(Flashback)

"ASUMA!..." wailed Kurenai angrily. He was pulling her hair again. Seven year old Asuma had always found joy in teasing Kurenai. It was his guilty pleasure. Ever since they had joined the academy Asuma had an eye on Kurenai ( The only way he could get her attention was by teasing her of course . At least that's what the seven year old thought )

As the years rolled on a friendship forged between them. Friendship turned into admiration, admiration turned into adoration and unknowingly both of them had completely fallen for each other.

They met discreetly almost every day. When they passed each other in public,their hearts synchronized as their eyes met. Whenever they were on missions they longed for each other. It was as though they were the missing puzzle pieces of each other.

The problem was ,of course, both of them weren't good at expressing their feelings. They were both excellent shinobis who could throw a kunai at an eagle flying 5000 meters high and hit its eyeball with extreme precision but when it came to telling each other that they desired nothing more than to be in each other's loving arms, they were just as poor as Naruto is in coming up with strategies.


It was spring. Asuma and kurenai were having tea together, both of them looking down at their cups trying to hide the redness from their faces. Sarutobi Asuma had never ever imagined he would be this shy to talk to a person.

Asuma lights his cigarette and says, " Didn't you tell me you thought your room was a bit bare? "

" I may have.." replies Kurenai.

"Ino recommended these, hope you like them. They're supposed to be poppy seeds" ( Obviously Ino hadn't recommended anything and he had bought this on his own free will) He hands her a small jar of dark seeds.

She politely rejects his offer by saying that she is not capable of taking care of them and that she would end up killing them.

" Plant them if you feel like it" responds Asuma and leaves the place. 'The ball is in her court now' he thinks.

Taking the seeds along with her, she starts reading about them.

Her eyes widen and her cheeks turn read as she reads that in the language of flowers poppy means "to comfort someone".

That day,Kurenai was blushing the whole day.

Kurenai was not a lady cut out for household labor. But no matter how busy or tired she was, she always remembered to water the seeds.


Asuma had dropped by Kurenai's place . His eyes wandered off towards the well kept poppies and he smiled at the thought of his Kurenai taking care of it.

"Ino never suggested it, did she?" asked Kurenai, following his gaze.

"No.. I wanted to buy it for you" replies Asuma sheepishly.

Kurenai tries her best to hide her blush.

"Why poppies?" she asks curiously

"Because they reminded me of your beautiful eyes"

With that he lunges forward and presses his lips against hers. His hands wrap around her, pulling her closer to him. She kisses back just as passionately and her hands curl around his neck. They stand in a tight embrace with their lips sealed together. When they finally break off, "...and your lips" smiles Asuma.

With the Akatsuki being more determined than ever meant frequent missions for both of them. Every time Asuma sets off to a mission the image of Kurenai is the last thing he sees before he leaves Konoha.

The memory of her was the only thing that kept him motivated and helped him get through tough missions. She was the reason for his will to stay alive. God,I love her he thinks to himself.


Kurenai was in the kitchen cooking dinner. Asuma lurks behind her ,hugs her and places sweet kisses on her neck. She giggles and playfully pushes him off. He grabs her hand and turns her around, he lifts her chin up and kisses her passionately. His hands move around her waist and Kurenai moans with joy. In an effortless motion he lifts her up and carries her to the bedroom. Gently,he starts undressing her, kissing every bare skin. He skilfully unhooks her bra and his hands move to her breasts, he caresses them and tenderly sucks on her nipples. She throws her hands behind her head and moans in ecstasy. He undresses himself impatiently and climbs on top of her . He slowly removes her wet underwear and places his fingers between her thighs. Owing to the moonlight from the windows they see each other's beautiful naked bodies for the first time.

'She is so wet' Thinks Asuma.

'He is so hard' Thinks Kurenai.

Their lips meet and he slowly enters her. They moan in unison. He moves in and out in a rhythm, sending and feeling waves of pleasure. The speed of the rhythm increases and an explosion of pleasure sweeps through them.

He falls by her side, hugging her and kissing her. They wake up mid day intertwined in each other.

Reluctantly they make out of bed and Asuma heads off after planting a kiss on Kurenai's forehead.

'I am the luckiest woman in the world' thinks Kurenai.

'I am the luckiest man in the world' smiles Asuma.

(End of flashback)


Poppies. They are the first thing on Kurenai's mind as she wakes up. She is lying on the cold floor of her bedroom, her eyes are swollen from the tears shed. Asuma is dead . Killed by an Akatsuki, Hidan. How could he just leave me and go? she screams internally. Am I under someone's gengetsu? Being the best gengetsu user in Konoha she knows that's not the case.

'He is gone .I have no reason to live' she thinks.

Her body feels numb and she is unable to imagine a future without Asuma.

Asuma's death was one of the most shocking shinobi deaths. On his funeral, Kurenai felt more pain than she had ever endured in her life.

The world seemed black and white to Kurenai. She spent most of the time reminiscing about the old days and each memory was like a dagger through her heart.

Ino, Shikamaru and chouji had gone to avenge Asuma and kill that bastard ,Hidan. Revenge, she knew will not bring her Asuma back.

The days dragged on and to make matters worse,Kurenai started having dizzy spells and felt nauseated most of the time.

Tsunade forced her to go to the hospital for a checkup.

Even before the report came, she knew what was happening to her. Her hunch was right. She was pregnant with Asuma's child. The last of Asuma Sarutobi was inside her. Kurenai felt a speck of happiness and smiled for the first time after what seemed like ages.

She places her hands on her stomach and whispers, 'Asuma,I love you'

In a dimly lit room of the Konoha hospital Kurenai finds a reason to live for.


A/N: Don't forget to review!