The Heat of Summer Sunshine

By: Sweet Bliss

WARNING: The beginning was written during a sugar-overdose. It sounds like a cheesy pornographic movie from the 1960's. Sorry in advance, but I could not help myself. You have been warned, so no complaints!

Chapter 8

XOXO

They were a blur of hands and lips.

Her slim fingers knotted in his dampened ebony locks, tugging at the dark clumps. His lips traveled from her own up her jaw line to the junction in between the neck and ear, a sensitive spot that caused her to gasp. She felt him smirk against her porcelain skin, so very Sasuke-like that it prevented her from containing her smile. He broke away from her neck, showering kisses all over her face.

"How did you get in?" he asked as he nipped at her neck.

She tightened her hold in his hair, earning a grunt from him, as she answered, "Old lady opened the door… slipped inside."

He pulled away momentarily and smirked. She blushed profusely, realizing how stupid she sounded. It actually made her seem like a stalker. Sakura pulled away from him, putting a foot or two in between them.

"You did all that, just to see me?" She nodded her head. "Wow, I don't know whether I should feel flattered or creeped out. I'll go with flattered."

Sakura turned her face away from him, the color in her cheeks only reddening further. He rolled his eyes and tugged on her arm.

"Come here."

He cradled her face in his hands, placing his lips gently onto her own. She stepped closer to him, her hands planted flat against his bare chest as she kissed him back just as sweetly. She had missed him, and no matter how hard she had tried, she just could not get over him. He pulled away, pulling at her lower lip softly with his teeth, and opened his mouth ready to speak again when…

"HEY, BASTARD, SAKURA CAME HOME AND-- whoa!"

The blue-eyed friend of theirs stopped his shouting when he stepped into the living room. His mouth dropped open, his bright eyes widening. Sakura stared at him, surprised, from the loose embrace her and Sasuke were in. The Uchiha himself blinked, but other than that remained calm.

"Well," the foxy friend of theirs said, "it seems you've already received your welcome. Where's mine, Sakura?"

The only female occupant of the room flushed crimson. Naruto raised his eyebrows up and down in a suggestive manner, holding his arms wide open. He watched in mild amusement as Sasuke's glare intensified and Sakura's eyes widened incredibly. She pushed herself away from the Uchiha and sped out the door, her face and hair blending in with each other.

Sasuke watched as she left, blinking in confusion. He was not sure as to what just happened. Okay, so he knew that they had been down each other's throats… and then they were literally down each other's throats. But did that mean he had his second chance with her? Or was it heat of the moment? Damn Naruto… Why the hell was he his friend again?

He turned on the blonde, growling, "Na-ru-to! What the hell?!"

"Whoa, Sasuke! Calm down, count to ten and it will all be better… I hope!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, sitting down on his bed, and eying his friend wearily.

"What do you want, Naruto? Hopefully, for your sake, you had a reason."

Naruto pouted, bottom lip jutting out, and cried, "It hurts that I have to have a reason other than wanting to see you."

At that Sasuke rolled his eyes, muttering, "More like visiting my fridge."

"Shut up! I came to tell you my ingenious plan to get Sakura back, but apparently you had other ways to swindle your way into her heart… or her bed." A pillow came flying at his head. "Ow! Only kidding! You take everything so seriously. I bet your good at poker and Bull Shit!"

Sasuke groaned, falling back haphazardly on his blue sheets. Why did he feel that Konoha was a good place to move to again? He should have stayed at Suna, far away from any hyperactive blondes. It would have been dull, but his head would not hurt as much as it did now. He sat up, watching the Uzumaki pace his room and begin speaking again.

"Anyways, you must be bad because she sure did flee awfully fast, y' know," Naruto stated looking at the door their female friend left out of. Sasuke smacked a hand to his own face, annoyed that Naruto did not know that he was the one that made her leave.

"Honestly, Sasuke," Naruto drawled, his blue eyes rolling heavenward. "You should write a book. And I have the perfect title for it too. 'How to Offend Women in Five Seconds or Less.' Do you affront everyone you meet? Did you have any friends at your old school?"

Sasuke glared at his supposed best friend but replied, "No I don't. And, yes, I had a friend." Naruto snickered at the friend comment, but stopped when Sasuke punched him. "He was this really quiet redhead at the back of the classroom. He got stalked just about as much as I did."

"What was his name?"

Sasuke shrugged nonchalantly.

"I don't know. He never talked."

Naruto blinked incredulously. What the hell? How can you be someone's friend and not know their name.

"How were you friends if you didn't know his name?"

