"So you met my past self?"

"Yes."

"And I yelled at you."

"Yes, asking about Sarada's letter."

"Were you scared?"

"More than I thought I would be."

Sakura wanted to guffaw, but instead tamed it to a gentle laugh that rang out in their bedroom to avoid waking their daughter down the hall. Thankfully for them, Sarada's been quite the heavy sleeper since she was promoted to genin. The couple had returned home after the village alert that Urashiki had infiltrated only for the Otsutsuki clan member to disappear into the ether. Only Sasuke and Boruto were able to see the man's fate, though Naruto and Sakura had just heard the former's brief report of what had happened. Of course, Sasuke was more than willing to give Sakura more details of the events, particularly regarding his encounter with her younger self up until the day before he'd left the past for the present.

She wore one of his oversized shirts with the Uchiha crest proudly between her shoulder blades, her exposed legs bathed in the glow of the bedside lamp she clicked on, filling the room with a warm yellow light. She then pulled down the sheets of their bed to climb in and sit on her side. She felt Sasuke studying her as she rested her back against the headboard, crossed her legs, and placed one of their pillows in her lap. She patted the plush down to signal him to join her. Sakura's expression beckoned him to settle so they could begin their nightly routine of conversation before bed. It had grown to be the pair's favorite part of their day beyond the moments they were able to spend as a family with their daughter. Sakura especially liked these nighttime talks, for it was when she found her husband to speak the most, sometimes even with undercurrents of excitement.

Both freshly showered and more than a bit exhausted, Sasuke obliged Sakura's request, climbing onto the bed while carefully avoiding the empty sleeve of his dark, long-sleeved shirt from getting caught under his sweatpant-clad knees. Sakura lifted her hand in welcome as he rested his head on her lap, the pillow enveloping his tired head and shoulders. He noted how her warmth radiated through the fluff and feathers of the pillow along with the familiar smell of rosemary and mint. He propped up his left leg and allowed his right leg to remain outstretched, his limb so long his foot hung off the edge of the bed. His right hand rested on his abdomen leaving him in a tranquil, vulnerable state. He closed his eyes and relaxed, allowing her fingers to comb through his damp hair in a pattern that sent shivers down his spine, as these soft moments, despite the routine, never ceased in tingling his senses. He felt her move his fringe away from his left eye, knowing she was examining his face for any scars or indications that he needed some patching up. The pads of her fingers tapped lightly on his forehead in the way he always liked, as though gentle drops of rain were caressing his skin in all of the right places.

"You used your sharingan," she murmured, and he felt her warm chakra probing around his right temple like a steady stream of comfort. While her right hand worked, her left hand trailed down the other side of his face to settle on his cheek, her fingers playing with the subtle stubble forming on his chin. Her fingers light as feathers, as though gentle breaths were caressing his skin instead of the pads of her digits, she soothed him. "It feels tense."

"Mm," he hummed, the bass of his voice rumbling through the pillow and tickling her legs.

Sakura weaved her chakra around his nerves and grinned when she saw the immediate effect: Sasuke's brows relaxed and his lips slightly parted, allowing a slow breath to escape. It seemed like his whole body melted just a bit more into her lap, into the bed, so much so that his hand slipped from his abdomen and onto the plush landscape they shared each night he was home. Like a cat that who had its favorite scratching spot, he loosened before her. This hardened man was no match for his knowing wife.

"What are you thinking?" she whispered, letting her chakra dissipate to resume running her hand through his hair.

"Naruto's always been an idiot."

Sakura didn't respond but with a soft chuckle, sure that he would say more when he was ready. She slowed her pace and focused on feeling each strand of hair slip through her fingers. His hair wasn't as smooth as her own. It felt thicker, heavier, hair that would look robust when braided, perhaps. He'd let her experiment a few times, always with results that he thought would be more impressive on their daughter's head as opposed to his.

"You've always been fierce," he murmured, bringing her back to the present.

"Mmm," she hummed.

"You've always cared."

"I tried to."

"You succeeded."

