Vertigo

Chapter Eleven: This Perfect Imperfection

The first thing Deidara noticed upon waking was that his stomach hurt like hell. It was stiff and sore, and a dull internal ache remained from his organs being damaged. It was to be expected, he supposed, since he'd nearly had his innards ripped out last night.

However, that didn't explain why there was another, entirely different sort of ache coming from his groin.

Several things became apparent to his sleep-fogged mind all at once. One: he had a raging hard-on, the likes of which he hadn't had in quite a while. Two: this was not one of those occasional and perfectly normal occurrences of morning wood that all men have. And three: the cause of this problem was most certainly the beautiful kunoichi pressed intimately against his entire right side.

Deidara suppressed the urge to groan aloud. He never should have fallen asleep so close to her. Two weeks of sharing a bed and nothing like this had happened, but in their exhaustion the just hadn't cared about proximity. And this was the result.

Last night their barriers had slipped down, revealing that their connection went much deeper than either admitted. He figured this would happen eventually. The signals had been strong and easy to read since the day they met, and it was a little surprising they made it through four months as partners without that line being crossed. Still, he didn't think it would happen like this.

They had shifted even closer during sleep, and she was right up against him now. Gods, he could smell her; her appealing natural scent combined with the green apples of her shampoo, the same scent left on his pillow the night she'd fallen asleep in his bed. Thoughts of her had filled his mind for days after that. But for as often as he wanted to just grab her and kiss the hell out of her lately, his libido had been remarkably well-behaved. Until now. He could feel her against him, all soft curves over toned muscle, testament to the deadly femininity of a kunoichi. Her hands were gentle and soft where they curled around his bicep. He wondered how all that firm softness would feel against the rest of him…to have her smooth bare skin slide sensually over his.

The bulge in his pants twitched uncomfortably, telling him he needed to get up right now before she woke up and beat the shit out of him.

Using all of his stealthy ninja skills, he attempted to lift his arm from her grasp. Sakura wasn't having it. She was latched onto him like a leech. It briefly occurred to him that if she knew he'd just compared her to a bloodsucking parasite she would punch him into next month. And if she knew he'd compared her to a bloodsucking parasite while simultaneously sporting a massive erection for her, she would absolutely destroy him.

He glanced down at her face, and had to smile a little at the way it was smooshed against his shoulder. He tried again with a little more force, though still careful not to wake her, and succeeded in pulling his arm free. But Sakura still wasn't having it. She murmured something in her sleep and – as if his arm had been a barricade keeping her away – curled fully against his side and threw her leg over his. He tensed, eyes going wide as her thigh rubbed dangerously close to his crotch.

Okay. That plan backfired in a big way.

He waited a minute until she was fully asleep again and then carefully pushed her leg off of his. She stirred and moved it the rest of the way on her own, but then she was back, and this time she threw her arm over his hips instead, and as she settled into this new position her hand slipped downward and stopped directly over his groin.

Deidara yelped. Actually, it was more of a strangled grunt-whimper, because yelping would wake her up and then she would castrate him out of embarrassment or anger or both. But when her hand flexed, fingers tightening over his straining member, he couldn't help the tiny pant that escaped his lips, eyes closing briefly at the sensation her involuntary movement caused. His head fell to the side to see her face again, this time pressed against his chest, her lips pursed in a sort of pouty, half kissy face. How the hell did she manage to look so cute and innocent while blatantly fondling him! He shifted his hips down and away from her evil little hand, trying to slide out of reach. But his movement caused her to stir and flex her evil little fingers again, and this time it seemed as though her subconscious knew what her hand was holding, because she mumbled again in a breathy sigh and actually stroked him through his pants. He groaned softly, and his eyes slipped closed again. Gods, if she could do this much unconsciously, what could she do when awake and purposeful, and – oh fuck – would it be so bad if he just arched up into her hand…?

That was it. Deidara freaked.

He sprang up from the bed, past the point of caring whether she woke or not, ignoring the sudden pain in his stomach, and bolted into the bathroom. He braced his hands against the sink and hung his head, panting slightly from exerting his injury as well as from the throbbing in his groin. He gripped the sink rim until his knuckles turned white. Fuck. What was she doing to him? Did she have any idea how hard she made it for him to respect her and their friendship, when all he wanted to do was make her his? And another question: why hadn't he just rolled over, kissed her awake and put an end to this unbearable tension right then and there?

But he already knew the answer to that. For one, he had too much pride to take advantage of a sleeping girl's unknowing actions, however much he suspected she probably wanted him to. And the other reason was because he had something with Sakura he didn't have with anyone else, ever, and he didn't want to damage that by being a horny bastard. Sakura was not coping well with this criminal lifestyle. He could see her teetering on the edge of depression every day. Sex with him was probably the last thing on her mind, and it would be a real dick move on his part to take advantage of her vulnerability. He was a selfish asshole, yes, but he wasn't that bad.

