The moment he'd woken up and noticed Sakura was wearing his shirt, Sasuke had remembered the previous night's nightmare, the way she'd held him down while he struggled under her, too lost in his mind to realize what he was doing to her. It couldn't be a coincidence that she had discarded the blouse.

As soon as Sakura had left the tent, saying she was probably late for her shift, Sasuke had started searching for the blouse.

Locating it had been an easy task; Sakura had simply shoved it underneath her sleeping bag.

And just as expected, Sasuke had found it bloodied. While he couldn't remember what sort of wound he had inflicted her, it was clear that the blood was only hers and not his.

His shoulders still ached from the bruises she had given him, which remained even three weeks later, but the skin hadn't been broken.

Still, Sakura hadn't said a word or given any sign that he'd attacked her. Instead, she laughed, swatting at his hands while his fingers tickled the sensitive spot of skin he'd found near her ribs when he'd given her stomach another rub.

"Stop it, Sasuke-kun!" Her protest held so little seriousness that Sasuke could only grin, renewing his efforts twofold. "I can't take it anymore!"

Sakura tried to flee, but the endeavor was only half-hearted. They both knew he would be too fast for her to be able to get away. Or maybe it just made a good enough show of their lunch.

When Sasuke pulled her into his lap, she struggled, toned legs kicking the air mercilessly.

"I saw you pass some of your food to that kid," he whispered against Sakura's ear, loosening his hold on her when he felt her breasts over his arm. "You need to stop doing that."

A few feet behind him, Sasuke could clearly hear complaints of his overtly 'dirty' behavior, but paid it no mind. Rumors of the child's parentage had already lessened, and that was all that mattered to Sakura.

"And don't you think that this is a little much?" Sakura straightened somewhat, leaning more of her weight on his thighs instead of on the arms she had wrapped around his neck. Sultry eyes locked with his, she inched closer, so her lips almost brushed with his. "I didn't remember this kind of thing being in our contract, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke gave a quick shrug of his shoulders, pressing his lips against her for a long, gentle kiss. "It has the desired effect."

"It does," Sakura giggled against his ear. "On you, at least. I can feel it on my thigh."

Sasuke blinked, not amused. "What?"

Laughing, Sakura stood up and winked at him. "Good plan, Sasuke-kun. I have to be somewhere now, but I can't wait to get back to the tent tonight."

Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek, all too glad to know his body hadn't actually betrayed him so and that Sakura was only joking. "Don't be late."

In another fit of giggles, Sakura left him to endure the dirty looks and sniggers by himself. Well, he'd started it, hadn't he?

Maybe Suigetsu was right. Maybe he needed to get laid if he was so flustered by a joke coming from Sakura.


As much as he knew that having a libido was more than normal, Sasuke still wished he could obliterate it for the time being. Always having Sakura in his arms, pressed against him or even kissing her was creating a strain he hadn't expected. Worse, even if Sasuke had told Suigetsu otherwise, her blouse truly was see-through without a bra on. Then again, he'd been stupid to think that any attractive woman would leave him cold in such situations. Sakura was far from his thoughts when his mind strayed, but she made it hard to return to a sober state.

"Sasuke," Gaara called from Sasuke's side, returning his attention to reality. "It's unusual to see you here."

Taking a walk in Sand district, where his name wasn't as despised or known, had seemed like the perfect way to distract himself.

"I thought the air might be lighter here," Sasuke said, hand on the hip he shifted his weight onto.

"My living quarters are no resort, but maybe they will provide the privacy you seek?"

Sasuke's eyebrow raised slightly as he observed the Kazekage. They'd only met while in the chuunin exam, but Sasuke didn't doubt they knew a lot more about each other than what had transpired of their exchange back then.

"Lead the way then."

Gaara's home was far from what Sasuke had expected. He'd seen stakes laid out in squares scattered around the district, but hadn't realized that they consisted of the housing for a portion of Suna's citizens.

For a moment, Sasuke was almost jealous. This was far more private than the thin walls of a tent.

"I guess even the best lovers need time away from their girlfriends," Gaara chuckled while he took a seat at his table.

Sasuke followed suit, cheek in his palm when he leaned his elbow on the table. "Company on the side would be more than welcome."

The blush that spread across Gaara's cheeks made it difficult for Sasuke to hold back a laugh. It wasn't hard to remember how embarrassed Gaara had been when they'd played cards together and he had admitted to being a virgin.