She stopped running her fingers through his hair for a moment, causing Sasuke to flutter his eyes open to study the sight above him. Her hair was nearly dry, framing her face like silken pink ribbons. It seemed more haphazard when they were children, constantly being pushed back by her hitae-ate and poking out in stiff angles. Her face back then had more rounded cheeks, a testament to her youth, and her skin was smooth as porcelain. She was similar now, though her cheekbones and slender jaw line were far more prominent, more womanly. Her skin was still absent of scars, likely because she'd been able to heal them over the years, though fine, nearly imperceptible wrinkles formed at the corners of her eyes as evidence of her frequent smiles. A huge difference was the yin seal that rested on her forehead, the rhombus a sign of her strength, endurance, and responsibility.

Sasuke lifted his hand and reached up to tap the seal, letting his fingers trail gently around its marking. "You really did have a big forehead," he chuckled.

Sakura pouted and pinched his nose shut in response, though it only made his grin grow. Always has far more to say at night, she thought, her heart warm. Her cheeks dusted pink before her face broke out into a smile, unable to resist his rare playfulness. "It's my signature feature, you know," she toyed.

He touched the skin just below her eye, wishing he could absorb the slightly darkened rings that formed as a result of her fatigue. Her irises glittered like dew-shined grass, as lively as he'd remembered them to be when they were children. Thanks to the most recent events, he was able to see them again, filling his memory with the confirmation that the kindness within the emerald never changed.

Sakura studied him just as carefully during their pause. Even now, after years of marriage, he could melt her into a puddle if he really wanted to. His skin lightly tanned, marred with light scars that only she could see so closely, small craters and occasional ridges like landscapes of earth. Others who attempted to get so close could only question their existence. His lips were thin and seldom formed into even sarcastic smirks for others, though he would flash more grins and smiles her way than anyone else. His jawline, smooth yet sharp as his sword, framed his face to reveal the most handsome portrait. While for many he had a portrait of a hardened shinobi, Sakura knew better. She'd seen a portrait of a serious man, a careful man, a loving man. His eyes were always the most striking feature about him, though: they were sleek, just as any other part of him, with slight wrinkles that began to form around the edges. Each one, Sakura knew, was a proof of his endurance, travels, and perhaps tiredness. His eyes often were described as severe, particularly his right eye. It felt like staring into an abyss for some, though in this moment he was staring back at Sakura with a lazy affection painted lavender and midnight.

Sakura caught Sasuke's hand in hers as he tried to trail his fingers down her cheek to softly press them to her lips in a kiss. The calloused pads of his fingers reflected his years of pain and struggle she wished she had the power to kiss away. Though she knew, however, that he Sasuke wouldn't be Sasuke without them and that despite the roughness, he knew how to be tender with her. She felt his fingers relax upon feeling her softness.

"Did Naruto assign any other missions for you tomorrow?" she asked, letting her lips flutter against his thickened skin.

He shook his head once, gauging her reaction.

Sakura wilted a little bit, taking this as the usual sign that this meant Sasuke would be heading out of the village to look for more information about Kaguya's ruins. Assigning Sasuke a mission usually meant he'd subscribe to the routine of coming home at night, as Naruto was careful to give him official ones that didn't last more than twelve hours, perhaps as small gifts for Sakura. If Naruto didn't have an assignment for him, all extra time was devoted towards Sasuke's investigation. She pressed her lips to his hand again in thought, trying and failing to hide her disappointment. She broke her gaze with him and instead stared at his chest that rose and fell with each breath he took, her hand instinctively squeezing his tighter in a silent bid to memorize how it felt.

"I'm staying in the village for the rest of the week," he told her, his voice soft. "And I'll be coming home more often than before, staying a bit longer here and there."

The medic met his gaze once more and raised her eyebrows in surprise. "But Kaguya—"

"Things have slowed down with the Otsutsuki. There's no immediate need on my end."

They paused for a moment, letting the reality set in that there would be a greater sense of not only routine, but normalcy between them. Sasuke had been dedicated to his work for years, doing what he could to protect Konoha and his little family, even if it meant being away. Time off meant reliving the early years in their marriage before they'd set off on their journey together. Waking up together, meals together, sleeping together. Even though they always fell quickly in-step without stumbling in their routine when he did come home, lengthened times with him yet again made her heart flutter in her chest.