With another frustrated groan he pushed off from the sink and turned on the shower. He unwrapped his bandages and set them on the toilet seat, wincing a little and frowning at the nasty bruising, then removed the rest of his clothing and stepped into the steaming shower.

There was still a rather uncomfortable problem in his nether regions, even worse now that Sakura had outright groped him. He sighed heavily and leaned an arm against the cool tiles, his head falling to rest against his forearm. Only one way to resolve this particular issue, though he still had no idea what to do about the overall situation.

Sakura. She was the cause of all his frustration, and she was also the solution. He closed his eyes as his hand closed around his length, imagining it was her hand again; those soft, deceptively delicate hands that could crush mountains. Her pretty face flashed in his mind, those gorgeous green eyes…those full, soft lips. What would it look like, feel like, to have those lips kissing his length, sliding over his head as she took him in her mouth—

"Deidara?"

The squeaky sound that came out of his mouth was completely unintelligible but definitely conveyed his startled panic. His head whipped around, eyes wide in alarm. Shit. He'd left the door ajar. Thankfully Sakura wouldn't walk in.

"How does it feel?"

"Whuh!" His hand dropped to his side lightning fast, while his heart dropped into his stomach.

"…Your injury. You do remember you were nearly gutted last night, right?"

He exhaled with extreme relief at her sarcastic reply. Fuck, fuck, fuck. "Yeah…its fine. A little sore though."

"That's normal. I'll check it over when you get out, okay?"

"Yeah."

Once he heard the door latch shut, he banged his head against the tiled wall. Well at least his erection was gone, since Sakura had just scared him half to death. He groaned again and squeezed his eyes shut, letting the water pour down over his head. He didn't know how much more of this he could take.

It really was a beautiful sword, Sakura mused as she ran the cloth over the blade a final time. She carefully reassembled the sleek kodachi and slipped it into its scabbard before closing up her maintenance kit and returning it to her pack. She set the sword across her folded knees, admiring the superb quality of the craftsmanship as she slowly ran her fingers over the rose quartz inlaid along the lacquered black surface.

She could clearly remember the moment her teammates had given it to her, exactly one year ago. Kakashi had called a spur of the moment mandatory training session, and she'd shown up in a snit, ready to smash some heads, because it was her birthday, damn it, and she didn't want to train. But when she got there her boys had been waiting with a picnic lunch and told her the training session was just a ruse to get her away from any other engagements. Naruto had spoken for them all by saying she was their kunoichi and they didn't want to share her with everyone else at some noisy party. That was where they'd given her the kodachi as a gift. It was Sai's idea to get her a weapon, and he said he knew she would like it because she was so violent-natured. She'd lovingly smacked him upside the head. Naruto was the one to think of customizing it for her with the rose quartz cherry blossoms along the scabbard, and Kakashi arranged for it to be crafted by one of the best swordsmiths in Fire country, who owed him a favor. They asked Tsunade to bog her down with hospital work so she wouldn't be able to go with them when they left to have it made. She remembered that "mission" she hadn't been able to go on, a month or so prior, and had given them all affectionate glares while beaming with happiness at her beautiful new blade.

Sakura sighed and brought the sword close to her chest, cradling it as if it were her most prized possession. At this time in her life, it really was. It was the only thing that tied her to the life she had before, and had honestly taken for granted.

Were any of them thinking about her today? Kakashi and Tsunade would, she knew. But what about Naruto and Sai? What about the rest of her friends? Would they remember her today? If they did, would it make them sad, or would they be filled with anger and disappointment at the mere thought of her.

She really needed to stop obsessing about this. Nobody hated her, not for real anyway, because she wasn't really a traitor. As soon as she completed her mission and went home, everyone would know the truth and things would go back to normal. But even as she thought it, it didn't give the sense of comfort she'd been hoping for, because somehow she didn't think it was going to be that simple. Whatever the case, there was no point worrying about it now.

The door clicked open quietly. Sakura tensed, ready to move, until she saw it was only Deidara. He had tensed as well, and hadn't let his chakra leak before entering because he hadn't expected her to be here. The second their eyes met they relaxed.

He removed his cloak and tossed it over the back of the chair. "You get done early too?"

She shook her head, but didn't look at him. "I left."

He glanced at her, curious. "Why?"

Her expression darkened as she recalled her day at one of Saito's clubs. "The bastard who manages the place wouldn't stop flirting with me." Deidara chuckled from somewhere behind her line of sight, and she rolled her eyes before continuing, "He grabbed my ass, so I broke his arm…and his nose…and then I left," she finished, setting her chin on her knees again.

