Disclaimer: If they were mine, I wouldn't be posting this but having it animated, beetches.

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AN: This is not related to Silver and Emerald Days. Maybe to Refraction, but who's counting?

Nah, it's something unrelated to my other stories. A PWP warning is due, though.

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Dedicado a Celtic Oak.

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Midnight Snack

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It was almost midnight. The village slept peacefully under the alert and vigilant gaze of its patrolling watchmen. Autumn was just beginning, and with the nearing of the cold seasons, the procuring of a huddle of blankets was almost mandatory for all the inhabitants of Fire's Hidden Village of the Leaf.

Besides the ninja that were on guard duty, there was another person wide awake in the middle of the night, making their silent way stealthily towards the sprawling kitchen of a certain Hyuuga Manor.

It had been a long day, and the person really needed a boost of light comfort food in order to appease their body and ease their mind enough to rest properly. That was a well known fact.

Slender fingers reached out to flick the light switch…and froze when they felt another presence in the kitchen.

When light flooded the space, a sharp gasp and a flurry of clothes gave way to one thoroughly surprised Hyuuga Sakura, caught red-handed with a bowl of chocolate ice cream by none other than her husband, who cocked his head and stared.

"Neji! I thought you were on guard duty!" she said, placing a hand on her chest, covered by one of his beige yukata. "What are you doing here?"

"...I live here, if I remember correctly," he shot back, raising his brow slightly at the sight before him. He was still clad in his haori and pants, having just arrived home. "I thought you were enjoying your fifth dream."

"Well...yeah, I got hungry," she explained, holding out the ice cream bowl to her husband. "Want some?"

He considered the offer briefly and nodded. "Alright."

Neji settled himself on the counter, watching his very own firebrand wife making her way towards the fridge, having fetched another clean bowl from the walk-in cupboard. There was something in this sight that made him relax, knowing that here, in this particular moment with the one he loved, he could be himself.

"How was the hospital today?" he asked as she got two scoops of chocolate into the bowl. "I heard Tsunade-sama and Shizune-san had joined you in your investigation."

Sakura smiled. "Yeah, they said that whether I liked or not, they were going to help me with this crazy idea of mine. Shizune thinks I shouldn't overwork myself, and Shishou scolded me about getting my chakra so depleted when I needed it the most."

Pearly eyes narrowed, feeling a bit at a loss. As far as he knew, his lovely but grumpy wife was as resiliently healthy as one of Naruto's big toads. It was one of the perks of being a medic-nin, he figured. But she hadn't commented anything about feeling ill...

Plenty of time had passed since Akatsuki's attack on Konoha. After everything was rebuilt and Naruto was named the Rokudaime, Tsunade didn't have the heart to leave the village when, in her personal opinion, there was so much left to do; hence, her position as the Hospital Director, along with Shizune and Sakura as her seconds in command. Many, many people were healed thanks to their joint effort, including that silver-eyed, stoic shinobi that had landed on Sakura's lap one night, when he had returned badly injured from a mission before his promotion to Jounin Captain.

It had been downhill from there, and Neji and Sakura got hitched, as Naruto liked to say jokingly, in less than six months. Maybe it was because they realized that they simply didn't want to wait for someone perfect, an illusion of their childhood...or maybe it was because they found those things in each other.

For Neji, realizing that he had feelings for Naruto's teammate, no matter how much she had grown up and taking into account how she had been the first to defeat an Akatsuki member, the first to acknowledge and admit that her old crush was a hazard to their homeland...and the first that had regarded him not as a genius, not as a shinobi, but simply as a person, had been quite easy. She was a beacon of light in his personal opinion, and he couldn't help but gravitate towards her.

Not to mention that he had been her first. And she had been his.

It had been a series of firsts that shaped them, making them notice how they fitted together, but like all the ninja love stories, it had been needed a near-death experience to make them realize how important they were to one another.

Neji would never forget how bad she looked after the final battle with that wizened but still dangerous Uchiha Madara. So pale, so fragile, like the cherry blossoms she was named after. It took all of his Hyuuga pride and control not to go berserk and kick that stupid orange-masked ninja into next century.

But Sasuke and Naruto did, and they emerged victorious from that fight, albeit they got really injured as well. In the end, Sasuke and his team joined the Konoha ninja and helped with the rebuilds...but Sakura didn't want anything from anyone but Neji.

They got married a month later, much to Naruto's wry amusement and Sasuke's chagrin.

This brought an endless source of hilarity among the Rookie Twelve plus Team Taka, due to the fact that Karin had tried several times—and failed miserably—to keep Sasuke's attention to herself. In the end, the whole Team Seven joined the Hyuuga Clan; Neji with Sakura, Naruto with Hinata...and Sasuke with Hanabi, much to Neji's frustration and Sakura's absolute, dry amusement.

However, what's done is done, so there was no point in dwelling in those matters.