A smile broke out on Sakura's face. She couldn't contain her excitement as she lowered her head to plant a soft kiss on his forehead, hoping her gratitude was felt. His skin radiated warmth, and the scent of their home mixed with the essence of Sasuke's distinctness filled her nose as she let her lips linger. Her hair created a curtain of pink around their faces, her silk strands tickling Sasuke's skin. His hand broke free of hers and found its way to the back of her head. His fingers ran through her silken locks as he angled his head upward, guiding her lips to his. They brushed together at first, as though he was carefully asking for permission to let them meet, before they nestled into connectedness.

Soft, he thought. She's always been soft, and so warm.

They continued like this, feeling their lips shape and mold against each other in familiarity as though they each had a greeting for each other. Sasuke had a way of bringing out her playfulness: she pecked his chin, his nose, then his lips and flashed a smile before he would pull her back down to satisfy his yearning. They took turns smiling against each other, alternating between her soft giggles and his teasing smirks.

"You look funny upside down," she giggled.

"Shh."

Many told Sakura she melts before him, forever a girl in love. She didn't deny it then and she knew she never would, for it was true. With this thought, she slowed her playfulness and the two of them molded into tender, lingering kisses. Not enough, she thought.

Sakura let her jaw grow lax as she parted her lips further, allowing her tongue to glide briefly over his. He responded in kind, deepening their kiss and sending a jolt of pleasure through his body as a fiery heat came to life in his core. Feeling a burst of energy, he found himself burrowing his fingers into her hair and pulling her impossibly closer until a soft moan rumbled from his throat. With it, he felt Sakura's hands trace down his neck, her fingers like soft tendrils that left trails of blazing desire in their wake. When the tips of her fingers grazed his collarbone, another wave of pleasure went through him. Impatience began to take shape in his hardened member that pressed painfully against the fabric of his pants.

Sakura broke their kiss by lifting her head, and Sasuke let out a frustrated groan. Her breath had quickened, and she relished the sensation of the fervor that pooled in her own core, feeling her own heated frustration between her legs. She withdrew her hands and bit at her bottom lip, beckoning him to look at her. She watched as Sasuke propped himself up on his arm and turned in her direction, his eyes amused, yet cautious. Strands of her hair fell against her face, her cheeks flushed pink, and her eyes were drunk with hunger as she scanned his expression. Each breath that left her moist lips only taunted him further.

Sasuke rose to kneel before her, grabbing the pillow in her lap and tossing it haphazardly aside before combing his fingers through her hair and crushing his lips once more against hers. Their tongues danced languidly, each movement a reflection of the undercurrent of urgency that sent wave upon wave upon wave of heat to their centers. Sakura parted her legs and let him nestle between them, cradling his hips between her thighs while the two of them sank lower into their bed. She felt his hardened arousal press against her dampening core. She took his face in her hands, her fingers curving with his jaw in desperation to satisfy the need of fitting puzzle pieces together. A calculated, purring moan escaped her lips, for she knew the effects it had on him.

Of course, Sasuke knew, too. A competitor at heart, he accepted the challenge.

He ground his hips into hers, frustrated with the fabric that separated them, but satisfied with her reaction. She broke their kiss again to arch her back in pleasure, an attempt to quell her tension. Her eyes squeezed tight, her brows furrowed together, and a gasping moan whispered through her lips. At the sight of her exposed neck, Sasuke trailed his tongue against her skin before gently raking his teeth against her throat. He reached down to tug at the hem of her shirt before snaking his hand beneath the fabric to feel her taut stomach. His fingers grazed over the angry scars of stabs she endured, uttering a silent gratitude for each sacrifice, before relishing in the curve of her warm, smooth skin. He felt her shudder beneath him when he caressed her soft mounds, letting his thumb draw feather-light circles around her pert nipple. His lips continued their pursuit of the skin on her neck, tasting her, cherishing her, hoping that each movement he made radiated his thankfulness for her. She mewled a yearning moan as his hand gently, finally, kneaded her breast, though the tension wasn't satisfied.

Her frustration coming to a peak, Sakura did the honor of pulling her shirt over her head, wriggling free of the cloth that quickly felt so restraining, exposing her skin to the heat and leaving her bare, a pair of forest green panties the last obstacle. She watched Sasuke's expression, enjoying the way his gaze painted over her body in wonderment. Gotcha, she thought, allowing her hands to make their way to the hem of his shirt to regain control. Their journey was halted, however, by the sensation of Sasuke's lips around her perked nipple, sucking and grazing his teeth against her sensitive skin, her nerves firing raucously across her body at the sensation. Her right hand jolted instinctively to her face to cover her mouth from yet another moan as she arched her back to further push herself into his mouth, her left hand clutching at his shoulder barely able to contain her strength as she gripped his firm muscle.