Deidara chuckled. "Kinda wish I'd been there to see that." He crossed the room again and sat on the edge of the bed, then let his upper half fall backward to flop against the mattress with a tired sigh.

"If you'd been there I doubt he would have done it. Everyone and their mother around here seems to think we're together," she grumbled.

Deidara was silent behind her, and she wondered if he was thinking about the idea of them as a couple, and if he was, what exactly did he think about it? A moment later her nose detected something strange, and she turned her head over her shoulder with a small frown. "Have you been drinking?"

His expression turned mischievous. "The guy that ran the place kept offering me drinks. It would have been rude to refuse, yeah."

Sakura snorted. "Since when do you care about being rude?"

Deidara just shrugged from his reclined position, and after a moment she turned around again. He continued to watch her back, frowning slightly when she gave a slow, drawn out sigh. His gaze dropped to the sheathed sword lying next to her on the mattress. It had sentimental value to her, he knew, and wondered if that had something to do with her mood. She was depressed again. He could hear it in the dull tone of her voice, and see it in her posture and the way her eyes lacked their usual fiery spark. She was prone to mood swings, but they usually flipped between happy and annoyed, something that amused him greatly and he found to be very artistic in nature. But lately these streaks of melancholy were more and more frequent, and usually brought on by something specific.

"Was your day really that bad?"

"No, it's…it's nothing," she murmured against her knees.

Deidara sat up, abdominal muscles tightening with soreness. "Sakura…" His frown deepened a little when she didn't respond. He hesitated a moment, then reached out to touch her, just brushing her shoulder blade. "What's wrong, hm?"

Sakura tensed ever so slightly at the unexpected contact, but relaxed again almost immediately, and felt a twinge of something close to disappointment when his hand fell away. She worried her lip between her teeth a moment, and then turned around slowly to face him, her knees brushing against his thigh as she settled. "Nothing's wrong, really…" Her eyes travelled up to his, lingering a moment before sliding to stare at the sliver of late afternoon light between the gap in the curtains. "It's my birthday today." Her blank expression failed to hide the emotion in her eyes.

Deidara stared at her, eyes widened in surprise. "Really? You should have told me earlier."

Sakura shrugged faintly. "I didn't think it mattered."

"Of course it matters. You're what, twenty-one?"

She nodded slowly. "Yep."

"We should celebrate," he suggested, breaking out into a grin.

His enthusiasm was almost always infectious, and she smiled despite herself. But she was still a little bemused by the idea. "What?"

"I'm serious." He stood up and stretched a little, still grinning at her. "I need to go take care of something but when I get back we're going out to celebrate, so be ready, yeah."

Sakura gave a small laugh, but didn't otherwise reply. He seemed more excited about her birthday than she was. She followed him with her eyes as he put his cloak back on and crossed to the door.

"Be back in a bit."

She nodded, and when the door closed she let herself fall backward onto the bed, sprawling crosswise of where Deidara had been a moment before. The sapphire sheets were still warm in the place where he'd lain.

So many worries had filled her mind recently, making her feel as if she was being pulled apart from the inside. But now, today, she was filled with a different sort of feeling; a sort of hollow apathy, as if her mind was so fed up with all the stress it had simply gone blank. She laid there for the longest time, staring at nothing, too drained to think about anything, to care about anything. Eventually she closed her eyes, and not long afterward fell into a dreamless sleep.

When she woke again it was to the sound of the door opening. Her fingers twitched toward her weapon holster, but stopped a moment later when she recognized the familiar presence.

"Why are you asleep? I told you we were going out when I got back."

Sakura opened her eyes, blinking as she slowly sat up and looked at her partner. Deidara was mildly glaring at her, obviously a bit irritated that she wasn't enthusiastic about his plan. She sat up fully and rolled her neck, but stopped when she noticed he held a bag in one hand. A shopping bag. She nodded toward it and asked, "What's that?"

Deidara glanced down at it, then shifted a little awkwardly and turned partly away. "Just some stuff we needed." He pulled something out and tucked it under one arm, then turned back and dropped the bag at the foot of the bed.

Sakura crawled forward and drew the bag to her. It looked like it was from a fancy boutique. Inside were one smaller bag and two boxes. She knew what they looked to be, as she pulled them out and set them on her lap, but she had a hard time believing it. This stuff couldn't be what she thought it was… Her jaw dropped when she lifted the lid of the largest box to find the most gorgeous shade of burgundy silk she'd ever seen, and she exhaled in wonder as she lifted it and discovered that the beautiful fabric belonged to an even more beautiful dress. It was flirty, with thin shoulder straps and an asymmetrical hem that would flare around the knees and show just a hint of thigh as she moved.