"You okay?" Sakura asked, dispelling her husband's reverie with her gentle tone. "You seem distracted...did something happen on your patrolling shift?"

"No," he answered readily. "It was uneventful, as a matter of fact."

She hummed sharply around the spoon, signaling she had heard him, but not believed him. Neji sighed and continued to eat his ice cream while Sakura pinned him with one of her trademark detailing stares. Soon, snowy eyes narrowed at emerald ones.

"Is something the matter?" he asked, never one for confrontations with his wife and always choosing to be the listener to her rants. She shrugged offhandedly.

"I don't know," she answered truthfully. "I have been feeling somewhat off lately...exhausted, even. Maybe it's because I pour so much chakra in Juugo's system, but other than that..."

Leaving the bowl in the counter and dropping the spoon in it with a sound clatter, she made her way around towards her husband, who maneuvered himself in his seat to accept her. She loved to sit on his lap for some reason or other, and he certainly didn't mind. In fact, he rather liked how she started to hum happily whenever she was in his arms. This time it wasn't a happy hum though...it was more of a purr.

Neji's senses started to hone onto the pretty pink-haired minx straddling him.

"So..."

Neji grunted curtly when she started to whisper in his ear, lips tracing the sensitive lobe.

"I really ain't in the mood for more ice cream anymore..." she said shamelessly. "Are you so absolutely tired, hubby?"

The Hyuuga male smirked. For this, he wasn't tired at all. In fact, he was almost, almost ready and raring to go.

"Perhaps we should retire to our room, Sakura..." he trailed off when she sat up and brought a hand to the yukata, slipping a finger under the fabric and widening the gap between the flaps, letting him realize that she wasn't wearing anything under the robe.

"Here," she whispered. "Right here."

"Sakura–" he started to protest when she leaned over him and crushed her lips to his. She was as delicious as always, and she tasted like chocolate...and peach juice. His control slipped and his arms snaked around her waist, pulling her to him feverishly and responding to the kiss with all he had.

He really didn't know how she did it. They had been together the night before—and first thing in the morning, before meditation and sparring session—and he was finding himself so hungry for her. The first nights after their return from a mission were memorable for them, for they were so ravenous of each other after a long absence that it was demanding to reacquaint with one another intimately—and as soon as they stepped on their private space.

And now she wanted to have–

Her lips traveled down his throat, kissing and sucking tiny portions of his skin. He inhaled sharply when she found that little spot behind his ear and applied her teeth.

"Sakura," he murmured, almost a growl. "Let's go back to our room–"

She blew over his ear, knowing that her teasing was making his blood boil. "Here, Neji, let's do it right here. Everybody is asleep..."

Yes, she was daring, and shameless, and completely mental, but she was all his, and he wouldn't change anything in her.

Grabbing her hips, Neji hoisted his wife onto the counter, ice cream forgotten, and untied her yukata as her hands were unbuttoning his haori and pants. She was gloriously and completely naked under the cream-colored robe, a flush covering the upper part of her torso as he trailed his hands over her thighs. There wasn't much time for foreplay and, knowing how loud his wife could be, playing with chakra in a place where they could be so easily discovered was out of the question.

"Now, Neji," she urged, wrapping her legs around his hips and bringing him closer, letting him feel how wet she was already. His eyes shifted to the apex of her thighs, as one hand massaged a breast and the other was around her waist, cupping her ass.

"You were planning this," it wasn't really a question, and he smirked deviously, "and the plan backfired, didn't it?"

She smiled devilishly, biting her lip when his tip nudged her entrance. "Let's say that those Icha Icha books are quite didactic," she gasped when he pushed into her slightly.

"What was that about cravings?" he asked, knowing that in this particular moment she couldn't lie to him. She gasped again, feeling his shaft opening her in the most delicious way.

"I was craving you," she confessed, eyes dark and round as her hips bucked, trying to get him to get all the way inside. "I think I'm a nympho, I can't stop wanting you."

Neji felt his insides swelling with male satisfaction. Without preamble, he snapped his hips forward, deep-seating himself into her as he swallowed her cry with his mouth.

"And what happened for you to feel that way?" he asked in a whisper as he started to move, slowly, grinding onto her hips mildly as he set a frustrating unhurried pace for his incredibly horny wife. She shook her head and bit her lip once more, eyebrows knitting when he didn't pick up the rhythm.

"I heard Ino and Tenten talking about their lovers, and they asked me how you were in bed," she whispered, bucking her hips again. "Dammit, Neji, move!"

"And what did you say?" he pressed, stilling his movements completely. "Tell me and I will comply, my dear wife."

"I told them you were incredible!" she snarled softly. "Now fuck me, or so help me God that–"

He snapped his hips again, cutting her off and eliciting a moan from her throat.

"How crass, wife," he chastised with a mild sneer, thrusting a little harder and faster. "Did they believe you? It seems to me you were sulking when I got here, eating ice cream by yourself in the dark."

