A/N: Hey guys! This is one of my takes on the mystery of how Sasuke and Sakura get together during the blank period! (Between Ch. 699 and Ch. 700). This used to be Chapter 2, but I've decided to leave Chapter 1 as a one-shot prequel. This story will take on a more serious, dramatic, and romantic plotline, although still lots of hilariously awkward moments, so no worries! This takes places after Sasuke Shinden, AKA after The Last: Naruto the Movie. I'll try to be as Canon Compliant as I can! Enjoy!

Awkward…

Chapter 1: Heat

Sasuke and Sakura's relationship had been fairly good since he came back to the village. Team 7, with the inclusion of Sai, would spend time with each other training, eating at Ichiraku (at Naruto's insistence), or hanging around their old sensei at the Hokage's office. Sasuke was just getting used to being around his companions again, and Sakura was just glad he was there. She had grown even more than before, in the last couple of years during Sasuke's travels. She had become busy making huge accomplishments in medical ninjutsu, along with the maturity that came with age. Her confidence had grown, and she no longer felt the previous strain that came with her teammate being gone and consumed by evil. With everything combined, she hadn't given much thought to her feelings for Sasuke lately. She was content, and love wasn't really on her mind.

However, things had changed, since that fateful day... The Incident, as it would come to be known. Hence, the tension was real.

After Sakura punched Sai through the window after his daring comment, everyone basically poofed the fuck out of there, and then Sasuke and Sakura started avoiding each other like the plague. Of course, this didn't last forever.

Ugh when will this heat just let up! Sakura sighed, rubbing the back of her neck as she walked to the hospital. The weather was still scorching, and she'd given up on her usual attire, in exchange for a white spaghetti-strapped tank top and jean shorts, with her hair up in a messy ponytail. A couple of men whispered and smirked as she walked by, enticed by her toned and slim, yet curvy figure. Sakura rolled her eyes. Her beauty was known across the village, further than that even, as she had grown into a striking young woman over the past few years. Men were always making comments or coming on to her here and there, and normally Sakura would have had no problem punching their lights out, but today, she was just too damn hot to care.

As Sasuke was walking on his way to the Hokage's office, he looked around, taking note of the decaying grass and the cloudless sky.

Damn heat…His thoughts strayed to 'The Incident,' as they had been a lot lately, despite his efforts to suppress them. Images of Sakura, leaning in to quickly place his lips on his, came to mind, and he suddenly felt a bit of heat flush over his body. Not understanding the feeling, he glared. Naruto is such an idiot, I'm going to k—BAM. Sasuke suddenly tripped, and found he had fallen face forward into the ground. Sasuke was confused. He didn't trip. Ever. It just didn't happen. Luckily something cushioned his fall…or someone. He heard a groan. Definitely someone. Sasuke opened his eyes and looked at the person beneath him…the female beneath him…and not just any female…

Fuck.

Sakura groaned, feeling the pain from being knocked so suddenly onto the gravel, along with the heavy weight on her. She slowly opened her eyes to see dark orbs staring back at her. She froze. What just happened?! Sasuke… actually tripped? She kept looking at him…Why isn't he doing anything? She observed his stoic face. His eyes were wider open than usual. Sakura suddenly became uncomfortably aware of their position and the feel of their bodies against each other. Her mouth was only a few inches away from Sasuke's, as she opened it to speak.

"Sasuke…?"

Sasuke found that since he had realized whom he had fallen on, he had stopped breathing.

"…"

"Uhm...you're kind of squishing my..uhm," She looked to the side, cheeks slightly tainted pink. "…chestal…region..." She finished lamely.

Sasuke stood up within the second and looked away, hiding a slight blush. "Hn, you should have watched where you were going."

Sakura's blush disappeared, as she rolled her eyes and stood up. "I'm sorry," she said genuinely. Then she continued, "but technically you bumped into me too…" she looked up at him expectantly.

"…"

"…and it was a bit painful…considering you fell on me..."

"…"

Sakura sighed. What's the point? Of course he's not going to apologize…he's Sasuke.

"Whatever Sasuke …sorry for inconveniencing you," she said with a hint of annoyance, as she turned around and rubbed her back where she had hit the concrete.

He didn't respond, as she continued down the path to the hospital. Tch…annoying. He actually had no explanation for why he froze. For some reason he had a tendency to react differently around her than he normally would, ever since his most recent return to the village. His thoughts drew him back to one particular night…

Every once in a while, the original Rookie 9, along with some of the others would go hang at one of Konoha's night clubs, just to chill, have fun, and let out their pent up desires and frustrations. Although this tradition had mostly developed during Sasuke's multiple absences over the years, a short while after his brooding best friend's return, Naruto insisted on dragging him with him. He begrudgingly accepted, although his only real motivation was to maybe get a drink or two.