"Uh…there's more," Deidara said mutedly.

Sakura looked up to see him staring intently at something near the floor. Her gaze fell to the other box and bag, and she reached for them and pulled them open with and excited grin. Inside the small box was a pair of strappy heels, the color almost a perfect match to the dress, and only a half size off. The bag contained a silky shawl, in a slightly darker shade of maroon.

She looked up at Deidara again, bewildered. He shifted uneasily, and after a moment fixed her with a pointed look.

"What? I told you we were going out, and you didn't have anything to wear. Unless you planned to borrow something from one of the whores."

Sakura wasn't fooled by his snappish tone; she knew what it was covering. "You picked these out?" she asked, smiling softly.

"I picked the dress. The clerk lady added all the other stuff."

"How did she know my shoe size?"

"I told her how tall you are."

"Ah."

She gazed down at the dress again, running her hand over the exquisite fabric. There was no print or embroidery, only simple clean lines that flowed beautifully without any extra frills. It suited her perfectly, even down to the color. It left her a little stunned to realize that Deidara knew her that well, and had gone to the effort of buying it for her.

She stood and held the dress up to her front, admiring it again and smiling at the confirmation that it would indeed fit perfectly. He must have spent a fair amount of time studying her figure to be this spot on with her measurements. Then again, he was an artist; that sort of thing probably came naturally to him. Still, her stomach fluttered at the idea.

"It's so beautiful, Deidara. I love it." She gave him a bright smile.

Deidara scratched his chin and smiled back, far less smugly than he intended, the result being very genuine and adorable in its awkwardness. He was the first to look away, clearing his throat self-consciously. "Well hurry up and get ready. I'm getting hungry, yeah."

Sakura put the items back in the larger bag, then crossed to where he stood and wrapped her free arm around his neck, drawing him into a hug. He tensed for a second, startled, but then one hand came up to press lightly against her lower back. "Thank you," she said softly. She brushed her lips over his cheek when she pulled back, and didn't miss how his fingers tightened against her a second before his hand dropped to his side again.

Her spirits truly lifted for the first time in weeks, she hurried into the bathroom to get ready.

Fifteen minutes later, Sakura observed herself in the full-length mirror and couldn't help but grin. The dress fit beautifully, cutting low enough in front to reveal the faintest curve of cleavage, while the back cut lower still. It was provocative and flirty, while still remaining tasteful. She was a little nervous about forgoing a bra, but she didn't have one that worked with the cut and according to Ino, some dresses weren't meant to be worn with one anyway. Besides, after years of the Copy Ninja's grueling one-fingered pushups, her modest breasts were perky enough that she didn't really need one. She just hoped it wouldn't be a particularly chilly night. The heels she had very little experience with, but she figured her shinobi balance would help a lot. Her feet would be killing her by the end of the night, but they certainly made her legs look great.

She'd left her hair down in its usual style. The tips curved lightly against her neck, the short length allowing a full view of her shoulders and upper back. She didn't have much makeup at her disposal, only a stick of kohl and a tube of lightly pigmented gloss, and she definitely wasn't going to ask one of the resident girls to borrow something. But then, thinking of the simple beauty of the dress Deidara had picked for her, and the less than impressed looks he'd given the other women in this place, she guessed that he probably wasn't into all that primping and self-decorating. The thought made her smile, flushing again as she realized she actually wanted to look beautiful for him.

The very thought would have freaked her out only a few days ago, but subtle things had changed between them since the night he'd come back injured. The day after he'd been a little strange, and at night he'd been sleeping at the far edge of the bed with his back to her. At first she thought he was uncomfortable with the latest turn in their relationship and was trying to force distance. But then she would catch him watching her at times, and when they talked he would stand very close to her but then grow awkward and move away with some casual brush-off. Then yesterday she caught him actually breathing in her scent as she leaned over his shoulder to read some paperwork at a meeting with Saito, and it had become clear to her what his weirdness was about.

The madam had been right. Sakura had known it even then, and stubbornly refused to acknowledge it. But it was the truth. There was nothing platonic about their relationship, no matter how much they tried to pretend otherwise.

And tonight, well…she could tell something was different about tonight, and the prospect of what may lie ahead both frightened and excited her. It was wrong for so many reasons. But she'd done so many wrong things already in the name of duty, why shouldn't she do one wrong thing for only herself? Deidara was the only source of comfort in this dark world she'd been thrown into, and she was past the point of trying to deny the one thing that might make her happy.