"Nghnnn..."

Well, it seemed that he wouldn't get more information until she was thoroughly relaxed after a couple of orgasms. The good thing was that he was up for the challenge.

And truth be told, Neji was finding this little stunt and the danger of being caught extremely exhilarating. Thrusting faster into his wife, he leaned over her to kiss her hard and swallow her little cries. She was close; he could feel her inner walls starting to spasm and tighten around him.

Sakura was panting, receiving her husband's ministrations eagerly as he moved flawlessly with her. It was amazing really, how they learned to adapt and fit to each other. Now they knew one another like the back of their hands, and in this particular exchange, everything was put to the test.

"Faster?" he asked in a whisper. "Someone might catch us."

She nodded frantically, Neji driving her towards her edge without fail. It was so exciting to coax him to do things that someone with his uptight Hyuuga upbringing wouldn't dream of doing, like the time she pretty much jumped his bones one night at her office, that had been superb; or the other time when they had used all their stealth techniques to do it on a tree branch without falling nor shaking all the leaves off the tree.

Hyuuga Neji was a master shinobi, his domains his Gentle Fist, his Byakugan...and his wife's body.

Really, she couldn't be a happier woman, especially when he realigned himself and started to thrust again, nudging at that particular spot that always made her see stars. His Byakugan was deactivated, but he knew Sakura's body more than his very own.

And she knew his.

The pink-haired medic smiled when she heard her coffee-colored husband hiss softly when she contracted and relaxed her kegel muscles around him, feeling his shaft hardening in response, his thrusts harder and faster. She was almost at the brink, and she wasn't going alone if she could help it.

"Sakura, not here," he murmured, "or I will retaliate and we will get caught."

"Now, Neji, I need more," she almost wheezed, "now!"

Covering her mouth with his, he brought his hand to her sex, sending a little bit of chakra to her clit to finally send her off. She arched under him, quivering and drawing him deeper inside as she milked his shaft with everything she had. He allowed himself to go, spilling in her as they breathed into each other's mouths, still trying to be as quiet as they could.

He truly couldn't get enough of her. She was simply marvelous, with her wits and brilliant smile, and that curvy, gorgeous body of hers that didn't have any qualms in wrapping around him, making him feel right and safe.

And people still asked why he insisted in being next to her as much as he could. Luckily enough, he was the only one she showered with love and passion like this.

Sakura smiled on his lips. "That was amazing," she whispered. "I love it when you lose control, Neji."

"You're a bad influence, dearest," he answered, kissing her once more and straightening on the counter, pulling her into a sitting position. "We won't hear the end of this if Naruto finds out about this. Hell, even Uncle will have a heart attack if he hears of us having intercourse in the kitchen."

"Pffft, as if Uncle never was this adventurous with his wife," Sakura snorted as she finally closed that cream yukata. "And don't get me started on Naruto; he's more of a pervert than I am."

Neji pulled his clothes and raised a brow at his wife as he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her from the counter, carrying her out of the kitchen as she tightened her hold on his waist with her legs. "What about our dear cousin-in-law, Sasuke?"

"Ahaha, he's an uptight bastard," she giggled with mirth. "But I'm sure Hanabi will whip him good after she finishes reading Icha Icha Violence."

Neji stopped abruptly. "You gave my cousin porn."

"And I'll give you a chakra-laden blowjob when we get back to our room if you like," she shot back shamelessly, wearing that wicked smirk of hers that always got him in the most outrageous adventures with his pink-haired spitfire.

Neji sighed, but smiled nonetheless. "I'm just glad we're not having children soon," he admitted. "I would hate to cleave this part of our intimacy out of our lives."

"Nah, it can be done," she said airily, "We just only need to learn to be quiet enough."

Silver eyes narrowed at emerald ones. "Are you pregnant?"

"Not yet," she beamed maliciously. "Why? Think you can't handle childrearing?"

Neji scoffed as he slid open the shoji of their room. "We can handle anything, dearest; we're the best of our clan."

Sakura smiled. "We're the best indeed, but we left a mess in the kitchen," she pointed out cheekily as he settled her on the bed. "And your hitai-ate is there, too."

Neji ran out the room so fast that she could actually see the trail of vapor.

Of course, she was sure he was going to set everything up for Sasuke or Naruto to be blamed for the ice cream mess. However...it had been nice to have a midnight snack with her beloved husband.

She would tell him about her pregnancy later, though. Maybe next week, after one of their escapades at her office.

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- Tenna' ento lye omenta -

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AN: ROFL, this practically wrote by itself. Don't ask me about the kitchen-sex; it just got connected to the prompt in Manolito's cunning, wicked mind. I do hope you like it, though, because I had tons of fun writing this.

As usual, I thank wholeheartedly to my dear beta, MelissaRose85, for her awesome help, and to you guys for reading. 8D