A Lesson on Life

by Dezaria

Sometimes the best lessons in life begin without the journeyer's knowledge. An AU Sasori x Sakura one-shot that offers understanding, humor, and smut.

Disclaimer: While I do find chemistry and nursing to be extremely fascinating, I am by no means an expert in either field. As much as I'd like to say I'm a good researcher, I'm a better story teller by far. So, basically, consider everything incorrect about the schooling and whatnot under creative license and just enjoy the story. : )

Warning: It's rated M for a reason. Also, spoilers for Let the Right One In.

On an equally important note that will seem far out in left field until you get to the part I am referring to - I know full well what color Sakura's hair is. Just trust me please.

---

A Lesson on Life

The white walls never changed.

Considering they were part of a well-to-do university, Sakura figured Stanford's board could have spared some expense toward livening things up. Then again, death was sort of the point of this department. Well, to be fair, it was more like the nemesis - the inevitable, equalizer that death happened to be - to any medical school.

None of this changed the fact that one, Sakura Haruno, was tired of white walls. The walls in Harvard's chemistry department were a different shade of white, but white nonetheless. She'd spent four years within those off-white walls. It was there she found out just how far her love for the sciences went (which was obsessively far), and also how easily she could be distracted from her goals. Surprisingly easy, unfortunately... like right now.

Focus, Sakura! Look at that amazing human anatomy on the screen. All bones and muscle - let's call him Jerry. We get to label Jerry with color coded accuracy today. How exciting!

Ugh, who was she kidding? It would have been their second year anniversary and there was no getting her mind off of that fact. Not like it mattered to anyone besides herself. The thought of her ex - such an emotionally unavailable being - thinking that she'd even need comforting was laughable.

"Is there something amusing, Miss Haruno?"

"Ah, no... sorry, Mrs. Yathes."

Properly chastised, Sakura's cheeks were ablaze with her embarrassment.

Class continued on, and the young woman just barely managed to make it through without another thought wasted on her ex boyfriend. It was when she was riding the bus to a nearby café to get an early lunch that the thoughts started up again.

At first she was just running through her class lessons and the reading material she needed to do over the upcoming weekend to stay comfortably ahead. Then, she mentally tripped over when she'd chuckled out loud and gained unwanted negative attention from her professor. She frowned at the realization that her hair product obsessive ex could still distract her. Sasuke Uchiha was over three thousand miles away, and yet he still kept her from being as focused as she'd prefer to be.

She sighed, and got off of the slightly crowded bus. Then headed into Coupa Café.

"Hey, Sakura." Rachael greeted from behind the counter. "Gonna be the usual today, or...?"

"The same ol' same ol', please."

Rachael laughed, "of course."

"Maybe one of these days I'll change it up," Sakura offered halfheartedly.

The brunette employee stopped short at her regular's voice. Coming back to the counter with an empty cup in hand, the dark skinned woman gave her a once-over. "Spill it."

Green eyes went wide at the order. Rachael reminded Sakura of her best friend back in Massachusetts so much; sometimes it made the woman ache for home. Such similarities to her blonde bombshell of a friend, Ino, was initially what made Sakura return to Coupa Café. Eventually, she came to be a regular, and found out that Rachael was quite a character in and of herself. Astute and caring, she was the perfect person to work at a small café.

Content to admit a quick defeat, Sakura slumped onto a chair and glanced around. Once she made sure that the few other patrons were fully engaged in what they were doing, she filled in Rachael about her troublesome day.

"So, if you don't mind, why did it end?"

Not expecting the question, Sakura was quiet for a moment.

"I'm sorry -"

"No, no. It's fine. I was just trying to think of the best way to put it."

"Ah. Was it that bad?" Rachael couldn't help but grimace at what she was anticipating to hear.

Sakura laughed mirthlessly. "It's probably not what you're thinking. I guess I'll just repeat exactly what he told me." She cleared her throat and schooled her face into the blank mask Sasuke usually wore, "Sakura. I don't have time for this anymore."

Rachael waited for the woman before her to continue.

She didn't.

"What? That's all?"

Sakura nodded, her long ponytail swaying violently with the sharp movements.

"That prick!"

"I know," she sighed. Glad to have finally said what was bothering her out loud.

"I mean, how long were you two together?"

"A little over a year and a half."

"So, he had time for 'this' for a year and a half and then... he's just done?"

"That was my initial reaction as well."

"What did he say when you brought that up?" By now Rachael had finished making Sakura's custom blend of tea, and handed it over to her.

"Thanks," she said after a small sip. "He didn't respond at all."

"He just stood there?"

"Oh, no. He walked away."

Rachael simply stared as her jaw dropped.

"Yeah... he was never exactly easy to talk to."

The dark skinned woman leaned her hip against the counter and shook her head. "It boggles the mind how such a wonderful woman can end up with such a dickwaffle."

Sakura choked on her tea, burning her tongue in the process of swallowing her drink before she spit it out accidentally.

"Oh, shit! Here."

"Erm, thanks again." Sakura dabbed around her mouth with the napkin given to her.

"Sorry. Forgot that that's how you tend to react to my choice of colorful verbiage."

They both laughed.

"Let me go grab your usual meal."

Sakura sipped slowly at her hot tea as Rachael put together the half salad-half panini lunch special she always ordered. When it looked like she was almost done, Sakura received some cash from a specific pocket in her well organized backpack and placed it on the counter.

"Coupa Café is blessed to have you, Rach. Truly."

"Don't you know it, girl. Now sit your skinny ass down and eat."

The medical student smiled. Perhaps her day would be good after all?

About half way through her meal the lunch rush hit the café. She sped through the rest of her meal, uncomfortable with the noisy crowd. When she was done, she wrote a short note of thanks to Rachael on a star Post-it note and stuck it to her usual message-leaving spot. Then it was time to catch a bus back to the medical building for her next class.

---

We meet again walls of white, Sakura thought as she made her way through the school building toward her next class' lab room.

She was early, as per usual with her 'over-achiever' status. Her teacher, a Japanese woman by the name of Tsunade, was easily her favorite professor. The woman could bring a classroom of males to constant distraction by her appearance alone, despite the fact that Sakura was quite sure the false-blonde was nearing her fifties. That wasn't why Tsunade was Sakura's favorite teacher, but it was rather enviable from the medical student's perspective. Hell, if it weren't for Ino practically beating femininity into her, Sakura would still be wearing torn overalls and sports bras all the time. Who gave a crap about fitted or seasonal clothing when you could be wearing carpenter pants and a cotton t-shirt? Sakura would never let Ino know, but she'd secretly converted back into her tomboyish tendencies of dressing when she wasn't required to be in scrubs.

The cunning fox probably already knew, considering they were friends since grade school and Ino had always been amazing at unraveling other peoples' behavioral patterns.

Eventually, Tsunade showed up with her hang-over sunglasses on. Sakura barely even flinched as the woman began barking out orders to her. This was a common occurrence, but Sakura wasn't one to judge others anymore. Her friend Naruto had been an annoying prankster as a kid, yet after learning his story it was hard to be as harsh as she had once been when looking at others.

She smiled at the thought of her sunny friend. She wondered what Naruto's reaction to her professor would be. Someone would get smacked in the head, Sakura was sure of it.

"It's all ready, ma'am."

"What did I say about that ma'am business?" Tsunade snapped.

"It makes you feel old, so don't... ehem, sorry." Sakura finished weakly.

The professor continued to stare at her student until she felt her point was clear, and then went about checking everything over. When she found everything to be in order she merely nodded her acceptance and then returned to her desk and plopped down into the chair.

When other students started to show up, Sakura walked over to a random stainless steel table and stared at the blue body bag in front of her. It was embarrassing to admit, but she knew that other students only joined her at her table because she made it easy, so to speak. Since she was so far ahead in the textbook, she accidentally made herself the target of slackers who didn't want to appear as such.

She was never exactly popular at her previous university either, but at least she'd had her childhood friends living near her. The medical student figured she could have made more of an effort to make friends after her move to California, but it just didn't seem worth it to the woman. She was academically inclined, so instead of building a social life she kept herself busy with the extra work she stubbornly took on.

Most students didn't take the time to get to know her either, so she was deemed the brown-nose or the know-it-all and left alone the majority of the time. This treatment from her fellow students was fine with Sakura. At least no one made a hassle about the professor allowing a freshman student to help set up for class anymore.

She'd learned her lesson from working so hard to get Sasuke to look her way, and she would be a fool to repeat such a colossal mistake.