With one last turn in front of the mirror and a final finger-comb of her hair, she took a steadying breath walked out to her waiting partner.

When she entered the bedroom her breath caught at what she saw. Deidara had changed for the occasion as well, and was wearing a deep navy sweater over dark pants. His hair was loose and falling over his shoulders and back, revealing his entire face. The color of his shirt made his eyes darken to smoky cobalt, and she found herself caught up in them when he turned her way and stopped dead in his tracks.

Captivated as she was by the change in him, he seemed even more mesmerized by the change in her. For once his expression was completely open, and it didn't escape her notice that his gaze lingered a little too long in certain places as he took in her appearance. Knowing that he found her so clearly appealing made her stomach flutter and her pulse quicken.

"So, what do you think?" she asked, holding her arms out to the sides a little.

Deidara swallowed slowly and his eyes returned to her face. "You look…stunning."

The undisguised honesty in his tone left her flustered, and her gaze dropped as she fingered the folds of her skirt. "Thanks. I don't have any jewelry or anything to wear with something like this, but—"

"You don't need any," he interjected quietly. She smiled and a pretty blush spread across her features. The seconds ticked by, filled with awkward uncertainty because this was so different for both of them. To lighten the air he gave a teasing smirk and said, "I guess I have good taste in dresses, yeah."

Sakura laughed and crossed to the bed to pick up her shawl. "Yes you do, but I don't think you should say that aloud to another person ever again."

He laughed as well, and she pulled the shawl around her shoulders and let it drop loosely through her elbows as she drew up to him. She smiled again, amused by the slight change in their height differences with her new shoes. She was now eye level with his lips, and she found herself staring at the smooth, impish curve of them, before catching herself and finally meeting his gaze. "You look really nice too. We both look so different."

"That was kind of the point. We can just be ourselves tonight. Not shinobi, not Akatsuki…just us, yeah."

That was the best idea she'd heard in months, and she returned his smile brightly. "So where are we going? There are some surprisingly classy places here, I noticed."

"There's a place across the street from the club I inspected today that looks pretty nice. The owner knew who I was from word of mouth I guess, so I was able to pull a last minute reservation when I went out earlier."

"Sounds great," she said, pulling her wrap around her shoulders, "Shall we?"

He opened the door of their room and let her go first, and Sakura ignored any strange or curious stares they received on the way out, most especially the knowing smile and wink from that infuriatingly perceptive madam.

The walk was pleasant and filled with their usual easy conversation, though the undercurrent of tension and thrill was still very present. Sakura was tempted to reach out and link her arm through his, but didn't feel quite bold enough yet. Maybe after a few drinks she would find the courage to be more forward.

The restaurant was as nice as Deidara had said, with dim lighting and warm colors giving a rich earthy ambiance. The owner himself greeted them and showed them to their table, which wasn't a coincidence, Sakura knew. They were seated in the back where it was quietest, and he also offered them a complimentary bottle of his finest wine. Their lighthearted conversation continued as they looked over the menu, but after they had placed their orders and the server left, Sakura sobered somewhat and gave her partner a heartfelt smile.

"Thank you for doing this, Deidara. I was feeling kind of down about today, and this has really cheered me up."

He grinned at her. "It's your birthday. You should do something to celebrate, even if it's just going out to dinner or having a few drinks, yeah."

"This is more than just going out to dinner," she said, glancing around the sophisticated room. "This is really nice."

He shrugged. "It's alright. It's all I could think of on short notice. At least you won't be sitting in that tacky room all night. " He took a sip of wine and cast his gaze away from her. "I'm a poor substitute for your friends, but—"

"You are my friend, Deidara," Sakura interjected quietly. "Don't ever think you're not. In fact, you're the only friend I have right now."

Deidara stared at her a moment, but then smiled a little self-consciously and looked away again. He never used to be so open about his feelings, Sakura noted; he always spoke his mind, but his true emotions were always hidden behind an arrogant smirk. She had been seeing these genuine glimpses more often lately. Either this thing between them had thrown him for a loop, or he was finally able to truly let his guard down around her. The thought made her smile.

"Anyway," he said, "If I'd known earlier I would have gotten you a gift or something."

"What? You bought me this beautiful dress." And from the look and feel of it, it hadn't been cheap.

"Yeah, but that doesn't really count. This place has a dress code, and neither of us had anything appropriate. I would have come up with something more creative if there was time."

She rolled her eyes. "You're so clueless."

"Well what do you expect? I don't know how all this stuff is done. It's not like I've ever taken a girl on a date before."

Sakura blinked in surprise. "So then…this is a date?"

He grinned at her, and after a moment answered, "Yeah…I suppose it is."