"I guess so."

"Can't really do anything but guess, hm?" Sasuke teased, pleased when Gaara's face grew a few shades darker. "Stop being so embarrassed about it."

"I must be the first Kage to be a virgin." The joke was lighthearted, as was the smile that was just beginning to appear on Gaara's lips. "Don't you think?"

"I don't doubt it at all," Sasuke chuckled. "Aren't you the youngest as well, though?"

"Kazekage, yes." Gaara nodded, crossing his arms on the table, relaxing considerably. "But if we are to speak about age only, that hasn't hindered several of our comrades."

"Some have been less busy than others."

Sasuke's eyes scanned the dugout, trying to track down the next thing that might hold his attention for a few seconds.

"How did you have time for it?"

Around his cheek, Sasuke's fingers tightened, scratching his skin lightly. "It was made for me."

"I don't understand." Gaara's dark eyes had widened slightly and he cocked his head to the side just barely, probably not even noticing that he did it. "What does that mean?"

Sighing, Sasuke inspected his free hand. "If I was offered a whore in Orochimaru's care, surely you have been offered three times more."

Gaara's silence only intensified the needles prickling Sasuke's skin.

"I'm joking."

"Are you?" Gaara's voice had tightened considerably, but the bitterness Sasuke had expected was absent.

It was Sasuke's turn to leave his company without an answer. Gaara sighed.

"Perhaps it is not right to admit," Gaara started, running a hand through his hair, "but among all our friends, I am the only one to have walked a path filled with hatred such as yours."

Jaw clenched, Sasuke watched Gaara through narrowed eyes, the muscles in his thighs tight and ready to flee.

"I have done my share of…" On the table, Gaara's hands clasped harder together. "My share of wrongs. If you wish to lighten your burden, I will listen and know that you are not the same person today. Few will offer you that opportunity. None have for me."

For a while, Sasuke didn't speak, instead clenching his teeth to keep his mouth shut. Many words demanded to slip through, but Sasuke hesitated. When offered a helpful hand, it was so common to find a knife under it.

"Orochimaru believed that a man's needs were to be taken care of if he was to have a clear head. The moment I stopped looking like a child, he sent a girl to visit me. Emi. I was never told that she was sent for that specific purpose, but it wasn't hard to understand. Emi did her job wonderfully, without a doubt. If she ever disliked me, I could never have told. Perhaps I was too arrogant to think she could."

There was a moment of silence before Gaara finally spoke. "I must say it wasn't quite as a bad as I expected, if it is any comfort."

"Is it any less rape if you aren't the one to order it?" Sasuke chuckled while he stood. "I'm sure Suigetsu has gotten himself in a mess I need to fix."

Before Gaara could say anything else, Sasuke was on his way.


Emi.

Lately, the name resounded in Sasuke's mind more and more often. So much so that he'd even told Gaara about her on a whim. It was quickly becoming an annoyance that he'd rather be rid of, but at the same time didn't want to let go of.

Laid out in the grass of the old training grounds, Sasuke closed his eyes, imbibing the sunlight like some lazy cats had once had the habit of doing by his old house.

Emi's face - and features - were as fresh in Sasuke's mind as if he'd seen her the night before.

Long black hair, a pretty round face… There'd always been a light to her eyes that had drawn Sasuke in. Perhaps a spark akin to rebellion, a fire to remind him to remain on edge at all times even around the frail girl she'd been. Under the cute looks of her dainty curves and obedient demeanor, an assassin remained - hidden and ready to pounce, just as those lazy cats in the Uchiha district that would strike down a bird between two baths of sunlight without their prey even knowing what had hit them.

It wasn't the looks that had attracted Sasuke, nor the curiosity of his first sexual experience.

No, those motives were far more innocent than he could ever be.

The moment Emi had sought him out to offer to help him with his bath, Sasuke had known the true reason behind her visit. All he'd wanted was to see how far she would go before begging him to stop. See how far her fear of Orochimaru would take her.

Indeed, she must have been terrified of him.

Although, after several week's worth of biweekly visits, Sasuke had started wondering if Emi was still obeying orders. Arrogant as he was, he had preferred to think she had grown accustomed to their encounters and had no wishes to stop.

After all, didn't she moan and beg for him time and time again?

No matter how many times he tried, he could never pull her hair hard enough, dig his nails deep enough in her skin or sink his teeth into her flesh far enough for her to ask him to stop.