She'd made amazing grades - not that she was a bragger, it was just a hard earned truth - throughout her academic career at Harvard. All the way up until she met a certain sharp-featured someone during her schooling. Then she began spending more time on how she looked instead of on what she was supposed to be learning. Her grades didn't plummet, but they were far below what she could do. Sakura rolled her eyes in memory of all the idiotic things she put herself through to try and get the handsome Uchiha's attention.

Ironically enough, it wasn't because of her newly waxed legs; beautiful, dark hair that she began to wear down (courtesy of her father's Japanese genes); or even her newly brightened smile that caught the man's attention. No, it was when Naruto came to visit her on campus that Sasuke took note of her. Barely, and not because of some sense of jealousy either! Sasuke knew Naruto from some martial art tournament and they immediately began an animated conversation right beside her. All right, so Naruto was animated while Sasuke spoke more words than Sakura had ever heard.

Whatever, it counted as animated to her.

Forgotten at the side of the two men chatting, Sakura did what any classy lady would do - she elbowed her way into the conversation. Before she enrolled in Harvard, she had been a routine member of the dojo Naruto still went to anyways. If Sasuke's interest happened to be martial arts, then the green-eyed woman was smart enough to take advantage of the situation before her. It had worked too. She didn't care that the only conversations they had were about the applications of taijutsu, or the potential of a henka. All that mattered to her was the fact that he was speaking to her.

She sighed, frustrated with herself for wallowing in the past once again. It was done, and she needed to just let it go. It was too bad that that was precisely the thing she was horrible at doing.

"Hey, Sakura. Mind if we work with you?"

Sakura looked up at Joseph and his two large friends - Todd and Brian - and smiled in greeting. They were all players in the university's football team, so their busy schedule made it difficult to keep up with all their classes, which of course was how Sakura initially met them.

They noticed how knowledgeable she was and approached her for help. From a glance they could easily be seen as a stereotypical group of frat boys, but Sakura knew better. The three appreciated her help more than any other student whom she'd tutored. More than that though, she'd seen them gang up on a student who had hit his girlfriend in public only a few weeks prior.

Sakura knew their high respect for women caused a large amount of friction with the cockier members of the football team, and she couldn't help but admire their tenacity.

"Not at all," she replied. Besides Rachael, these three were the closest thing she had to friends in California.

"I didn't see you at last night's party," Todd joked. All three men knew they'd never find her at a party, despite their multiple attempts to get her to one.

"And I doubt you three read the required chapters for today," she shot back playfully.

"I did." Brian, the quietest of the trio, admitted.

Sakura and the others went silent and stared at Brian. After a moment he flushed, embarrassed. Joseph barked with laughter and punched his friend in the shoulder.

"You've been holding out on us, man!"

They spoke for a few more minutes before Tsunade began lecturing. When it was time, Todd unzipped the body bag for the group.

Only part of the way down he stopped and snatched his hand back from the zipper's thick tab. Sakura was shocked to see a teenage boy's pale face. Surely he's too young for the program? She looked up to see her feelings mirrored on the faces of the men beside her. Brian visibly swallowed. Even the outspoken Joseph had his lips tightly shut. Suddenly the trio were all regarding her.

Todd quickly glanced toward the dead teenager on the stainless steel table and then back at her.

Well, shit, Sakura thought.

Collecting herself, she stepped closer to the table and allowed the formaldehyde smell permeating the room to bring out her more objective side. She let everything else fade into a blurry nothingness as she grabbed the zipper and slowly pulled it down. Her group's cadaver didn't have any telling signs about his death, which wasn't overtly peculiar. However, lifting up a hand, the med student puzzled over the black fingernail polish that coated each nail perfectly. What a sick prank to do, she thought angrily. A finger twitched, and she immediately dropped the hand and jumped away.

"Sakura?"

"What was that about?"

"Nothing!" She squeaked, wide eyes locked on the cadaver's unmoving hand. Joseph followed her gaze.

"Huh. What's with the polish on his nails?"

"It's not even chipped," Todd observed. "Some sick bastard - pardon my language, Sakura - would have to have done it recently."

"Yeah, I guess that's true. It'd definitely be messed up after death, embalming, and everything else."

"Sakura, you sure you're okay?" Brian asked, concerned.

"Yeah," she lied.

Judging by the doubtful looks on their faces, the three men beside her didn't buy her lie. She set her shoulders determinedly, and went back to work. Hallucinating about twitching fingers wouldn't make Sakura fall behind in a class. Obviously she needed to sleep better, but that was hard to accomplish with her intensive schedule. For now she'd have to keep it together until she got back to her apartment and get some much needed rest.

Just make it through this class, she mentally cheered herself on.

She focused on Tsunade's lecture and let the strong presence of the three men next to her ease her nerves while she performed a precise incision. When she finished, she released the breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

Then she calmly stepped back and Joseph took her place to follow their professor's instructions and perform his own incision. Her returned sense of calm was quickly destroyed when Joseph slid the scalpel across the cadaver's pale flesh and the cadaver's fingers twitched again.

It was barely noticeable, and if she'd not felt it earlier she would have surely found a way to rationalize the movement.

A simple glance to her classmates revealed that none of them saw what happened. Clenching her jaw, Sakura questioned her sanity, but then hastily put the disturbed thought away. She was an intelligent and rational woman, so she'd just figure out what she was missing.

There was a cadaver that showed no obvious signs of cause of death. He was too young to assume natural causes. There was also the mystery of the fresh coat of fingernail polish yet to be solved. Then there were the movements of a deceased person. Oh, there the twitch was again when Brian made the next incision. She barely restrained herself when Todd made the next smooth cut and this time she could've sworn the cadaver's lips twitched.

She made her way back to the stainless steel table and, to the confusion of the three men watching her, checked the pulse of the teenage boy laid out before her. She checked his wrist - nothing. His neck - nothing.

"Um, Sakura?"

She turned to face Todd and smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I just... needed to."

The sympathetic looks she received overwhelmed her. It wasn't like she was guilty of anything, but she suspected something was amiss and couldn't find it within herself to share her findings with anyone. They'd likely think she was crazy, yet looking at their kind faces she felt horrible for assuming the worst of them.

Just make it through this class, she reminded herself sternly.

Steeling herself, she did just that.

---

So, she could have just gone home right after the miserable experience that was her last class of the day. On any normal day where Sakura didn't watch a dead - had she mentioned dead - person flinch, she would be on a bus heading toward her sparsely furnished apartment. As it was, she stood outside the door to the school's morgue with an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Acting as if she knew what she was doing, she opened the door and strode in confidently.

A man she recognized as a teacher looked up from his work only to acknowledge her presence and then ignored her as she made her way around a corner. Breathing a sigh of relief, Sakura thanked her lucky stars there wasn't a class bustling around the place at the moment. She didn't know how long she had, so she quickly went to the section dedicated to 'used' cadavers.

It took a bit of trial and error, but finally Sakura found what - or who, really -she was looking for.

Despite her racing heart, she took her time looking over the teenager's face. Smooth, pale skin was framed by unruly burgundy locks. Although his eyebrows matched his hair, his lashes were dark and thick. Her eyes lowered to his nose and she felt a trace of jealousy; his nose was so straight and perfect. With a sigh at her own silliness, Sakura glanced at the dark red head's full lips and angled jawline. A face like that could have landed him a job as a model easily.

"Too bad you're dead, huh?"

She continued staring at the pale face before her, as if he'd just suddenly open his eyes and respond.

"Look, I saw you move earlier today," she accused, growing frustrated with the whole creepy situation.

The young man remained as unmoving as before. Did she really just imagine it all? Was she actually losing it?

"Dammit!" She stomped her foot petulantly, and her head fell back with an ungraceful sigh. "I'm not crazy, so it'd be nice if you just... I don't know... do something."

"Like what?" Asked a deep voice.

"I'm not really sure - wait, what?"

Her eyes widened, and she stared slack-jawed at the moving cadaver. Moving... it - he - had spoken too. Could zombies speak? She wondered.

And then promptly fainted.

---

He regarded the woman on the floor. It must have hurt to have fallen like that, but she was out cold. She was also an unexpected bonus to his plan. A plan that didn't consist of anything devious, surprisingly.

No, he was simply bored and decided to take advantage of his cadaver-like state. Who knew he would feel so alive when getting sliced open by the green med students of the present? Besides, he was furthering the education of said medical students. He was morbidly proud of himself for being so selfless.