Her smile softened as she gazed at him. "This is exactly what I needed, Deidara. You always manage to pull me up without even trying. I haven't told you how much I appreciate that. If you weren't my partner in all of this, I'm sure I would have completely lost my mind by now. I'm really glad you're here with me." Her cheeks burned with the quiet admission, but she held his gaze steadily.

Deidara stared at her, faintly smiling, but his eyes were unreadable. He seemed almost at a loss for words, but anything he might have been intending to say was cut off when the server appeared with their orders.

That seemed to break the spell, and after their food was served and their glasses refilled, they returned to more casual conversation. But as they talked and laughed they continued to steal glances at each other, gazes lingering with underlying meaning before sliding away. The wine was excellent and left Sakura feeling warm and pleasant. After a while the undertone to their conversation grew less subtle, and soon they were openly flirting, not even trying to hide it anymore. A lot of the fuzzy feeling she felt inside had nothing to do with the wine.

When the bill was paid and they stood up to leave, Sakura reached for the shawl draped over the back of her chair, but Deidara picked it up first. She looked up at him, wondering, but he just gave her a devastatingly sexy smirk and moved behind her to slip it around her shoulders. His fingertips trailed softly down her bare arms, following the silken cloth as is fell to her elbows, his touch almost feather light, and a shiver ran through her body. Sakura knew he'd noticed it, along with the slight hitch of her breath, and the glint in his eyes as she met them again told her it hadn't been an accident. They turned to leave, and this time she didn't hesitate to link her arm through his and lean close as they stepped outside.

A pleasant silence settled between them as they walked unhurried through the streets, still busy with vibrant nightlife, but what remained unspoken was perfectly clear to both of them.

Although for as much as they were being open about their mutual attraction tonight, they were both still holding back. If they had let go the restraints, Sakura knew, they probably wouldn't have left the room at all. They had been dancing around this for months, possibly even longer; since that fateful encounter five years ago and the kiss she'd never been able to forget. Ever since they met again she could feel it building to a crescendo with every meaningful silence, every small admission of caring, every lingering glance, every furtive touch.

And Sakura had decided that she wasn't going to resist it anymore. She wanted it, gods help her. She didn't care anymore if it was wrong. Deidara touched some place inside of her that no one else had ever been able to reach, and whatever happened tonight or in the days ahead, she was simply going to run with it.

When they were almost back to their place of lodging, Sakura accidentally caught her heel in a small rut in the sidewalk and stumbled forward as her ankle buckled. She didn't go far because she was still holding Deidara's arm, and as he felt her lose balance he slipped his arm around her waist to steady her. She grasped his shirtfront with both hands, freeing up his other arm which then joined the first at her lower back.

"Dammit," she muttered irritably.

"Lightweight," he teased, his breath fanning her hair a little.

She frowned down at her foot to make sure she hadn't broken the shoe. "It's not the wine; there was a hole in the sidewalk."

Deidara chuckled, a quiet rumble that vibrated faintly beneath her palms. "Right."

Sakura huffed indignantly. "I'm serious! It's right over there," she retorted, tilting her head in the general direction of said hole.

Deidara didn't even look. "Mhm."

Sakura rolled her eyes and pushed against him a little. "You're such an ass," she grumbled playfully, but her voice trailed off to a whisper when she caught the look in his eyes.

Without warning his hold around her tightened and he swept her into the recessed entryway of a closed shop. Her breath caught in her throat as her back hit a wall, and their eyes met for one heart-stopping second before his lips crashed into hers.

Sakura slid her hands up his chest as she parted her lips for him in a breathy sigh. He groaned softly against her mouth and his arms tightened around her, driven by her eager reaction.

Their first kiss had been thrilling but chaste, and in her dream it was dominating and lustful. But this, being truly, fully kissed by him for the first time, was so much better, so much hotter than anything she could have imagined. His tongue slipped between her parted lips in a sensual, teasing taste before withdrawing, only to return and glide with hers in a way that set her head spinning, and when he tilted his head to deepen the kiss further, she was undone, the world around her fading until all she knew was him.

He broke the kiss reluctantly, his fingers curling around the back of her neck. "Sakura…" he rasped, his nose brushing her temple, nuzzling as he breathed in her scent and pressed his lips to the shell of her ear to whisper, "…you want this?"

It was a question and a confirmation and a hopeful request all rolled into one, and Sakura smiled as she arched into him. "Yes," she breathed, her head falling back against the wall, "You have no idea…"

And then his lips were on hers again, unleashed, all barriers gone as they gave in to what they had denied for so long. She poured everything she had into the kiss, all of her frustrations and worries and desires, conveying to him without words how much she wanted this, needed this.