Emi only asked for more, though it was sometimes through tears and gritted teeth.

Just thinking of her beneath him, whimpering and groaning while he fucked her, goosebumps rose on Sasuke's skin.

There was little he wouldn't give to have Emi with him right now, demand that she relieve his urges just as he had so many times before.

Expelling an irritated breath, Sasuke opened his eyes to stare at the pristine summer sky.

Perhaps if he had really wanted her so badly, he wouldn't have left her to rot in Orochimaru's compound.


When Sakura didn't meet him for dinner once the sun had started to set, Sasuke had set out to find her. Kakashi had already found a way to meet her once and Sakura most likely wouldn't refuse him if he tried again. Or worse, Kakashi certainly wouldn't if Sakura came to him.

"Ino?" Sasuke called when he reached her tent.

It wasn't long before Ino's blonde head poked through the opening, eyebrows almost reaching up to her hairline. "Sasuke?"

"Sakura told me she was spending the afternoon with you," Sasuke said, narrowing his eyes. Clearly, Sakura wasn't here. "Where is she?"

"Sakura can be wherever she wants," Ino scoffed while she stood before him. "Why do you think I'd know where she is?"

Gritting his teeth, Sasuke ran a hand through his knotted hair, baffled by Sakura's behavior. That girl was even more naive than he'd thought, if she assumed she could sneak away without being caught.

"Kakashi-san came by earlier to inquire about the tainted grain," Lee said, appearing from behind Ino. "I told him Ino-chan was still working on it, and he insisted on visiting the grain storage again, though he didn't request Ino-chan's presence."

Sasuke nodded, relieved Lee understood why he needed to keep an eye on Sakura. "I'll go check on him, then."


Once he'd managed to get in the storage, it hadn't been long before Sasuke figured out where he'd find Sakura and Kakashi. The building - one of the only wooden ones to be built in Konoha yet - was almost always empty and possessed several rooms. At least they'd chosen the least attractive one. The smell of the fertilizer surely made more than a few flee.

Undeterred, Sasuke stood by the door, his presence not yet detected.

"Aren't you cute," Kakashi chuckled.

Sakura scoffed and the sound of a slap on cloth echoed. "You're just trying to get in my pants."

The shuffling of clothes tempted Sasuke to peek inside, but he remained patient, curiosity winning over his impatience.

"I wonder why I think you wouldn't mind that." Kakashi's voice was light, a warmth behind it that was foreign to Sasuke. "You've been giving me these looks lately. I was afraid you'd eat me whole when I finally got to see you."

Sakura laughed. Sakura laughed with Sasuke, like when he had tickled her earlier, or sometimes when he made a joke. How she laughed right now, though, was nothing like that. Her laughter was deep and rich, filled to the brim with joy.

"Shizune warned me about the increase in libido some women experience." Well, that was a detail Sasuke could have done without. "It's too bad I rarely get to be alone. I miss solitaire."

It was Kakashi's turn to laugh. Much like hers, his voice was carefree.

"I've missed you," he breathed out slowly. "You're making it a tad harder on me, telling me this."

Sakura sighed, a new heaviness in her tone. "I miss being with you. I miss having you within arm's reach when I sleep."

"I don't miss your snoring."

Indignantly, Sakura scoffed, but the happiness she'd expressed earlier still dripped from the sound.

"So you miss playing solitaire," Kakashi whispered, between the sounds of a few kisses. "Is that all you miss, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura's next words were too low for Sasuke to understand them, but he didn't miss the rustling of fabric or her sharp gasp.

Sasuke cursed under his breath and gave a soft slap to the wall, loud enough for Kakashi and Sakura to catch it and react before he entered the room. If they hadn't done it yet, it was their loss.

"You're late, Sakura."

Sakura was still clutching the bottom of her shirt, pulling the material down as if it might fly up on its own. The shock in Kakashi's eyes matched Sakura's perfectly, as did his stiff posture.

"I thought you'd take this more seriously."

While there was indeed anger burning in his chest, it had slipped through Sasuke's throat unplanned. Sakura's eyebrows bunched together, eyes narrowed in a rash reaction he knew all too well from her.

"What are you doing here?" Sakura muttered, showing no effort to contain her temper.

"No," Sasuke scoffed, placing a tense hand on his hip. "What are you doing here?"