"What are you not getting about he never talked!"

Naruto's face scrunched together, trying to understand what the Uchiha was getting at. He was absolutely certain that to be one's friend you had to at least know their name. But, he presumed, that this was Sasuke, and he was not exactly normal by any means. He, being the social butterfly that he was, knew everyone's name (whether or not they were his friend, foe, or stranger).

He started rambling again, something about "the concepts of being a good friend," and Sasuke noted that he needed to stock up on some pain killers. Headaches caused by Naruto were bitches, and he seemed to be getting them a lot lately. Yes, painkillers were a must…

"Hey, Sasuke, where are your pants?"

That or a muzzle.

The next day at work proved to be more eventful than the previous few.

He had heard no word from Sakura after what had happened the day before. Naruto had only stayed over a couple of minutes until he was (rather forcefully) kicked out of Sasuke's room. Naruto had decided it best to stay out of Sasuke's way after that.

Sure it was quiet, but things tended to get boring without those two.

Now all he had to look forward to was a day filled with fan girls, old people, and annoying children. Oh, wait and pretty-boy Hyuuga who was walking in at that moment. Oh, joy…

The white-eyed male looked around a bit before he spotted Sasuke at the front. This was not the kind of excitement he was asking for. But if Neji could keep him entertained, then he was welcome to stay… Besides it would look bad if he kicked out a customer.

"Hello, Sasuke," the Hyuuga greeted the man opposite of him, "have you seen Sakura around?"

"She doesn't work here anymore."

Neji seemed genuinely surprised by this bit of information. His brows furrowed and he started mumbling something to himself. Then his gaze shifted back to Sasuke, who was still waiting for him to disappear, and opened his mouth again to speak.

"Do you know where Sakura is?"

Sasuke quirked a brow and asked, "How the hell would I know? In case you haven't noticed, we're not exactly on speaking terms." Although that was one hell of a talk they had last night.

"If you see her tell her to call me."

Sasuke nodded to the Hyuuga, but really did not plan to follow his instructions. This was the guy that had his tongue shoved down her throat a few weeks ago. He was also the one that made her cry and quit her job… okay, maybe Sasuke might have been a key component for her quitting, but this was about Neji not Sasuke.

"Oh, and Sasuke!" Neji called and Sasuke wondered when Neji had started to leave. "I'll be cheering for you."

With those words spoken, Neji left the building leaving a stunned Sasuke behind.

Sakura idly strolled down the sidewalk, not really knowing where she was headed. Ino and Neji had left numerous voice mails on her phone since she had gotten back. She had actually made up with Ino, and after they had both stopped crying they had decided they needed to have a day with just them. Sakura, excited to have her best friend back (well, maybe not best friend, it would take time to be that again), immediately agreed to the shopping spree.

She then had talked to Neji, who had not actually been as bad as everyone made him out to be. She had been mad at first, snapping at him every few minutes, but when he had cleared up their messy break-up things went smoother. He made her realize that Sasuke had been a big part of her even when she had been avoiding him. It all made her head hurt.

She stopped walking at the sudden realization and found herself at a very familiar coffee shop. The sign loomed over her head, almost threatening. But then again, maybe it was. It was daring her to enter, to face her fears and hang out at her favorite diner without going crazy with memories. Yes, that was what she was going to do.

Taking a deep breath she entered.

Sakura entered the little café, the one where she and Sasuke had gotten to know each other that one day—well, rather violently in her terms, but they did nonetheless. Not even the smell of the coffee in front of her calmed her down. But how could it? It was the same flavor that Sasuke had "shared" with her in their second kiss.

But she refused to sit at their table, the one in which he had mocked "walls" and she kicked him in the shin. She had opted for the countertop, receiving several worried glances from the elderly man behind it.

"What's the matter?" he asked gently, taking her eyes away from her still-full cup.

He recognized this one, which wasn't hard because of her unusual hair color, but she was the one that always had a smile on her face and usually ordered five cups by now. He touched her shoulder, a tender smile on his face.

"I wish I knew," she answered truthfully, her gaze on her dainty hands

His brows furrowed as to why she could be this depressed. Then he remembered that guy she had sat with a couple of weeks ago.

"Is it about that one boy?"

"Maybe. I want to hate him… But I think… I'm in love with him."

The man nodded, his shiny blue eyes shifting from her saddened face to another customer. He patter her shoulder, causing her to look up, and he smiled kindly down at her.

"Why don't you just tell him that?"