Her heart fluttered rapidly in her chest, and her eyes closed tightly as he tore away from her lips and trailed hot, open mouthed kisses along her jaw. She sighed in pleasure when he gently sucked her pulse point, her head tilting to give him better access. She arched into him and shivered as her breasts rubbed against his firm chest. Deidara's hands were under her skirt, grazing the skin of her thighs as he pulled her against him, and it vaguely occurred to Sakura's passion-fuddled mind that if one of them didn't take initiative to get them back to their room they were going to tear each other apart right here on the street.

"Deidara…" Her breathy utterance of his name only seemed to drive him more, for he pushed his hips against hers and gently bit down on the tendon in her neck. Her head fell forward onto his collarbone as an erotic shudder coursed through her body, and she couldn't prevent the small moan that escaped her. It took her a few seconds to regain her wits after that, but she finally forced herself to push against his shoulders a little, lifting her head to murmur just below his ear, "Not here."

He pulled back and their eyes met, his lips curling in a smirk she knew promised very good things. Without a word he pulled her away from the wall and grabbed her hand, all but hauling her back onto the sidewalk. She did her best not to wobble on her precarious heels as they hurried the rest of the way, hands clasped tightly. Anticipation swirled around them in unbearable waves, and it felt to Sakura as if those were the longest few blocks she'd ever walked.

They had the presence of thought to let go of each other as they entered the building, but it was all they could do not to flat out run for the stairs. As soon as they made it to the first landing Deidara grabbed her from behind and spun her around, her back hitting the wall again as his mouth sealed to hers. She returned his kiss with equal passion, and it was a long moment before her senses returned and she broke away and dazedly hissed, "Go."

The rest of the way was a blur; all she would remember was that as she fumbled with the keys to their door Deidara was right behind her, one hand braced on the doorframe as he leaned in, trapping her. The other brushed softly over the back of her neck as he swept her hair aside, his breath fanning hotly, lips ghosting against her skin as he hovered over her. Through the shudders of sensation she managed to finally open the door. And then they were all over each other, touching and groping and kissing with the full force of their pent up desires. Sakura stepped out of her shoes, making him bend his head a little to keep kissing her as she suddenly became much shorter. Her hands slid down his chest to grasp the hem of his shirt, and with a wanton tug she pulled it up along with the shirt underneath. As it went over his head their kiss broke, allowing them to regain their senses a little as she carelessly tossed it aside.

The all-consuming fire eased to a smolder, and a moment of clarity set in as their eyes met and the full impact of the situation hit them. They were really going to do this, and they would not look back.

They gazed at each other for a long moment, and then Sakura gave a small, sweet smile and reached out to run her fingers over his smooth chest. Deidara smiled and cupped her face in his hands. Her heart swelled at the look he gave her; undisguised lust but also genuine feeling. He kissed her again, gentle and sweet, but passionate enough to make the fire burn in her veins once more.

His fingertips trailed down her spine, inducing another shiver, and grasped the zipper on the back of her dress and eased it down. His hand smoothed over each revealed inch, moved beneath the edge of the fabric to brush the small of her back, while the other slipped the thin straps from her shoulders as he kissed down the side of her neck. Her short nails grazed lightly over his shoulder blades, arms lowering as the straps of her dress fell away and the silky material slipped down her body to pool at her feet.

Sakura stood before him in only her panties, and his hungry gaze spread a warm heat through her core. A sigh escaped her lips when his fingers traced the curve of her breast, just like in her dream only better, and when his thumb teasingly brushed her nipple she gasped softly and bit her lip at the stab of pleasure.

Deidara's eyes focused intently on her breasts, his lips parted, his fingers teasing against her as if he was dying to cup the soft flesh in his hands. She wondered vaguely why he didn't…and then she realized he was being mindful of his bloodline limit. She doubted he was self-conscious about it; in fact she was most certain he was very good at using them this way, but he probably didn't want to make her feel weird or uncomfortable. He had no idea how far from the truth that was.

Sakura reached for his hand with both of hers, fingers closing gently around his wrist. His eyes flicked up to hers uncertainly, and she held his gaze steadily as she brushed her lips over the thin seam at the center of his palm. Deidara watched her, and she knew by the slight surprise mixed with the lust in his eyes that no one had ever done it before, for it was far more personal than simply letting him use them on her body. She smiled, reassuring, inviting, and continued to hold his gaze as she lowered his hand slowly, letting his fingertips trail down her throat and sternum before she pressed his palm fully against her breast. A breathy moan escaped her lips as wet silkiness enclosed her sensitive flesh. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into another heated kiss, and soon another tongue lapped the tightened peak of her other breast. The sensation of three tongues doing such amazing things overwhelmed her and nearly took away her ability to stand. She couldn't wait any longer. Her hands slipped from his neck to urgently pull his pants open and jerk them down around his hips. Deidara growled in agreement and grabbed her around the waist, lifting her a little as he steered them toward the bed.