But when a warm hand had touched his own he'd responded accidentally. Oh, how he wished he could have witnessed her initial reaction. At least he had been able to see the most recent one. His lips quirked as his eyes fell once again to the woman on the tile floor.

He had not necessarily intended for her to seek him out. Though it would be the ultimate lie to say he was displeased with her decision.

Now, to contemplate his next course of action.

---

Sakura slowly woke to oddest sensation. There was a warm, stinging pain coming from her wrist, but she also felt something wet there... suckling? What the hell?

Her eyes weren't focusing correctly and had she been standing, she was sure the room would be spinning.

She tried to bring her wrist closer to her eyes for a look, but it was heavy. She tugged her arm again and this time she realized something was holding her arm. Slightly panicked, the woman looked down to see him bent over her side. The sight of the supposedly dead young man cradling her arm to his chest as he fed on her was the most disturbing vision she'd ever seen in her life.

"Zombie!" She managed to hiss before thrashing around in her panic to get the hell away.

Her arm was freed and she made it a couple steps before she bent over and was sick. Crap, it usually took more time in the movies before a bite victim changed. What the hell had she gotten herself into?

"Zombie? If I were what you mortals refer to as a 'zombie,' then I do believe you would have been eaten alive in a most messy and inefficient method already."

Sakura looked up, panic still written on her features.

"Do you not remember fainting? I think that would be when you'd be torn to pieces, but I may be incorrect." The not-really-dead teenager continued thoughtfully as he appraised the dark haired woman.

Moving to lean against the cool, tile wall, Sakura regarded the decidedly not-zombie in front of her. She supposed he was right. Plus, she still wasn't sure that zombies would be able to speak. And, well, think beyond craving brains and flesh.

"I saw you eating me though," she pointed out.

"Ah, yes. I was recovering from your lesson," he motioned to his naked body. Which, now that the panic was subsiding into a general sense of numb disbelief, she noticed was mostly untouched. Dark lines remained where she and her classmates had used the scalpel, yet the wounds were indeed healing.

"Amazing."

Her remark seemed to please him, as his lips tilted up and she was caught in his dark gray eyes.

"It hurts," she said awkwardly. Not at all comfortable with a naked, not-really-dead teenager giving her a look she couldn't decipher.

He lowered his eyes to where she delicately held her injured wrist. The bright scent of life called to him, and he found no reason to resist.

She tensed as he walked forward and gingerly brought her wrist back to his mouth.

"Um!" She squeaked.

His half-lidded eyes lifted to meet hers at the sound. She gasped when she saw his dilated eyes, they were nearly all ink black and the lighting must have been too bright because they began to water. She was completely still, transfixed by it all. This creature that was obviously no longer human was touching her tenderly, as if he knew he could easily crush her and was trying not to do just that.

He had injured her though, so to some extent he was all right with harming others.

He was still looking up into her eyes when he extracted his mouth from her wrist and licked the wound thoroughly. Then he moved on to the hand that had held her wrist. Her blood was smeared on her palm and fingers. Sakura felt her breath hitch as the red head sucked each of her fingers clean. After practically lapping at her palm, he stood and licked the blood - her blood - off his lips.

Wow, she thought, dazedly staring at his full lips. That was certainly more erotic than it really should have been.

As the reality of the situation sunk in, Sakura found she truly didn't know what to do. What does one do when faced with something like this? She'd already fainted, so mark that off the list. No need to be sick again. She hated vomiting anyways. Talking to him wasn't so bad, and she did have quite a few questions to ask.

"So, what are you?" She inquired bluntly, to her embarrassment and his amusement.

"I am a quasi-immortal," he responded evenly.

She puzzled over that a moment.

"Quasi, huh? And I swear you were drinking... holy dang! You're a vampire, aren't you?"

"I have heard of that term. And while I do agree that the name originated from stories about my kind, I do not think it completely accurate."

Sakura let that process, still feeling a bit like she had accidentally walked into the Twilight Zone.

"What on earth were you doing acting like a cadaver?"

An expression crossed his features fleetingly. "It's part of my plan."

"You wanted to get cut open by a bunch of amateur doctors? That's about as unbelievable as this whole situation."

"You wouldn't understand, mortal."

"No, I guess I wouldn't," she admitted. "And don't call me that."

The door opened to the morgue and they heard a few voices speaking casually. It seemed the morgue was about to become busier.

"Crap."

"Indeed."

"Was this part of your plan?"

"...I suppose."

"Then what are you going to do now?"

"Well, I've grown quite tired of standing here." And with that, the teenager walked away.

Sakura watched, aghast, as the quasi-immortal turned the corner and left her line of sight. She heard the commotion he left in his wake, and not knowing what else to do, she set about hurriedly cleaning up any proof of him being there.

Zipping up the body bag was followed by her quickly wiping any smudges off of the stainless steel panel, before using her forearm to push it back into its compartment. Dropping to her knees by the lunch she lost on the floor she reached into her bag and brought out her pink scrubs. Frantically she did her best to mop up the mess. She had just enough time to throw her scrubs away and make herself look like she was just finishing up doing something relevant to her schooling before the professor she saw when she entered the morgue came around the corner with a couple students behind him.

"Did you see a naked, young man walk by?"

"Excuse me?" Sakura looked suspiciously from the professor to the students and then back. "Is this a prank?"

"Unfortunately, no. I take it you didn't see anything?"

"No, I'm sorry." She looked down, ashamed at herself for lying, but knowing the truth would place her in too much trouble.

"Don't worry about it, I'm sure you were just too focused on your work," the professor consoled, assuming she was ashamed of not being much help.

"Yeah, he seriously just walked right by as if nothing was wrong with the world." One of the students said.

"Just walked by... wow."

"No kidding."

"Well," she made a show of checking her watch, "I have a bus to catch. I hope you figure out whatever was going on."

They thanked her and continued with their search.

She didn't breath easily until she was out of the university and in the fresh air. Even then, she couldn't stop the need to look over her shoulder every few minutes. She wasn't sure if she was expecting to see naked flesh, or the upset face of the professor she'd lied to.

It all was just too bizarre.

As much as she'd like to just dismiss the craziness that had happened in the past hour or so, a glance at her wrist revealed just how real everything was. She wasn't bleeding anymore, since the edges of her skin around the wound had sealed. The medic within the woman pondered over the possible chemicals in the creature's saliva. She took note of the nasty bruise and swelling that she figured would get worse before getting better and knew it would definitely leave a scar.

Sakura sighed. She'd take care of it when she got home, but she'd have to wait a bit for the next bus.

A few people were already at the bus stop, but they paid her no mind. She sank tiredly onto the hard bench and stared blankly at her shoes until her sight blurred.

He had watched her faint. Then he must have lifted her on to the stainless steel panel he had been laying on previously. She mulled over the action and eventually settled on the conclusion that he didn't like to eat off of the ground. Chuckling at her own joke, she failed to notice the newest addition to the bus stop's bench.

"What's so amusing?"

She froze. When Sakura's wide eyes slowly lifted, she was met with the unbelievable view of the quasi-immortal creature donned in a black Stanford t-shirt and sweats. Although he must have stolen the clothes, she was glad he was no longer naked. She thought back to the way his lean muscles moved and gulped; a woman her age should not be thinking such thoughts. On the other hand, a normal eighteen or nineteen year-old young man didn't have that kind of body.

"Well?" He asked impatiently, startling Sakura.

"I... I was thinking about earlier actually."

"You did not seem to find the situation humorous then."

"You bit me!" She hissed.

A couple people glanced at her, and she tried to regain her composure.

"I told you why," he reminded her.

"Yeah, but it's still weird." She said, subconsciously cradling her wrist protectively.

He didn't respond, so Sakura turned to face him.

He ignored her as she blatantly stared. His tousled hair looked crimson in the gradually dying sunlight. Sunlight. She looked at his pale skin and saw no signs of burning. Trying to silently sniff for smoke didn't work so well, as his gray eyes suddenly were on her.

Not one to be intimidated, especially after being caught doing something ridiculous, Sakura straightened her posture and met his ethereal eyes. His lips quirked and then he looked away, allowing her the small victory.

"I was wondering," she started hesitantly, "isn't the sun... bad for you?"

"Bad?" His eyes swung back, curious. Then recognition lit his eyes, and he chuckled. It was a deep sound that slid pleasantly down Sakura's spine. "You would do well to put aside what you think you know of those like me."

"How many are there?" She wondered aloud.

"Not many," he admitted quietly.

"Oh... I'm sorry."

He looked at her then. Really looked. And she felt the difference.

