long to realize two pairs of eyes were now looking at her, more specifically at her bare chest, for the white sheets laid pooled on her lap. She screeched.

"NARUTO, GET OUT!"

Next thing the men knew, a flying black high heeled shoe was thrown their way. Naruto, being in his five senses, dodged it, but Sasuke, Sharingan and legendary status and all, was sent back against the wall with the force of the object that hit him in the face. The ruckus was loud enough to be heard outside the room, and soon a second head popped from the doorway.

"Why are you guys making so much noise so earl- Oh!"

Oh was just the right word to describe the scene Kakashi had walked into. Had he expected the brooding avenger and Team Seven's cherry blossom to hook up anytime soon? Yes. Had he expected to walk in on them? Not at all. Was he ready to dodge the chakra-laden fist softly glowing under the sheets beside his former female student? Not if he could avoid it.

"That's what the chakra flares were about last night? You guys going at it?" the blonde commented, baffled.

Sakura springing off the bed was all the signal Kakashi needed, as he grabbed Naruto by the collar of his jacket and dragged him out the door.

"We leave in an hour." the copy nin said, a nervous eye crinkle sent Sakura's way, and closed the door.

The room fell silent. Sasuke had composed himself already, and was currently rubbing his wounded cheekbone. If her display of super strength in the past hadn't encouraged him from staying out her anger's destruction range, the flying shoe definitely did. A soft green light caught his eye, and he found Sakura standing before him, her glowing fingertips ready to heal the damage she had done.

"You were supposed to dodge that." she chuckled, the warmth of her healing chakra seeping into his skin.

"Somebody didn't let me sleep last night." Sasuke said, teasingly, to which she smiled and stood on her tip toes to press her lips against his.

"Okay, how about this…" the kunoichi started, her arms wrapping around his neck once the healing was done, his hands resting on her hips as he listened intently to what she had to say. "You make sure I don't have to shake my ass at the old geezer, and I'll go on a date with you once we get back to Konoha."

He smirked. "Deal."

There was only one thing entirely true about this particular sleepless night for the Uchiha.

It was all worth it.

oOo

There we gooo! SasuSaku smexiness for all of you! I hope you enjoyed reading this little piece. Please, R&R! Thank you, guys!