Although anger still flashed in her eyes, Sakura averted her gaze and pinched her lower lip between her teeth.

The glance he spared Kakashi did nothing to quell Sasuke's bitterness. There was a reason that Kakashi wasn't saying a word in Sakura's favor; Sasuke could see it from a mile away. Kakashi knew he was wrong.

"I already told you," Sakura growled, meeting Sasuke's glare head on. "I don't need to be babied."

"Do you?" Sasuke chuckled, fully ready to face the tantrum that was brewing in Sakura. "You didn't hear me coming, did you?"

"What do you care either way?" she spat. Once more, she allowed her voice to carry more than it should; once more, she was careless. "What does it change for you?"

Muscles tight and wishing for no more than to release their frustration on any nearby object, Sasuke took a step forward, gritting his teeth.

"Nothing," Sasuke said, low and steady, but oozing hostility. "It changes nothing for me."

Body tense, Kakashi stepped in front of Sakura, herding her behind him. Sasuke turned his head to the side, teeth clenched as he tried to swallow the rage that boiled and swelled in his chest, threatening to spill no matter how hard he tried to contain it.

"Remind me what it changes for you?"

Hand gripping Kakashi's sleeve to hold him back, Sakura shrank behind him, eyes narrowing, but under the weight of guilt rather than anger.

Kakashi didn't relent, remaining defensive and ready to attack if necessary.

Sasuke could feel every muscles in his face tighten, hear the complaints of his teeth against the pressure. "It'll never be enough for you."

Watching the planks under his feet, Sasuke inhaled deeply before he turned away. He'd felt his fist connect with the wall, felt the wood splinter and break his skin, but he was far away from it. If that was what Kakashi thought of him and if Sakura was just going cower behind her precious sensei, then so be it. Without a word to add, Sasuke walked away, leaving Sakura and Kakashi to do as they pleased if they wanted it so badly.


Perhaps it hadn't been the best of ideas, to come to the Memorial Stone. Strained in the darkness the moon alone couldn't dissipate, Sasuke's eyes trailed over the many names engraved in the piece of rock, the physical evidence of Konoha's lies and deception.

If Konoha had been half as great as they all pretended, Itachi's name would have been among all these other supposed heroes that gave their life for a village that did nothing for them but raise and train them to die.

The one child he would try to protect would most likely suffer such a fate, if its mother didn't before it even had the chance to try.

"I didn't expect to see you here so late, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke's head snapped towards Hinata, eyes barely widened in surprise. How did this girl keep sneaking up on him so effectively?

"My bed was empty," Sasuke said, previous feelings and thoughts well camouflaged. "Might as well take a midnight walk."

Hinata only hummed and sat on her calves besides him, close enough to warm the exposed skin on his arms.

After a moment, Sasuke could see Hinata turn to look at him from the corner of his eye, a gentle smile on her thin, curvy lips. "I can keep you company."

Hinata was a strange girl, if Sasuke could call her that. While most pinned her as shy and brittle, he only guessed her to be a cunning girl who knew how to work her charm just as well as Sakura did.

"Be careful," Sasuke whispered, smirk twisting his lips. "I just might snap that frail neck of yours."

Hinata only giggled, covering her mouth with ever so hesitant fingers.

"I never knew I was so humorous."

"Sasuke-kun underestimates me," she said, throwing him a look that was by all means brimming with her unique gentleness. Still, a shiver ran up Sasuke's back and stiffened it. "But I do not underestimate Sasuke-kun. You won't."

"Some could take example on you," Sasuke chuckled, leaning his weight on his elbows that pressed into his thighs.

"Is that why your bed was empty?"

Lips shut, Sasuke ran his tongue over the tips of his teeth. "Perhaps. There are other conveniences I cannot offer Sakura that Kakashi will be happy to."

Conveniences that were painfully lacking on Sasuke's side.

As dark as it was, Sasuke could still notice the difference of color on Hinata's cheeks. "I see."

Hinata's gaze remained on him, probably expecting him to continue to babble on about whatever was troubling him, but Sasuke didn't speak another word.

There was no reason to talk when she looked at him like that, when her thigh pressed against his against her better judgment. Much less when he could see the fabric of her bra, the swell of her breast, through a gaping of her shirt that Hinata had failed to notice.