His half-lidded gaze was set at an intensity that cut through her, leaving her feeling vulnerable and uncomfortable. She wanted to ask what he saw, since she was sure he'd seen all the way to her very soul, but didn't feel ready to know the answer.

Luckily, the bus arrived and she shot off the bench in her desperation to get away from the creature that captured her attention so effortlessly. It was too bad for her that, along with the other people at the bus stop, the quasi-immortal also got on to the bus. She made her way to an empty seat and watched as the dark red-head approached. The bus wasn't full by any means, so there was no need for him to sit next to her.

"Did you want something from me?" She asked softly once the vehicle began to move.

"Yes."

A horrible thought crossed her mind. "Is this part of that plan you mentioned earlier?"

"Not exactly," he said after a thoughtful moment.

"Phew," she sighed in relief. "I was worried I was going to have to kick your ass."

He chuckled low in his throat. "Is that so, mortal?"

"Yes, it is. And if you keep calling me that I might still have to."

He looked intrigued. "What else would you have me call you?"

"My name?"

"Which is?" He inquired with quiet enthusiasm.

Sakura considered the wisdom of sharing her name with him, but her desire to be rid of the condescending nickname won her over in the end.

"Call me Sakura."

"Do you have a parent of Japanese descent," he drawled in Japanese, "Sakura?"

The way that he caressed the syllables in her name had her pulse racing. No one said her name like that...

"Yes," she answered, voice slightly breathy. "Why?"

"I am known as Sasori of the Red Sand to few, and Sasori to even fewer," the red-head leaned back into his seat on the bus as Sakura digested what he was telling her, but mostly what he wasn't.

"You wish for me to call you Sasori?" She inquired boldly.

"I am nearly positive that it would please me for you to do so, yes."

"Uh, thanks?"

"You are welcome, Sakura."

They sat for a moment in a semi-comfortable silence.

"Tell me about yourself."

"Like what?"

"Your hopes, dreams, disappointments... maybe start with your darkest secret?"

"That's a bit deep for someone you just met, don't you think?"

"Of course. It will be all the more gratifying."

"Let me get this straight. You want me to speak about private and personal information to entertain you?"

"Precisely. Now, please begin."

"What?" She practically squawked. "I don't just," Sakura fumbled for a verb, "perform on command!"

Sasori's eerie, gray eyes pierced her. "Oh?"

She blushed quite profusely, and rapidly ran through a mental checklist of all the bones in a human body in alphabetical order before speaking crisply. "No. I do not."

Burgundy eyebrows rose. "I see."

"Yes, well, you should do that more often."

"Indeed?"

"People are staring," she ground out between clenched teeth.

"Your worries bore me, mortal."

"Excuse me?"

"Boring; bromidic, wearisome, dull - "

"I know what the word means!" Sakura announced waspishly. Then quickly looked away when several people glanced in their direction.

"I didn't mean to embarrass you," he stated after a moment of tense silence.

"I'm sure it helped liven things up for you," she mumbled, still looking out the window.

"Well, yes. There is that." His smile was a physical thing in his smooth voice.

"Look, Sasori, I don't know who you've befriended before, but you're going to have to earn that kind of knowledge with me." She felt the weight of his gaze settle upon her, but refused to turn away from the window. As far as she was concerned, she wasn't interested in letting the quasi-immortal see just how desperately she desired a friend.

"That would take time, would it not?" He asked evenly.

"I suppose so," she answered, mimicking his indifferent tone.

"Then I truly have no other choice but to spend my time with you."

He may have sounded utterly put upon, but all Sakura knew was the sense of relief that accompanied his response.

---

They left the bus behind them, and Sakura had the distinct feeling of déjà vu.

She recalled a specific afternoon, several years ago, when a dirty puppy had followed her home despite her attempts to drive him away. Giving into the stubborn puppy, Sakura sat out in the front yard and thought of a way for her to keep him.

Luckily, her parents couldn't tell their baby girl no after she'd given them a passionate speech on how children are more likely to learn responsibility if they have a pet. She'd named the Irish terrier-lab mix Tetsuo. He was a great dog, but he had this knack for getting Sakura into trouble.

"You've withdrawn. Where did you go?"

"Hm? Oh." Sakura smiled wistfully, and told the quasi-immortal following her home about her pet dog from her childhood.

Sasori surprised her by laughing aloud. She looked behind her to see an amused grin splitting his pale face.

"What's so funny?"

"It's not every day that one is compared to a treasured canine."

Sakura cleared her throat. It was uncomfortable being so transparent, though she had to admit that the connection did seem sort of obvious if you put some thought into it. She realized that no one had put that much effort into understanding her in quite a while.

It was a novel feeling.

There was silence between the two during the rest of the walk to the apartment complex where Sakura resided. She had no idea what Sasori expected to happen, but there was no way he was coming inside her apartment. She mentally prepared a polite, yet stern goodbye as she walked. Once she reached the door to her building, Sakura turned to find no one behind her.

Okay... She glared at her surroundings. Frustrated with the vampire, and unsure whether to consider his behavior cliché or thoughtful, Sakura felt a wave of exhaustion hit her.

She was very ready to take a shower and sleep.

---

It wasn't until she woke the next day and made her beginning-of-the-weekend phone call to Ino that she realized how much Sasori had impacted her day. Beyond the foremost impact of a dead man really being alive, the vampire had completely vanished Sasuke from her thoughts. Her blonde friend immediately picked up on the symptoms, and demanded to know who she was crushing on.

Leave it to Ino to make me feel like I'm back in high school, she thought amusedly.

After she got off of the phone, she studied for a few hours until her stomach became too large of a distraction.

Her kitchen was small, and bare since she rarely went to the grocery store. The med student didn't make time to cook legitimate meals within her schedule, and she never had guests over to dote on. She'd usually end up grabbing a bite to eat between working and schooling if she had time. Otherwise it came down to Ramen or mac n' cheese.

Looking at the depressingly empty state of her cabinets, she decided to go against her routine. Once she'd cleaned out her refrigerator (why did pickles have expiration dates - they're pickled), she moved on to making a list. It ended up being a rather long one, which caused doubt to pierce through her determination. Did she have the money for this? Would she even cook the food, or would it go to waste? She had work later on, and she couldn't be late just because of some fanciful thought of grocery shopping. Besides, it would be all right if she didn't go since there was a nice sammie joint on her way to work.

Falling back into her routine, she boiled half of a Ramen pack and then went back to studying for a couple more hours before leaving for work. She stopped by Ike's Place and grabbed a bit to eat, as per usual, and then made it to Bytes Cafe. She worked tables until five in the afternoon, before heading to her second job at the Lane Medical Library, where she worked well into the night.

The next day continued following much the same pattern, and really, why would she expect anything different? Just because she'd met a vampire - wait, quasi-immortal, or whatever - the other day didn't mean her life was going to change. She eyed the bandage on her wrist.

Okay, so it'd change a little bit with the knowledge that there were things out there that went bump in the night.

Not like there weren't plenty of evil, opportunistic humans roaming around during both night and day. So, really it's fine to add the idea of unknown evil lurking about, she thought darkly.

Crap, it was hard to admit, but maybe she should actually seek out the wisdom of a therapist? The med student's shoulders fell. She knew they'd think she was crazy, and she wouldn't blame them one bit.

A glance at the clock told her that her shift at the library was coming to an end. By the time Sakura made sure everything was in place and perfect, it was time for her to leave. She said her goodbyes and walked out into the cool night air. The streets were mostly quiet, and she tried to enjoy the moment. Unfortunately, her thoughts persistently came back to the idea of unknown, scary things lurking in the dark.

Picking up her pace, Sakura got to the bus stop in record time. None of the people waiting looked dangerous, or mysterious, so she allowed herself to relax and listen to her MP3 player. It'd be at least half an hour for the night bus to arrive, and it took a good ten minutes before her heart rate settled back down to normal.

Of course, her calm was ruined when she stepped onto the bus and saw Sasori. When she went to exit the bus, the driver warned her that it'd be an hour or two before the next pick-up.

"How was your day?" The burgundy-haired male asked casually once she gave in and took a seat by him.

"Fine."

"Indeed?"

"Indeed."

"You seem... upset."

"Oh, do I? What strange behavior, considering I'm being stalked," she grumped.

Sasori eyed the other bus occupants with a disturbingly keen gaze. "I see no one with ill intent directed toward you."

"Seriously?" Sakura glared at the quasi-immortal until she realized that he was being genuine.

"You meant me."

"Yes," she answered, despite his firm statement.

He looked away.