He relished in her struggle, marked by gasps of wanting whines, before dipping his hand between them once more to feel the silky, damp, dastardly fabric covering her sex. He lifted his head before trailing his tongue across her chest to kiss her other breast, all the while running a single finger atop her silken underwear. The crests of her lips nearly quivered at his touch and he felt more pressure building between his own legs. He loved watching her toss her head to the side, knowing he was only contributing to her desperation with silent amusement as slowly, torturously as he could. His fingers nestled under the fabric of the waistband before trailing them deliberately, gradually to her slick center. He let a single finger press just between her folds, restraining himself from letting it slide deeper. He tapped her surface and still felt her wetness clinging to his skin.

"Mmm, ah!" she whimpered, arching her back to his touch, a physical plea. Sasuke caught her lips in his to quiet her as he answered her request by letting one finger slip between her wet folds. He savored the way she bucked when he grazed over her clit, the bundle of nerves firing waves of pleasure across her body. He loved watching her writhe beneath him, each movement she made an attempt to satisfy her yearning against his hand. He couldn't help but instinctively grind his hips into her own, ensuring that some of his own pressure was relieved while steadying her form. Sasuke trailed his lips against her jaw, hearing her ragged breathing in his ear, just before he slid another finger between her lips. He pressed his digits against her slick clit before circling it over and over and over in just the way he knew made her reel. An animal moan escaped her lips as she shakily uttered his name against his dark hair. Her own fingers dug into his muscled back to press him closer against her. Over and over he worked, watching how her pleasure worked its way to a peak before halting his movements to catch her lips with his once more. She panted breaths against his mouth, frustrated that he didn't grant her release yet relieved that he wasn't done yet.

"Sasuke-kun," she whispered shakily, running a hand through his hair before he kissed her once more. She felt his fingers part her lips, exposing her sex to the chill of the air. Sakura's breath hitched in excitement as he circled around her clit slowly once, twice, three times. She felt how wet she was as the tip of his finger traveled effortlessly across her sex. "Please," she whispered.

He didn't want to deny her too long. He pressed two fingers against her entrance before slowly, torturously, burying them within her heat. He was quietly frustrated with himself for not allowing his own wanting length within her but watched his wife in pleasurable satisfaction. "Fuck," she hissed against his lips, all before gasping moans escaped her yet again as he curled his fingers within her at a quick pace. "Ah, ah, ah, ah," she breathed, gripping at his dark locks frantically. Sasuke quieted her gasps with his lips and slipped his tongue into her mouth once more, seeking refuge from his own tension that had him grinding his hips right next to his hand, fingers still buried within her. Sakura gasped for breath and held his face in her hands once more to break their kiss. She pressed her forehead to his and uttered again, "Please."

He retracted his hand and felt her wetness cling to his fingers as he lifted himself to kneel between her legs. In another bid to plea, she reached out to grab his wrist and bring his hand to her mouth. Sakura looked him in the eye as she opened her lips to let her tongue glide from the base of his fingers, still moist from her sex, to the tips before taking them in her mouth. She sucked at his digits, tasting herself on his skin, and watched as his eyes widened at the sight. The bulge in his pants looked all the more enticing for her. Sakura was growing impatient.

She sat up and gripped the hem of his shirt to whip it over his head, exposing his muscled torso to the warm glow of light. She loved how she had him to herself, how she could explore each part of his body, how he could open himself so easily to her. She pressed a hand to his chest and pushed him down onto their bed. As he pushed his hair out of his face, she busied herself in pulling his sweatpants and underwear down by their waistbands, allowing his erection to spring free. She flung his clothes to the side and took him in her hand to pump, pump, pump at his hardness. She loved hearing him hiss at the friction, loved seeing his brows furrow in concentration, loved knowing that merely tasting him had the power to make him see stars.