Steady and firm, Sasuke's fingers trailed up from Hinata's forearm to her neck, every goosebump that rose widening the smirk on his lips. Hinata's skin felt just as it looked, soft and light as a cloud. Even while he was focused on the strand of her hair he was toying with - hair that was strangely like Emi's - Sasuke could see Hinata's lips parting, though they remained silent.

Hinata failed to react, whether it was to the way he had grasped the hair at the base of her skull and pulled her towards him or the way he looked down at her through half-lidded eyes so he could inspect the details of her face. Hinata remained still in his hold, chest pressed against his own and neck bent backwards in a way that certainly wasn't comfortable.

Sasuke could feel the tension in her body, stiff as a board, increase when he almost closed the distance between their lips. Her breath fanned against his lips in small, nervous puffs, enticing Sasuke perhaps more than the insistent pressure of her breasts on his chest whenever she inhaled.

The girl could kill a man with her bare hands on the battlefield, but couldn't move a finger off of it.

Hinata would not refuse him.

Not audibly, at least.

Still, before he could trap her lips between his and taste the sweetness of the whimper she would emit when his teeth pinched the pink skin, Sasuke stopped.

No matter how much he wanted to think of Hinata's naked body, all that Sasuke could see was Naruto's smile, the smile he reserved for Hinata. The smile he'd flashed her when they held hands on the battlefield before Madara.

Gradually, Sasuke loosened his hold on her smooth hair, holding his sigh in until he lifted his head so she wouldn't feel it.

He stood up, leaving Hinata on the ground. The corner of his mouth lifted into his trademark smirk, the smirk that probably made many hate him from the get-go.

Slowly, Sasuke turned his back on her, taking deliberately relaxed steps in the direction of the camp.

"Do you still think you don't underestimate me, Hinata-chan?"

Just when he thought he was far enough to be rid of her, Hinata spoke, "I do."


When he found Sakura lying in the sleeping bag besides his, Sasuke hesitated to enter his tent. Once bedtime had passed, he had imagined she would spend the night with Kakashi, forget all about their charade and come clean. But no, she was in his tent, after the outburst he'd left her on in the fertilizer shed.

The noise he made when slipping inside stirred Sakura and she pushed herself in a sitting position quickly, looking at him with wide, hesitant eyes.

However he looked at her, it seemed to encourage Sakura, as she pulled Sasuke into her arms and hugged him tight.

"What does this mean?" Sasuke asked after a moment, arms straight at his side.

Sakura glanced up at him, eyes watery and quivering. "I'm sorry."

Maybe if she got down on all fours and let him fuck her, he could forgive her.

Sasuke almost rolled his eyes at his own thoughts, chastising himself silently for not being able to control his hormones.

"So I'm still the father?"

Sakura hesitated, the puff of her anxious breaths warming his chest. "If you're still okay with it."

Watching her closely, Sasuke wrapped an arm around her shoulders and tipped her chin back.

It was hard to tell if the nervous streak in her eyes was guilt or helplessness. Guilt for her actions towards him, or her own helplessness to change Kakashi's situation?

"Stop being stupid," Sasuke said, letting go of her so he could lie down in his sleeping bag. The day had been long enough already. "You have the final say in this."

Sakura remained still for a moment. His answer was satisfactory enough for her to go back to sleep once she'd mulled over it for a minute, it seemed.


If the morning had been awkward between them after their fight, Sasuke and Sakura showed no hint of it tonight, by the bonfire. Being surrounded by their friends and a couple Hyuuga certainly worked wonders to improve their acting skills. Nonetheless, once more, Sakura laughed in his hold, trapped between his legs where they sat in front of the fire.

"Sensitive here, aren't you?" Sasuke chuckled against Sakura's ear, tickling that same sweet spot of hers again.

Sakura writhed against him, doing her best to repel his insistent hands. "I can't believe you won't let this go already!"

There truly was some anger in her voice, but Sasuke loved every second of it.

"Not when I've got you wrapped around my finger like this, Sakura."

Sakura shrieked, sinking in his arms in an attempt to escape, though all it did was make her shirt ride up and she straightened herself up again. Using strength he didn't know her capable of, Sakura pushed his hands away, fingers wrapped around his wrist so tight he'd probably sport bruises the next day.

"I can have you wrapped around my finger too, Sasuke-kun," she whispered, now facing him. "Don't underestimate me. I have a few tricks up my sleeve."

Sasuke couldn't help the smirk that grew on his lips. Perhaps he was wrong to doubt her, but this was entertaining enough.