"All right," she drawled. "Well, this is awkward."

"Being stalked generally is."

Unprepared for his comment, Sakura laughed aloud before slapping a hand over her mouth in shock. Their eyes met, and the misunderstanding was left behind.

The two moved on to speak of his new clothes, which he'd acquired the other day, and how he was enjoying the West Coast.

Evidently, he'd already found a place to live and work in the area. Sakura finally indulged the male by telling him all about her day. He may not have been as vocal as Ino when she complained about certain things, but he was an attentive listener in his own way - a nod here, the raising of eyebrows there. The interaction was admittedly very nice, so when it began happening more often, she didn't mind it as much as she thought she would have.

Whenever she ran into him, usually on the bus, he'd always ask about her day. Sometimes he'd only speak to her in Japanese, but she needed the practice anyway.

She never knew what they'd talk about after they shared their days with each other. One day it'd be a peppering of random little questions - when were you born? What's your favorite color? Do you prefer watching or playing sports? Then the next day would be intent questions on a specific subject - what are you in school for? Why? Do you enjoy it? Why?

Being the center of someone's attention was new to Sakura, and she discovered that it both thrilled and intimidated her.

It didn't take long before people began commenting.

Naturally, Rachael was the first to notice. Then one day after class Brian mentioned that she looked happier, which led to much teasing from Todd and Joseph. Any and all attempts the men made to get Sakura to bring "her new friend" to a party were hastily shot down. She didn't even want to think about trying to explain Sasori to them.

Even Tsunade told her, "it's about damn time," after a long (and overtly assessing) once-over.

Whatever the hell that meant, Sakura didn't know. She was fine with ignoring the new looks she was getting, but she panicked when Naruto called and asked if what Ino was saying was true.

Both of her blonde friends were known for their inability to keep a secret. It was somewhat easy to overlook when you cared deeply about them, but... if Naruto had heard from Ino in only a few weeks, then what about Sasuke?

Needless to say, when Sakura got off the phone with her childhood friend she felt a bit uneasy.

---

That weekend, Sakura invited Sasori to her apartment for the first time.

He'd heard her complain about her living place often, from her horribly bare kitchen to how unfurnished her place was, and he found she wasn't exaggerating as much as he had thought she was. Once the slight surprise wore off, the quasi-immortal decided that he didn't like how the apartment represented the woman. Beyond even her own health and happiness, her main focus was school. It was obvious with all the textbooks and notes littering her nearly barren place.

The fact that she would put down her studies to spend time with him was not lost on Sasori, and he planned to take full advantage of her time.

So, huddled around her Thai take-out cartons, they watched several vampire movies Sakura had rented, bought, and even borrowed. Everything she could find - from Anne Rice's Interview With the Vampire to Marvel Comic's Blade - was placed in the DVD player. The med student discovered just how anxious she was to know what commentary would come from the quasi-immortal next to her when the first movie started up.

It was one of the older Dracula movies, and Sasori had already seen it. Sakura sighed with disappointment, but then quickly moved all the older films to the side. Once she 'fixed' the pile of options, she put Underworld in and stared at the burgundy-haired male beside her. She watched him raise an eyebrow, in a decidedly judgmental manner, and then frown slightly.

"This is typical of human film." He stated in disgust. "Create a conflict and then include sex - be it in an actual relationship, or otherwise - to cause sexual tension audiences pay to feel. Then drag out the weak plot until it no longer makes a profit."

"All righty then. Next, huh?"

"If you'd be so kind."

"Conflict and sex... hm, then we should get this one out of the way now." Grabbing the first disc of True Blood's first season, Sakura put it in the DVD player. "Besides, they have a whole vampires-coming-out thing going on."

Sasori gave her a questioning look.

"You'll see," was all she said.

On came the first episode, and even though Sakura left to refill her cup with tap water, she could still hear Sasori grumbling about 'mortal fools.' Instead of being insulted, she felt rather amused by his antics. Though, she supposed if some other type of people made numerous movies and shows about her species and they were all bogus, then she'd be pretty peeved. Or at least annoyed.

"You have watched this before?" He asked once she set back down.

"Well, yeah. What? Don't judge, it's captivating! And... "

"Sex?"

"Uh huh. Lots and lots," she admitted with a fierce blush.

His eerie, gray eyes watched her face and neck redden slowly.

"So," Sakura asked loudly in the unexpected moment of silence, "how are vampires made?"

"Quasi-immortals," he corrected absently. "And we are not made."

"Then are you born this way?"

"I wouldn't say that precisely."

"What about some disease, or immune deficiency?"

"No."

"Fine! Don't tell me. No more True Blood sex for you."

She exchanged True Blood's disc for the Swedish, Let the Right One In. Then moodily shoved some Thai veggies in her mouth.

Surprisingly, they made it through the entire film without Sasori completely rejecting it. There were a couple disapproving sniffs, but overall he seemed intrigued by the film. Not to mention the wicked sense of glee she saw in his eyes when Eli saved Oscar in the end.

She didn't know whether to feel worried or well protected.

After that was Prowl, which freaked Sakura out so badly that she ended up huddled into a small, scared ball, much to Sasori's amusement. When an engine backfired, Sakura nearly jumped out of her skin and the burgundy-haired male had actually laughed at her.

Indignation flared, and next thing the med student knew, she was putting Twilight in for revenge.

Sasori knew the woman had purposefully put such an insulting film in the player, but he had not expected the boy within the story to undress to show his shiny skin to the boring girl he supposed was meant to represent the nation's youth. His ability to feel rage was not a new experience. However, destroying a maybe-probably friend's image dissector in the process of relieving such anger was most definitely new to Sasori.

The movement was so quick that Sakura didn't know what had happened until much too late. She would have been upset, but the brief look of almost-guilt on the vampire's face afterward saved him from Sakura's wrath. Instead, she explained to him that the Twilight movies were based on a series of novels with a third grade reading level and meant to attract teenage females.

"Hence the oh-shiny factor involved," she finished.

"Why would you have me watch such filth?" He demanded.

"Uh, were you bored?"

"I... " He paused, considering. "I suppose my disgust out-ruled my heavy sense of ennui. Regardless, I do not wish to continue this any longer."

Which was good, since there was no longer a functioning television to use.

"A walk?"

Sasori nodded in acquiescence.

---

The next day Sakura was asleep on her feet. She hadn't slept at all the previous night, but she wasn't upset in the slightest. Even when she lagged behind at work and had to apologize to her boss, she continued smiling at the thought of Sasori.

When she didn't encounter the quasi-immortal on the bus ride home she was disheartened. There was no reason for him to avoid her, so something must have come up.

Sakura did her best to think of other things, but by the time she reached her apartment she had finally admitted to herself that she was wallowing.

Then she noticed the brand new flat screen LED television. It had a big, pink bow on the left corner.

He had remembered her favorite color.

He had spent quite a bit of money to replace the shoddy TV he'd put his fist through.

He had broken into her apartment while she was at work.

A quick look at her lock revealed no obvious tampering. Not that she was surprised. If she had been alive however long he'd been, then she surely would have picked up an illegal skill or two.

Besides, it was the thought that counted.

---

Not even two weeks later, the pair ran into an extremely serious issue neither one expected to be an issue at all - Sakura's menstrual cycle.

Sasori remained frozen in place, body rigid and hands fisted down at his sides. He made an odd snuffling sound and then a small, tortured groan escaped his parted lips. His eyes darted to the apex of her thighs and stayed glued there.

When she began to feel uncomfortable with his gaze, she went to give him a look.

That's when she noticed that his beautiful gray eyes were largely dilated. This seemed to pain him, since his brows were deeply furrowed and... yes, those were tears leaking from his narrowed eyes.

Panic and confusion didn't help her think clearly, but eventually she came to the correct conclusion and cursed herself for not thinking things through. Idiot!

"Sasori, I'm so - "

"Don't. Run." His voice was guttural, and his lips worked awkwardly around his enlarged eyeteeth.

"I won't. I'll do whatever you need me to do. I'm so sorry. I'm such an idiot and I know it. I can't believe how stupid I can be sometimes," she continued to ramble since Sasori didn't tell her to shut up. Maybe it was helping him? She had no idea, but she'd truly do whatever she needed to do to make that haunted look never appear on his pseudo-young face again.

"It's never... this feeling... "

"My apartment?"

"Yes," he practically growled.

It didn't take long to reach her door, and the second she shut it he was on her. Securely pinned between the door and the hard planes of Sasori's body, the med student couldn't seem to catch her breath.