Sakura crawled backward onto the cool satin sheets and tugged him after her by the open edges of his pants. He grinned sexily and leaned over her, his hand weaving into her hair just before he captured her lips in another searing kiss. In a tangle of eager limbs they removed the last of each other's clothing, but for as turned on as they both were neither wanted to finish so quickly. This thing had been building for far too long to not savor it.

Deidara explored her body masterfully, taking his time caressing her skin, kissing her sensitive breasts, stroking between her thighs, making her pant and squirm and moan beneath him, his long hair creating delicious sensations as it trailed over her naked skin when he moved. Sakura returned his passionate attentions as much as she could, but Deidara always remained dominant over her and she let him, succumbing willingly to the fire he created inside of her. His hands twisted in her hair as he buried his face in her neck, kissing gently as he rolled his hips against hers, his hard length rubbing against her. His breath fanned hotly over her throat, and he groaned softly as his arms tightened around her. "Want you…so long…" he murmured brokenly against her skin.

Sakura arched up into him, her thighs sliding higher over his hips. "You have me," she whispered.

Deidara stilled and lifted his head to look at her. His lustful gaze held a hint of wonder, and she realized that the way she'd said it so raptly, so heartfelt, left it unclear if she had meant 'tonight' or 'forever.' But in the haze of passion she didn't care to clarify, and at this point she wasn't even sure if there was a difference anymore.

He seemed to find whatever answer he was looking for in her eyes, because suddenly he was kissing her again, shifting until she felt him hot and hard against her. She rolled her hips upward, eager for that blissful feeling, and they both moaned as he slowly entered her. Her head fell back against the cool sheets, the incredible sensation as he buried himself deeply making her cry out a heady whimper. He breathed heavily against her neck, the muscles of his back and shoulders tense as he fought to control himself. Her thighs lifted and pulled him to her tightly when he began to move in gentle but powerful thrusts. Sakura arched into him wantonly, her moans going up an octave as he lifted her thigh over his hip, shifted their angle to thrust deeper. His mouth closed over her breast, tongue slowly circling the tightened bud. Her hands tangled in his hair, holding him to her as she felt herself spiraling higher and higher, a sensual delirium taking her over as the heat condensed and tightened in her core until it burned white hot. She pulled him, dragging his head up to meet her in a frenzied kiss as she bucked her hips against him, desperate for gratification.

He sensed how close she was and began to thrust harder, deeper, panting against her throat as he neared his own release. He released her thigh to grasp her hand, interlocking their fingers in an intimate and affectionate gesture that made her thrum with happiness and smile through the pleasure. Then the coil snapped and her world shattered as she came in a series of shaky moans, her body wracked with tremors. Her powerful release set him off as well and he followed a few seconds after, his rhythm breaking as he groaned into her neck with several hard thrusts, shuddering against her.

For a minute neither of them moved, catching their breath as they came down from the intense high. His brow rested against her temple as her fingers played idly in his slightly sweaty hair, their other hands still joined above their heads.

Sakura gave a lazy, thoroughly satisfied smile and turned her head toward his, their noses brushing, breath intermingling. "Bang," she whispered playfully.

Deidara grinned. "Indeed," he murmured. He tilted his chin to kiss whatever part of her face was closest, which happened to be the side of her nose. "Happy birthday, Sakura."

Sakura laughed softly and exhaled a contented sigh. "Mmm. Best present ever."

Deidara rolled them so he was on his back with her against his chest. His arms wrapped around her and they lay like that for some time. She touched a faint scar on his chest that she'd never noticed before, and then found a few more across his shoulder, reflecting pale silver in the moonlight, and traced them too as he softly stroked her hair, fingers occasionally caressing down her back.

Sakura was so glad they had done this, so glad she had given in. She didn't know what it would mean for the future, but tonight she simply didn't care. All that mattered in this moment was the gentle sound of his heartbeat and the warmth of his body as she lay in his arms, because right now, for the first time in a long time, she was happy.

Out of the corner of her eye she glimpsed the clock on the nightstand, and lifted herself a little to see his relaxed and peaceful face. "Deidara."

He cracked his eyes open. "Hm?"

She smiled slyly, fingers trailing down the smooth firmness of his stomach and over his hipbone. "It's still my birthday for another thirty minutes…"

He grinned, blue eyes glinting deviously, and without a word he rolled and pinned her beneath him, his mouth descending on hers with a primal chuckle that promised a very enjoyable finale to the evening.