"Do you? Are you gonna cry?"

The way Sakura's jaw clenched certainly didn't make his smirk any smaller.

Across the fire, Kakashi was also gritting his teeth, or so Sasuke assumed he was doing through his mask. After their little tryst, Kakashi deserved the entirety of this.

"You want a show?" Sakura breathed in Sasuke's ear, swallowing the bait whole. "I can do a show."

Running his hand up Sakura's throat until he cupped her jaw, Sasuke licked the tips of his teeth behind his lips. "I'd love to see you try, princess."

Sakura looked down at him - needing to do so now that's he'd tipped her head back - a fire behind her eyes that Sasuke absolutely loved.

"Call me princess again," she dared, backing up only to straddle his lap. "You'll regret it. I swear."

"Gimme a kiss, princess," he demanded, raising his voice enough to be heard by those sitting close enough.

There was a thrill to defying her so - a thrill of the unknown, perhaps, as he realized now how little he knew of her skills - and he wouldn't stop until there was enough pain to justify it. It'd been a while since his heart had raced like this.

Sakura complied far more easily to his challenge than he'd expected. Up to now, he'd been the only one to initiate physical contact, so it was a nice change.

When she bit down on his lip, almost hard enough to draw blood, Sasuke wasn't so glad anymore.

"That's how you're gonna play?" he growled, tangling his hand in the hair on the back of her head, then tugging. "You might want to change strategies."

Sakura didn't heed his warning, not one bit. Instead, she imitated him, running her fingers through his hair until she found a satisfactory strand to pull. Sasuke only matched her moves, certainly causing Sakura more pain than she was inflicting him.

"Why?" she whispered, pressing her forehead to his, the look in her eyes telling him this wasn't about to be over. "Because I just might win?"

Licking his teeth again, Sasuke trailed his fingers up Sakura's side to wrap around the side of her neck. The pressure he was applying was enough to restrain her breathing, but not dangerously so. The racing pulse of her heart under her skin raised goosebumps on Sasuke's, reminding him that this little game shouldn't last too long.

Still, Sakura's lips met his again, more demanding than any of their previous contacts had been. The opportunity was too perfect; Sasuke trapped her lower lip between his teeth and bit, just like she had.

When Sakura whimpered, Sasuke inhaled sharply and pulled her tighter against him.

Again, when he pulled the hair at the base of her skull, she whimpered.

It was a bit too late.

Sakura tried to push herself away from him, hands on his chest for leverage, but her hips only pressed harder against his and there was no doubt that she felt what was going on down there.

At the very least, Sasuke wasn't too far gone to know Sakura wasn't doing this on purpose, so when she struggled, he let her go.

The heat her eyes reflected at him surprised him somewhat, but after what he'd heard her tell Kakashi about the pregnancy hormones, Sasuke wasn't so concerned about it.

"So, did you win?" he was grinning so wide his cheeks hurt.

Sakura scoffed and leaned in to whisper in his ear, "It's hard to win when your style of play involves this."

"I warned you."

Sakura was no less flustered by his response. Swallowing visibly, she moved off of him to sit by his side instead.

Maybe it was because of their little show, but the amount of partygoers seemed to have diminished considerably in the meantime. This time, Kakashi hadn't left.

They didn't speak for a while, simply leaning on one another while they waited for time to pass. It wasn't so long before there were only a few people left around the bonfire. The proportion of Hyuuga was starting to resemble the amount of Hyuuga in power positions of Konoha.

"I'm going to go bathe," Sakura said suddenly, covering a yawn with her fist. "I found a clean pool earlier when I took a walk."

The exchange of looks with Kakashi had only lasted a split second, but Sasuke could have recognized it miles away.

"I'll go with you, then," he said, helping her stand up.

"I can go by myself, Sasuke-kun," Sakura said lightly, swatting at his shoulder playfully. "I don't need you around to protect me all the time."

"Do you think that's why I want to go?" Sasuke replied, purposefully loud enough to be heard, but not so much that it'd be strange. "I have more than one reason to be around when you bathe, Sakura."

To prove his point, Sasuke pulled her into his embrace and captured her lips again, a little rougher than he expected himself to be. Either way, it would only make it sound more convincing if he looked horny.

This presented another problem, though.

Hadn't Sakura realized yet that the Hyuuga wouldn't take their eyes off of her now that she'd said something so suggestive?