The ache in her abdomen had nothing to do with menstrual cramps, she knew, and it scared her how much she longed for him to touch her. She didn't have to wait long. His mouth found her throat's pulse point easily, and he kissed her flushed skin softly. Leaning her head back against the door, Sakura absorbed the feeling of his cool lips on her exposed neck. His tongue traced up to her jawline while his deft fingers slipped under her shirt.

"Sakura," he whispered onto her lips, "let me have you again."

"What?" She gasped.

"I want your essence," one of his hands ghosted down her arm until his fingers touched the scar on her wrist, "now."

"Okay," was all she could manage.

It seemed to be good enough for him, and Sakura was soon overwhelmed with the sensation of pain-pleasure.

---

The med student had yet to see Sasori since he drank from her.

For the past couple days, she had used a different bus route to get to work and school. She even turned the lights off in her apartment when he'd usually come over to chat. It was rude, and most likely immature, but the abrupt change in her feelings toward the quasi-immortal worried her.

He seemed to get the message, since she knew it would be easy for him to seek her out if he truly wanted to.

Deciding enough was enough, the med student went to Coupa Café for advice. Rachael looked up to greet the customer walking through the door and her eyes went wide.

"Ah, shit."

"Excuse me? Did you hear - "

"Yeah, yeah," Rachael said dismissively. "Farro without onions. Got it."

The worried woman looked back at her regular-cum-friend, but when Sakura waved her off she went back to work. She had known Rachael would be busy, so she settled off to the side and waited the hour it would take until the store closed.

"What happened?" Rachael all but demanded when the last customer shuffled out.

Sakura gave an edited - very edited - version of what took place with Sasori.

"I'm not sure I understand what the issue is here."

"He's really sexy now," complained Sakura.

Rachael frowned, puzzled. "So, let me clarify. You had a hot friend, but you didn't know it. And now you know after he manhandled you in a perfectly decent way?"

"Yes!"

"All right," the dark skinned woman said slowly, "okay."

The women stared at each other.

"I'm still not sure I understand what the issue is."

Sakura sighed.

"What's wrong with seeing him as he is?"

"It's not that simple," the med student said defensively.

"Oh?"

"Yeah," she stated determinedly. "For example, I have no idea what he wants from me."

"Have you asked him?"

"Well, no."

"Then you need to ASAP. Next issue?"

"I don't know what I want from him."

"He was a friend, right?"

"Yeah."

"A good one?"

Sakura thought for a moment, and then nodded.

"And now he's a good friend who's sexy. I'd say you know exactly what you want from him. The question I'd be asking is: why are you avoiding it?"

She knew Rachael was right, but it was still hard to face. Could it really be so easy?

"Look, I know you dated a real fuckhole - don't blush, it's true - but you can't live as if every potential boyfriend is going to be like that."

"You're right."

"Fuckin' A, I am. Just remember that they're completely different guys, so you should give this Sasori a fighting chance before running for the hills."

"You know, you're really good at giving advice."

Rachael smirked. "That's the end result of a smart lesbian growing up in same-sex, private schools."

"Those poor girls."

Rachael only laughed in response.

---

That night, Sakura left her lights on and hoped beyond hope that Sasori would understand what she was asking for.

He did.

"I'm sorry," were the first words out of her mouth at the sight of him. He looked unbelievably beautiful standing in the shadows of the hallway with his pale complexion and tousled hair.

"Did I scare you?"

"Not how you probably think. I just," she sighed as she thought of how to express herself, "I really didn't expect this."

His mouth curled into a rueful smile. "Does anyone?"

Sakura bit her lip.

He stepped closer and took his time trailing his fingers up to her face before gently removing her lip from between her teeth.

Lust glazed eyes met and held each other in a magnetic stare. She saw his lips tilt and knew what was coming before the words even began.

"Don't worry, I won't bite you again unless you ask me to," his husky voice filled her mind. She decided then and there that he could say whatever the hell he wanted as long as he kept speaking in that voice.

"Well, I do bite." She'd meant to be funny too, but her voice was breathy and the affect it had on the vampire in front of her made her nipples harden.

"You'll have to show me," he whispered darkly.

She pulled him into her apartment, and he quietly shut the door behind himself despite his steadfast focus on her lips. Taking a firm grip on her courage, Sakura leaned forward and brushed her lips softly against his.

He inhaled sharply at the contact; a purely human reaction, and his awe with the woman before him grew.

The next brush of lips was more sure. Sakura, growing more brazen, ran her tongue along the seam of his cool lips. His hands gripped her hips in response, but he patiently let her control their kiss.

It wasn't until she experimentally sucked his lip between hers and nipped him that he began to lose his calm.

When his grip tightened, Sakura gasped. The knowledge that his corroding control turned her on instead of frightened her was surprising and heady. Without further thought she captured his lip again. This time she bit down sharply and tugged.

He responded heatedly, and Sakura's appreciative moan was muffled by the quasi-immortal's hungry mouth.

Sasori was quickly losing himself as things escalated, but a soft, whimpered wait stopped him. He blinked a few times and physically swallowed as if to swallow down his desire. When he met Sakura's darkened eyes, he immediately noticed the poorly restrained anxiety.

"Tell me."

"What does this mean?" She blurted.

He frowned, "this?"

"Us," she clarified earnestly.

"Ah. What do you want it to mean, Sakura?"

"Well," she started hesitantly, "what do you know about the whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing?"

"Modern day mating rituals."

Sakura felt her face heat up. "I suppose I can see that."

"Is that what you want?" His voice was still husky, so his words felt heavy with innuendo. From his smirk she knew that he knew it too.

"Yes."

He moved to kiss her, but she took a step back.

"I want you to only drink from me."

Her bold statement struck Sasori speechless. To offer... it was foolish, but oh-so touching. It took him a moment to burden his new girlfriend with the truth. "I'm sorry, but that cannot be."

"Why? I want you - "

"Sakura," he interrupted, "it would kill you."

"Oh."

He wrapped his arms around the sweet woman - his girlfriend - and held her securely. She rested her head against his shoulder and returned the embrace.

"Okay. That's okay," she tried to reassure him. "I mean, it's not like I'm only going to eat when you're around, right?"

His lips twitched into an almost-smile of their own accord.

---

Eventually, Sasori demanded that the med student do something about the things she consistently complained about.

"There are many simple solutions to your problems."

"And? Maybe I just like to bitch about stuff?"

"Come with me."

Her eyes narrowed. "Where?"

"...Sakura."

"Oh, all right."

He brought her to a salon, of all things, and told her that she would make the change she wanted so much now or never. And so she did.

Her new, short hairstyle physically exposed her feisty nature, and looked as sexy as possible on the woman standing before him. It didn't matter how arousing she looked though, she would always be modest. Which she'd never know made her all the more appealing. He grinned. Her hair was not only much shorter (at least half a foot!), but pink. Well, she had said she was going to "go all out with that whole changing thing." His grin grew in mischievousness as he wondered at how oblivious Sakura was in terms of her own attractiveness. Then the grin dimmed when he contemplated all the eyes she was going to catch now that she was learning to enjoy expressing herself.

Although, her incessant worry over whether or not a choice was the right choice after it was already done would drive anyone to insanity. Like now, with her hair. Quickly growing tired of Sakura's antics, Sasori deemed the situation worthy of livening up.

"Hm, that isn't good," the burgundy-haired vampire said.

Sakura turned to face him. "What isn't good?"

"Your hair... it..."

"Oh, come on already! Just tell me that it looks - "

"It clashes with your clothes, mortal."

Sakura's mouth opened and then closed a few times before she turned on her heel and marched out of the salon, very much in a snit. Feeling smug, Sasori congratulated himself at a job well done.

This human was truly quite entertaining.

---

If people didn't notice the difference in Sakura before, then the short, pink hair was a good tip off.

Suddenly, people she had never spoken to were coming up to her as if they had been good friends for a long while. Ino encouraged her to be friendly and make connections, but that wasn't as easy for Sakura as it seemed to be for her blonde friend.

Although, the med student did find herself growing closer to Rachael. She was a good person, but beyond that, she accepted Sakura as she was. She challenged her opinions whenever she needed it, whether Sakura wanted it or not. Despite her ability to play devil's advocate, Rachael never pushed for anything that was past Sakura's comfort zone.

The two had begun to hang out outside of the café scene, and Sakura really enjoyed her company. The dark skinned woman even had Sasori laughing the first time they met. Unfortunately for the med student, this led to Rachael and Sasori ganging up on her. They were both tired of Sakura's apartment being so bare when it was clear that she wanted something more.