Sakura's mouth opened and closed numerous times before she sputtered, "Why would I do that! He probably thinks I hate him, he probably hates me, too! I mean I did kind of just run off very quickly last night. But I was afraid-"

Her ramblings were cut short by the old man as he once again spoke, "I don't think he really believes you hate him all that much. Nor do I think he hates you as much as you're making it seem."

She looked up at the old man, confused by what he was saying. Then she noticed his eyes were elsewhere, somewhere behind her. Most likely another customer, but he usually did not seem so interested in them. So, Sakura turned in her seat, green eyes widening in shock.

Sasuke was standing by the entrance staring straight at her. Her porcelain face turned pink as she spun around to give the old man an incredulous book. She was not ready to face him yet! But the old man just chuckled and left to take care of other customers, leaving her with only Sasuke and a whole lot of strangers to vent to.

She would rather take her chances with that shifty guy in the corner…

Sakura idly traced her fingers on the smooth surface of the coffee shop's countertop. Her mind was elsewhere, thinking of her father and that night with Sasuke. The one that plagued her thoughts the most, though, was that Sasuke was here and looking for her. Her stomach churned at the thought of leaving now more than ever. She had been so lost in thought that she did not even notice that her old coffee mug was nowhere to be found. Maybe that was her cue to leave. Maybe she could get out of here before Sasuke made it over. She brightened with the thought of avoiding him.

That was until an ivory mug was placed before her, the scent of hazelnut wafting through her senses. Only few people knew her favorite drink, only one knew the kind she loved most. Uchiha Sasuke.

Her green eyes traveled up the length of his arm and settled on his slightly concerned (as worried as he could be) expression. He furrowed his brows, as if trying to read her thoughts, but then gave up when she broke their eye contact. She knew what would happen if she dared keep up with that intense gaze, and she really was not sure she wanted it to happen again.

Not with how things were going at the moment.

"I," she started taking a sip of the caffeinated beverage, "assume you want to talk."

Sasuke leaned back in the seat he occupied, trademark smirk playing at his lips, as he answered, "Maybe, but you do know what happens when you assume things. It makes an ass out you and me."

Sakura rolled her apple green eyes, raking a hand through roseate locks, and bit back, "Nice to know you finally realized you were an asshole. You really deserve a cookie."

"Flattery isn't going to work, Sakura," he said and she could not help but to laugh.

Maybe things were not going to be as bad as she thought. Not only did she get treated to her favorite drink (and many more), but she got back the Sasuke she knew before Ino came back home. Maybe, just maybe, this summer would not turn out as bad as she once thought.

Haruno Sakura's father stepped into his house late that night, tossing his bags to the ground as well as his coat. Work had been extended long into the night, as the case he had been working on was moved up to an earlier date. He noticed that his answering machine was blinking, letting him know he had a message.

He pressed play and waited for the speaker to start talking. He was surprised to hear his daughter on the other side spitting out words so quickly he barely understood. And then in the background he could hear two other guys. One was easily recognizable as the Uzumaki boy who lived down the road from Sakura. He was always such a polite boy…

"Hi, Dad, it's Sakura! I see that you're not in, but I have to tell you my decision. I hope you won't be mad, but I have decided to stay in Konoha for a while. Don't worry, though, because I will visit all the time. Especially on National Coffee Day, and then you can meet Sasuke!"

--"Ooh, Sakura's got a boyfriend! Sasuke and Sakura sitting in a tree. F-U-C--OW! Sasuke!"--

--"Shut up, that's her father on the phone, idiot."--

--"Oh, shit!"

"Sorry about that. I have to stay here and keep these boys in line. You know how Naruto is."

--"I resent that!"--

"But I love you, Dad, and I will try to call you everyday. Naruto, put that down! Sasuke, don't hit him that's my job! Bye, Dad, I love you and have a great day!"

Click. Beep, beep, beep…

…THE END…

A/N: I'm not entirely fond of this chapter. It was kind of rushed… I did write it fairly quickly and edited even quicker--minus the two months it took to actually start it. Then again, a lot has been happening. I was put in the hospital again. But for heart problems this time… It sucks. Anyways, I'm considering maybe a short little epilogue, but that's only if anyone really wants one.

I also have another story that I really would like to start up soon. It's the gift-fic I promised Sakura Uchiha that I would write. I'll probably put more info up about it on my profile on a later date. I think it will be good, and hopefully it will be. So, stay tuned for it and the (maybe)epilogue for this story. Bye-bye! Thanks for all of your help! You've made HoSS my best story, and maybe my favorite as well. Love you all so much!

Sweet Bliss