She propped herself next to his hips with her free hand, her other continuing the steady motion of sex. A small bead of moisture formed at the tip of the head, and Sakura wasted no time in taking him in her mouth, encasing him tightly within her lips, and running her tongue up and down his length as she went. She heard him rumble a moan above her shortly followed by the sensation of his fingers combing through her hair to rest on the back of her head to gently press her on. Over and over and over she went, until her own pressure between her legs began to build once more. She reached down with one hand to relieve a bit, stroking at her own slick clit. She released him from her mouth for only a moment, allowing herself to run her tongue from his base all the way to the bundle of nerves just before the glistening head. She took him in her hand once more and pumped him while she sucked at the tip, feeling his grip in her hair tighten, hearing his breaths grow labored, seeing the way his body tensed with every movement she made to pleasure him just before the summit of release.

"Enough," he breathed, raising himself slightly to bring his hand to her chin, lifting her away from his length. Sakura wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and pouted in protest wanting nothing more than to continue giving what she knew could bring him to his knees. She knelt before him for only a moment before he crushed his lips against hers and lowered her onto her back. The plush surroundings enveloped her once more.

Sasuke knelt before her this time, grabbing the offending fabric covering her sex and slipping it through her legs down to her feet. He tossed them unceremoniously aside before making his way up her body, his tongue gliding between her sweet folds that had her gasping, his lips trailing to her stomach, her breasts, her neck, her jaw, all the way to her glorious, talented lips. He slipped his tongue into her mouth and she responded in kind, feeling his hot, quickened breaths against her skin. He reached down between them and stroked his length, pressing the head against her hot, wet entrance. She took his face in his hands, breaking their kiss, and pressed his forehead against hers in anticipation. "Now," she murmured shakily, a smile gracing her beautiful face.

Slowly, torturously, he buried himself to the hilt within her, filling her walls with his length and letting a shuddering moan escape him. She returned a trembling breath, relishing the way he ground his hips into her impossibly deeper, adoring the way he looked at her as though asking if she was okay. She nodded her head quickly before running her thumbs across his cheeks, hoping her love poured into every movement, and pulled him in once more to let their lips meet and their tongues move in synchrony with his hips.

It was slow at first; Sasuke moved gently, each movement a deliberate message of adoration, admiration, gratitude, and love. He wasn't one to express himself with words. No, Sasuke didn't do well with those. He was far better at showing his love, using each measured thrust to communicate what he struggled to say. And of course, without fail, Sakura knew. She trailed her hands to the sides of his face between heaving breaths and gentle thrusts, using her fingers to push his dark locks away from his eyes to let emerald meet lavender and midnight. Sasuke used the moment to shower her with languid kisses on her forehead, her cheeks, her jawline, then her lips. She smiled against him before her eyes darkened into a state of yearning and hunger. "Fuck me," she whispered.

He didn't hesitate in lifting himself off of her, ensuring his length was still deep in her heat, before quickening, quickening, quickening. Soon enough, their breaths grew labored and danced in the space between them. He gripped at her waist as he pounded into her fiery, wet core, the carnal friction causing his right eye to activate and burn the image of her writhing body into his memory. He watched as she raised her hands to snake up to her breasts and pinch her pert nipples between her fingers as she spread her legs even further in a bid to allow him further entry. Her face was flushed, her swollen lips parted to let each sultry moan and sharp breath escape. But her eyes—oh, her fucking eyes—they watched him right back, taunting him into sweet release. He withheld it from her, though, wanting to feel each pleasuring thrust, wanting to hear each sensual moan, wanting to see each move she made that let him know she was reveling each time he thrusted within her.

He felt himself reaching the summit once more, but he didn't want to be through just yet. Sasuke slid out from her hot, tight sex and ran his hand up her taut abdomen. "Turn over," he ordered gruffly, and she obliged immediately. She bore him her back as she pressed her torso to the bed and laid her hands on either side of her head. The skin of Sakura's back was smooth save for the two scars that matched the entry points on her front. He let his fingers run over the small ridges before letting them trail to her ass, raised and poised for him. Her pussy glistened in the glow of the lamplight, beckoning him to continue their sweet dance. He let his fingers graze over her entrance, watching as she tensed at his touch, before sliding a single digit into her tight core. A shaky moan escaped her, and he watched as her hands gripped the sheets, the fabric crumpling into her fingers.