"I can't afford it," the pink-haired woman complained.

"Lame excuse!"

"Rachael is right. There are several sales that you could take part in."

"Fuck yeah, and estate sales are my favorite of them all."

"But that takes time," Sakura whined.

"Don't be such a twat."

Sakura gasped.

"What?"

"Your language," Sasori pointed out.

"Oh, shit. Sorry. I always forget."

"It's okay."

"Anyways, we can go together."

It took less than a month for the three to redecorate Sakura's apartment to the med student's specifications. She'd thanked them time and again, but having the apartment she'd dreamt of for so long meant so much more than she could say. Plus, her red sofa was ultimately comfy and Sasori looked damn good sitting on it.

---

Waving goodbye to Joseph and co., Sakura made her way to the bus stop with a smile on her face. College had become more fun now that she'd slowly started to open up to her fellow classmates. It still wasn't easy, but she was determined to prove to Sasori that she wasn't some 'stagnate mortal.'

She felt her cell phone vibrate in her bag and dug around like a mad woman trying to find it.

"Hello?"

"Sakura." Her heart stuttered to a stop at the familiar voice.

"...Sasuke?"

"Hn."

"Uh, hi."

"Did I catch you at a bad time?"

"No! Er, no. It's fine. How are you?" She hated herself for not being stronger, for not just hanging up.

"Fine. Listen, I have an interview around Stanford, and I'll be flying in this weekend."

She was shocked. He was coming here? Did he want to see her?

"Once I get there I'll need a place to stay," he continued.

Of course. She berated herself for her ridiculous train of thought. Thinking of all the cuss words Rachael had called her ex, she offered to look for nice hotels in the area.

"I'd prefer not to stay at a hotel."

"Oh." Sakura felt sick for feeling a spark of hope at his words when she was with Sasori. He deserved better than this.

"Just text the address to this number. I've got to go."

Her phone beeped as he disconnected, and she stood there holding the phone to her ear while the reality of what just transpired sunk in.

How was she going to tell Sasori?

---

By the time Sasuke arrived at her apartment, Sakura was a hot mess. She'd gone against her better judgement and hadn't told her boyfriend about letting Sasuke stay at her place. She knew there would be a price to pay, because the quasi-immortal was bound to find out.

It was painfully embarrassing how much she allowed this man to take advantage of her.

"What happened to your hair?"

"I found something that suited me better. Do you like it?"

"Hn."

That would be a no. Not that she was surprised at all.

Although she was shocked by how foreign Sasuke looked in her home with his dark, pristine suit and perfect hair. A small furrow between his perfect brows appeared as he eyed her living space.

"I didn't know you had time to watch television."

Gently touching the TV, she smiled. "I usually don't."

His ink black eyes judged her as they always did.

Surrounded by the happy memories she'd created within her apartment, Sakura was startled to find herself able meet his disapproval head on.

"You've changed."

"Yeah," she replied.

---

Just as she thought, when Sasori learned about another man being in her apartment, let alone her ex, there was hell to pay. Granted, they had already been in a heated argument when he asked why there was some man's scent all over her. The fact that Sasuke had only been over for business didn't change how livid the quasi-immortal looked though.

His irises had changed to an inhuman shade of silver, and she could feel the hairs on her arms standing on end.

"Did he touch you?"

"Of course not! I may not be able to tell him off, but I'd never cheat." She said pointedly.

He sighed, an old habit from his living years. This woman would be the true death of him.

She crossed her arms.

"You know I can't feed from only you."

"That doesn't mean I'm okay with you going out on dates with your meals."

"Sakura - "

"Don't Sakura me," she warned.

"It wasn't a date."

"What else do you call taking someone out to dinner?"

"Getting to know the blood I'm ingesting," he said bluntly.

"You can't just, I don't know, smell tainted blood?"

"To a certain extent," he admitted, "but there are some drugs and diseases I can't pick up right away."

"I still don't like it."

"And I still don't like you bending over backwards for your ex."

"I didn't bend - "

"Bullshit, Sakura."

Her mouth snapped shut. She'd never heard Sasori curse, especially at her.

"I agree that it was bad form to take a donor so close to home, but I held no ill intent. You let your ex into your home and conveniently kept such knowledge from me."

"I really didn't mean to," she whispered.

"But you did, and will again if he were to ask."

"No, I wouldn't," she denied.

Frustrated, his mouth pulled into a scowl. "I don't understand why you give him so much power over you."

"Maybe because he has a man's body," she retorted, and immediately regretted the petty words.

Sasori went silent, face blank.

"I'm sorry, what I said was disgusting and unnecessary and mean and your body is just perfect," she rambled.

The vampire could practically taste her regret in the air, but what she had said hit on a truth she may not have even been aware of. He had made the mistake of becoming too attached to a lover many years ago, and he'd paid the ultimate price of watching him grow old and pass while Sasori outwardly remained the same.

At the moment, Sakura and he weren't too many years apart physically, and yet they still received a strange look or two whenever they did things together. He'd seen her subconsciously react to the looks by putting distance between herself and him, but he never thought she might somehow see him as less of a man.

He was at least two centuries older than any living human. Shouldn't that count for something?

"You mortals are so fickle and superficial," he finally said.

"You're right," Sakura sighed.

The storm within his gray eyes bade the woman to reach out and sooth the hurt she'd caused with her thoughtless words. He scowled when she stepped forward, so she immediately stopped and took a deep breath.

"Okay. I'm still upset about what we were originally arguing about," she said, "but that was no excuse for what I said. I admit to being carried away by my emotions sometimes, like just a moment ago, so I think I'm going to go home and give this all some space."

He didn't say anything, nor did he stop her from leaving.

---

That night Sakura tossed and turned in her bed.

Yes, she felt Sasori had been unreasonably intimate with another person. No, she didn't handle her feelings well. She figured it had something to do with Sasuke so easily tossing her aside and her worries of Sasori doing the same. She constantly worried that she'd eventually be boring to a man, let alone someone who'd lived several lifetimes. To have him so blatantly need more than she could healthily give was hard for her to handle.

It really didn't matter why she reacted though. There was no excuse for what she said. She'd become friends with Sasori, and now they were something more. He had allowed her under his skin - literally when they first 'met' - and she'd just hurt him. It was his choice to forgive her or not.

As if on queue, there came a soft, familiar knock at her door.

She quickly slipped out of bed and answered it, not caring about her state of dress.

"Hello," she whispered.

"May I come in?"

She opened the door for him and he slipped through. When Sakura closed the door, she hesitated before turning to face the vampire in her apartment.

He didn't speak right away.

Instead, he looked at her revealed legs with thinly veiled interest before raising his eyes to meet hers. They stood quietly and regarded each other. The moment stretched until the intensity brought goose bumps to Sakura's bare skin.

"I didn't know that you would mind so much," his low voice cut through the silence, yet the tension remained.

"If we were friends, then I wouldn't."

He raised an eyebrow and cocked his head slightly.

"Your personal affairs would be your own if you want to be just friends," she explained.

"I understand." He looked down, and then stepped toward her. "And what if I still wish to continue our relationship?"

A shiver ran down her spine. "Then you'd have to accept that I'm an all or nothing kind of gal."

"Indeed."

A hot spike of lust shot down to her core when Sasori smirked and slowly closed the gap between them. His cold lips still felt foreign to her, but they offered her an experience she'd get no where else. Her mind went curiously blank when his tongue swept across her own. She gasped at the feel of his teeth lightly nipping her lip. Her mind was losing its grip on logic, so reluctantly she gently pushed him away.

"I love kissing you, but I need more than this as an answer."

"Mortal," he sighed. "You over think everything."

"Then make it easier for me," she pleaded. "I need to know that you want me."

He grinned. "I thought I was."

"You know what I meant. That you want a relationship with me and are okay with having just me intimately. Well, until you get tired of me and then move on." She smiled halfheartedly, trying to make light of her insecurities.

Sasori's grin vanished. The med student looked away, unsure of herself again. Cold fingers brushed her jaw and then tilted her chin up to meet his serious gaze.

"I am not that idiot boy," he growled. "And yes, I want you," he confirmed. "All of you and only you."

Her smile was breathtaking - if he had the need to breathe, that is. He wanted to take her right then and claim her. Brand her as his, and never let her go. But there was something more important than his want of her that he needed to resolve right away.

"Tell me, did Sasuke's man body ever do this?"