The two walked in together; however, before Sasuke could even gather in his surroundings, he saw a man flying across the dance floor and hitting the nearest wall with a loud crash. Everyone stopped moving to stare in the direction of the noise.

"Uh oh, not again…" He heard Naruto quietly say under his breath next to him.

Sasuke watched the crowd separate to allow room for someone. She walked slowly, with a swing in her hips that drew eyes towards her firm backside. Her stride accentuated her long, toned legs, which were exposed under her short, tight, black dress. The dress left little to the imagination, being completely backless with the halter around the neck morphing into a long dip down the front, revealing a large portion of her cleavage. She had a smirk on her face, and flipped her now flowing pink hair with a shake of her head.

Sakura… Sasuke could very clearly feel his heart palpitating.

When she reached the man, she grabbed him and pulled him up by his collar.

"Excuse me, sir," she started with a slow, almost seductive voice. "Do you know who I am?"

The man looked back into her emerald orbs, too terrified to speak. He nodded slowly.

"Well if you knew who I was, then I wonder, what could possibly make a man, such as yourself, dare to grab my ass?" She raised an eyebrow, seemingly calm and collected.

"I ...uh…I didn't think-"He suddenly noticed her hand loosen from his collar, and decided to bolt. But he only made it a few steps before she swept up behind him, pulled out a kunai from under her dress, and wrapped her arm around his neck, blade up against his skin, all within a couple of seconds.

"Ah, you didn't think," she said close to his ear. "Well sir, I hope you learn to think, because this is the last time you fuck with Sakura Haruno," she emphasized by poking the kunai into his skin, releasing a drop of blood.

"Y-yes m-ma'am," he responded, squeezing his eyes shut at the feel of the blade.

She then leaned in closer, and almost whispered, "Run."

As soon as she removed her hold on him, the man made a beeline for the door and sprinted for his life.

Sasuke suddenly felt the room had gotten hotter, in addition to a new, foreign sensation around the lower region of his abdomen. He sensed his blood rushing downwards…What was happening?

Basically, that was the hottest fucking thing he'd ever seen.

If he really thought about it, he'd have known, but not being used to -or caring for- situations that would cause such a hormonal reaction, he refused to let his thoughts consider such a possibility.

"-HEY, BASTARD!"

Sasuke was abruptly shaken out of his current state as he noticed his annoying blonde excuse for a best friend yelling and waving in front of his face.

"What is it, idiot?" Sasuke looked at him with bored annoyance.

"Are you serious, I've been yelling at you for like, TEN YEARS! You've just been standing there!"

Sasuke was surprised-although he wouldn't admit it- that he'd totally lost track of things for a moment. "Tch, whatever," he said, looking away from Naruto, and casually walked towards the bar with his hand in his pocket.

A short while later, Sasuke was leaning against the bar, sipping his scotch, while quietly observing the area. Naruto was of course in the center of the dance floor, getting really into whatever pounding dance music was playing at the moment, while their friends surrounded him, laughing or dancing along. Sasuke noticed the Hyuga girl blush, as Naruto grabbed her hand to join him. However, a certain pink-haired medic didn't seem to be in sight. Suddenly Sasuke was startled-in his own blank-faced Uchiha way- for a second time that night, as he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Oh, heeey there Sasuke, surprised to see you here," the voice said, a little taungtingly.

There she was, right next to him, in all her glory. Leaning on the bar with her face resting against her hand, she looked at him with the almost mischievous half smile she had when she was teasing someone. He couldn't help but give her rapid once-over, practically invisible to the naked eye, before shifting his eyes back towards the crowd.

"Hn."

Her mouth shifted into a brilliantly beautiful grin, chuckling a little at his familiar go-to response, as she turned to face the crowd as well. "Well, whatever the reason, I'm glad you're here. We miss having you around."

Sasuke glanced over at her, not knowing exactly how to respond to her affectionate statement. He knew both she and Naruto wanted him to stay immediately after his battle with the blonde, and he really wanted to work on reforming the ties he has previously severed. However, he knew how necessary it was for him to have taken this journey. It was better for both him and them, in the long run. He still couldn't help but wonder how things were the past few years without him. He looked again at Sakura. Well he could tell she'd grown in –ahem- certain ways…but how else had his companions changed? He thought back to the man flying across the room earlier. 'Not much.' He outwardly smirked.

"Well, judging from what I've seen tonight, you seem to have been doing just fine," he finally responded.

Sakura laughed musically and turned to meet the Uchiha's handsome smirk. "Well, it would seem so."

And they had a moment.

A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed these hot moments ;) Please review! :D