He slid his finger in and out, in and out, in and out once more, admiring the way she dripped onto his hand. He then stroked at his length and pressed into her entrance, savoring the way her mewling moan sounded in his ears before she turned her face into a pillow to quiet herself. Sasuke wasted no time in resuming his quick pace, pounding into her sweet sex while he gripped at her hip, urging her to push against him. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck," she hissed, reaching her hands out to grip their bedframe in wanton desperation.

"Let, me, fuck, you," she moaned between thrusts, and he slipped out of her before letting himself fall onto his back. He wiped at the sweat beading across his forehead and listened to his own labored breaths. Then, Sasuke watched as she climbed on top of him, her eyes dark, mischievous, and wanting. She placed her left hand on his abdomen and took his length in her right, stroking him first, once more, before angling his erection back into her sweet, tight heat. He filled her up and a delicious moan escaped her lips once more at their reunion. He soaked in every detail of her down to the sweat that beaded on her collarbone and slid dreamily down her chest. She placed her hands on his chest, pushing her breasts together, and began her rhythm.

She was fast. Very fast. She moved as though the gods would strike her if she didn't, causing the pressure in Sasuke's core to raise towards his summit once more. "Fuck," he breathed, darting his hand out to curl against her jaw. Sakura turned her head slightly and took his thumb in her mouth, swirling her tongue around his digit before her strained breaths escaped her lips once more. He curled his fingers into her hair and pulled her down towards him, forcing her legs to still. Sasuke then wrapped his arm around her waist to immobilize her further before thrusting into her from below. She mewled out in ecstasy and gripped at his shoulders, his hair, his face.

"I'm," she breathed, "I'm going to come, Sasuke-kun, I—"

"Do it," he urged, "now." He went faster, faster, faster, faster, until she cried out his name like a mantra, a prayer, a secret that she yearned to speak over and over again. He felt her walls pulse around his length as she rode out her passionate release. The pleasure swept through her body in powerful waves only to build up yet again as he felt his own climax moments away, his pace only gaining speed. "I'm coming," he hissed, pounding into her frantically, erratically, as she ground into him to coax his finish. He hissed a moan as hot streams of his climax filled her up, and he shuddered with each pulse of her own sex as she reached her second, sweet release around him, keening his name yet again.

Their breaths mingled in the space between them before she laid her head on his chest in exhaustion, feeling each pant from his mouth tickle the hairs on her head. His arm released her and fell lazily onto the bed, spent and out of breath. They stayed like this for a few moments, slowly regaining their senses and letting the stars recede from their vision.

"Mmm," Sakura murmured, lifting herself away from his length and grinning as he shuddered at the sensitivity that tingled with her motion. "Sorry," she chuckled, planting a kiss at the corner of his mouth that formed into a smirk. She rolled over to his side and curled into him, wrapping snaking her hand across his chest to feel its rise and fall.

He coiled his own arm across her shoulders and rubbed his thumb against the smooth skin of her arm for a moment, taking his time to feel how soft she felt. Sasuke blinked once and deactivated his kekkei genkai, observing how the ceiling above them grew less vivid once he did. He then turned his head and pressed his lips lazily into her pink locks just before whispering, "I love you, you know."

"Mmm," she hummed in response, the weight in her eyelids forcing them to close. She trailed her hand up to the side of his face and memorized his jawline with what little energy she had left. "I love you, too."

At some point in the night, he coaxed her to sit up to let the two of them shrug beneath their blankets. He reached over and clicked off the lamplight before turning back to his drowsy wife who extended her arms to welcome him and resume their warm embrace. After all these years, her love never faltered. It looked different, took different forms, perhaps. Despite all things, it only grew to envelop him further. She'd given him a family, a home, a place where he wanted to return. He breathed in the scent of her, the scent of what he was surprised he could love more each day, before feeling slumber take them both to sleep.

A/N:I hope you all enjoyed this one-shot! My main fic, Reacquaintance, needed a bit of a break to avoid burnout, and I figured this was the perfect way. I'll also be honest in admitting that this is my first time writing, I guess, "smut" and I hope I did the scenes justice in their descriptions. You may consider this as a way of testing out my vocabulary in this realm. You may also anticipate the next chapter of Reacquaintance to come out within the next few days before we ring in 2020!