He swooped down and grabbed her thighs. She was easily tossed over his shoulder before he made his way into her room.

"Maybe once," she admitted, laughing.

He threw her on to her bed and wrapped his hands around her ankles to pull her toward the edge of the mattress.

"What about this?"

His lips brushed the arch of her foot gently, causing her to gasp. He didn't stop teasing the soft skin of her foot until her pulse raced and her breathing was shallow.

"Well, did he?" His impatience with her lapse in response was accentuated with a sharp nip to the inside of her calf. She shuddered.

"Mm, he liked to do that actually," she teased.

Catching on to her game, Sasori grinned against her skin. He languidly made his way down her leg. Trailing wet, open mouth kisses to the side of her knee. Then, straightening her leg, he licked off the sweat on the sensitive skin behind her knee.

She muffled her moan with a hand, but gasped loudly when Sasori bit her tender flesh.

"I want to hear you," he demanded, before he soothed her reddened skin with his tongue.

She consented and lowered her hands to grip the sheets. A good thing too, because after he finished with her right knee he moved to her neglected left leg to begin his sweet torture on her bare foot.

"Did the idiot do this?"

And then her middle toe was surrounded by the slickness of his mouth. Sasuke would never have done this, and she never would have thought it mattered... but then his tongue moved and he sucked.

Her head fell back with a breathy sound she'd never heard from herself. When he moved to another toe her hips rolled forward of their own accord.

"All the time," she gasped.

He pulled away from her foot and chuckled.

So beautifully stubborn.

Leisurely, he made his way to her thigh, paying extra attention to the areas that made her gasp and arch her back in pleasure. With a few hasty tugs he slid her bikini underwear down her toned legs.

Neither cared that the cloth didn't quite make it past her foot.

Taking a moment, he hovered over her newly revealed flesh. Her neatly trimmed hair did nothing to hide the moisture beginning to coat her sex. The thrilling scent of her arousal nearly demanded that he bury himself in her, but he'd be damned before he rushed anything with the woman beneath him.

"This?"

His dilated eyes met hers and she saw his elongated teeth through his parted lips. Sasori couldn't find an ounce of fear in her darkened eyes, and felt his desire spike at her trust. Maintaining eye contact, he lowered his head and brushed his lips against her quivering thigh. He let his tongue briefly taste her pale skin before burying his teeth into her flesh.

She cried out and grabbed his thick hair. Sakura wasn't sure if she was pulling him away, or pushing him closer. Either way, she felt more comfortable with a firm grip on his burgundy locks.

Despite the throbbing pain from his teeth, she could feel him nursing on her thigh and it made her core tighten.

As if sensing her need, Sasori shifted so he was holding up her thigh with only one hand. His newly freed hand brushed lightly over her flat stomach. A finger dipped into her belly button, but his hand quickly moved on.

When his fingers brushed over her clit she bucked up, desperately seeking more. Not allowing her the friction she was trying to get, he trailed his fingers lightly over her before circling her leaking entrance. Easily feeling just how aroused Sakura was, the quasi-immortal finally gave in and thrust a finger into her. She moaned loudly, and felt more than heard his responding growl.

Another finger joined the first as he forcefully pumped his fingers to the third knuckle and then removed them with a deliberate lack of speed. He continued without quickening his rhythm for a few minutes before circling her clit with his thumb.

"Ah!" She gasped. "You - oh! - win."

Sasori unclenched his jaw and lapped at the puncture wounds until they stopped bleeding.

Sakura wanted to smack the smug smirk off of his lips until he bent down and slipped his tongue inside her. Slowly and thoroughly he explored her with his dexterous muscle, taking his time to enjoy her tart taste. He made his way methodically toward her clit and circled the sensitive flesh teasingly with his tongue. When she commanded that he stop tormenting her (however pleasing the torture may be), he brought his lips down and sucked sharply on her clit.

"Oh! Oh, fuck."

He chuckled darkly at her breathy curse, which sent a wave of heat through her body. The feeling of his teeth grazing her while his tongue quickly tapped the trapped swollen flesh between his lips was nearly her undoing. With his tongue in place of his thumb, the med student knew she wouldn't last much longer under his ministrations. She tried to explain this to her lover, but words seemed beyond her reach. Thankfully, Sasori understood her whimpers and insistent hands.

Laying a wet kiss to the swollen bundle of nerves he was paying homage to, the quasi-immortal kissed and licked his way up his lover's beautiful body. Upon reaching Sakura's neck, the red-head couldn't help but indulge himself with more of her flushed, sensitive skin. She squirmed impatiently beneath him, and finally took him roughly by his hair and brought his lips to hers. His low growl of approval was swallowed by the passionate kiss he was pulled into. Heart beat racing, the pink-haired woman moaned at the subtle taste of herself on Sasori's tongue.

When Sakura broke away from the red-head for some much needed air, he watched her pant with unearthly eyes.

She didn't shy away from his gaze. No, she would never hide from him now.

She smiled softly, and touched his face gently. Who knew this was where her life would lead her? It was definitely not what she had expected, nor what she thought she'd ever want. Not that she was any where close to complaining, not at all.

"Sakura?"

She shook her head lightly, and leaned forward to capture his lips again.

His mouth followed hers as her head fell back onto the bed, and he settled himself firmly between her legs. Their kisses slowed, becoming softer, yet the underlining heat remained. There was something else - something much more intimate - being expressed now, and it slithered down into her stomach like her favorite liquor.

"Let go of it all, mortal," he murmured against her kiss bruised lips.

Sakura didn't know when what she had deemed an insult became her pet name to this powerful creature, but she felt his hushed order all the way to her curling toes. This seemingly impossible thing that he was asking her to do was unbelievably effortless. As long as he continued to guide her through this new-found level of sensory experience, then she had confidence in her ability to make any experience they shared as mutually pleasing as possible.

More than ready, her body accepted Sasori as he entered her with a smooth roll of his hips. He only gave her a moment to adjust to his girth before nearly pulling out completely and thrusting as deeply as possible into her warmth. Sakura caught on to his measured rhythm, and began to meet his hips half way. Soon the pace became tortuously slow to the med student, her body trembling with the effort to not instinctively seek out a quick completion.

"Sasori..."

"Not yet," he whispered. Though he did increase his speed. And when the pink-haired woman couldn't keep up with the rhythm anymore, he shifted to hook the back of her knees over his shoulders. Her reaction was immediate, and he eagerly muffled her moans with his mouth, which brought her knees up to her shoulders.

The angle of penetration was new to Sakura, and she felt her muscles flex almost painfully when the quasi-immortal kept up his relentless pace.

She gasped when his hands ghosted over her thighs, and then moaned when she felt them move to her breasts. Sakura desperately hoped she wouldn't pass out with the overwhelming amount of pleasure coursing through her. As his fingers - his wondrously talented fingers - did the most amazing things to her nipples, her core tightened until spots danced in her vision.

Feeling her muscles clamp down around him, the red-head pinched her nipples exactly as he thrust deeply into her. It only took a few thrusts before she cried out loudly, and he felt her pulsating around his length. Not willing to give in until his lover was utterly satisfied, he continued thrusting into her quivering core; increasing his intensity as her cries increased in volume. He met his end when her strong hands gripped his rear and forced him in as deep as possible. The mix of her soft heat and demanding actions caused him to spend himself within her.

Their bodies remained entwined, with her sheets a mess around them, until Sasori began moving again.

After their third time, Sakura fell asleep curled against Sasori's side.

He ran his hand through her short hair as he watched her breathe. She was stubborn and could be plain infuriating at times, but she was his. From her dyed hair to her firm ass to her small, sensitive feet. He had no idea what the years to come would bring, and he didn't care. The only thing he knew was that he wouldn't make the same mistake as he had with his previous lover.

He would turn Sakura.

---

A/N: Let it be known that I do not own Let the Right One In, Post-it notes, Ike's Place, Interview With the Vampire, Underworld, Ramen, Twilight Zone, Blade, True Blood, Bytes Cafe, Twilight, Naruto, Coupa Café, Harvard or Stanford University, nor do I know what color their walls are. :P

This was a long-in-coming gift fic for the one and only GoldenGrimoire. I made it super long on accident, hope you don't mind! If you wonder why there's so many page breaks... well, it's pretty simple - I love them. :) Also, I find it easier to express the passing of time with them.

I had a blast with this one-shot. I've never written Sasori, so I'd love to hear feedback on my portrayal of his character, as I worry it was atypical. And of course, a big thanks for inspiring me to give Sasori x Sakura a go, GoldenGrimoire!