Defeated, Sakura let him lead her away, speaking up only when they were far out of earshot. "Sasuke."

Sasuke stepped in front of her, pressing her forehead to his chin so her lips wouldn't be visible to any Hyuuga that might be watching.

"You're not really going to come with me, are you?"

Sighing, Sasuke buried his face in her neck.

"You have no idea what you've done, do you?" he growled. "They're watching us. They won't leave so easily now."

Sakura stiffened against him with a gasp.

"Let's hurry up," Sasuke said as he grabbed her hand, dragging her along behind him.

It wasn't long before they'd reached the pool that Sakura had mentioned.

At this point, Sasuke didn't know what to do. False - he knew exactly what to do. But was she okay with it?

Standing behind her, Sasuke placed his hands on her shoulder, squeezing them gently while he placed a kiss behind her ear. "We can always stop this, if that's what you want."

Sakura only shook her head.

"I'll figure something out then," he whispered, sliding his hands down to her waist to slip under her shirt. "Just trust me."

She nodded, though Sasuke wondered if she really would. She was so stiff he was scared to snap her in two if he just poked her too hard.

When the shirt was up over her head and discarded to the ground, Sasuke had been tempted to peek over her shoulder. It was unlikely he wouldn't get an eyeful at this point, after all. Ignoring the whim, he unhooked her bra and let her slide out of it for him. Obedient for once, she even shimmied out of her shorts and underwear.

Sasuke wasn't long to join her in her state of undress, making sure to distract her with small kisses or touches so she wouldn't feel like she had to turn around.

Naked as a baby, Sasuke scanned the surroundings quickly.

Could they hide behind a tree? No, it was unlikely they could pinpoint the exact angle where the Hyuuga couldn't see. They could simply move around.

The grass wasn't an option. There was no way to hide effectively in it.

The water? Cold, probably, but perfect otherwise.

"I've always wanted to do it underwater," he chuckled against the skin of her neck, not quite sure what he found funny about such a situation.

Watching Sakura walk towards the river, it was hard not to think of the way she had whimpered when he bit her, the way she'd winced when he pulled her hair… The bright side was that not having an erection when you looked at your naked girlfriend and were about to fuck her would have been suspicious.

When he trapped her between his arms against the ledge of the river, Sasuke could see that Sakura had loosened up considerably, most likely having understood his plan. Hyuuga couldn't see underwater.

Wanting no more than to be over with it, Sasuke pressed his mouth to hers, moving with a hunger that wasn't hard to fake lately.

Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck, using him to keep her head comfortably out of the water. Being shorter than he was, the water came up to her jaw. It was unlikely that the river would be any less deep, except maybe at its bank, but the change became too large too quickly, and they simply wouldn't be covered there.

To try and help her, Sasuke held her around her torso, but this left him unable to make any convincing movements.

Sakura sighed against his neck. "Let's just…"

Without waiting for his approval, she wrapped her legs around his hips and hoisted herself up.

If he'd been worried about not having any eye candy, Sasuke was proven plenty wrong. He could even taste the goddamn candy if he wanted.

Needing at least some kind of distraction to focus on, he kissed Sakura again, giving awkward thrusts of his hips that created small waves on the surface of the water.

Careful, fearing he might be punched for it, Sasuke trailed his fingers up Sakura's body, until he could fondle one of her breasts. The pain he'd steeled himself for didn't come; instead, Sakura arched her back, leaning the back of her head on the earth behind her.

Well, she didn't have any trouble making this believeable.

For the sake of persuasion, Sasuke lowered his lips, brushing them them against her neck and chest before he closed them around one of her erect nipples.

Sakura gave a sharp gasp, only encouraging him.

When he bit down on it, only a tad too hard, Sasuke didn't think about what he was doing.

The whimper that Sakura let out did remind him for a second, but it did a better job to make him forget.

So, he did it again.

Sakura's hands came up to grasp locks of his hair, though Sasuke did not mind the pain.

Satisfied by the slightly unnatural swell of the nipple in his mouth, Sasuke moved on to abuse the other the same way, spurred on by any sounds that came out of Sakura's throat.

Still, when he bucked his hips too hard, too close to her for comfort, Sasuke knew he had to stop.

"Kiss my neck," he rasped, fingers gripping Sakura's hair too hard in his effort to remain composed.

For a second, Sakura had looked confused, but she obeyed anyway.

It was hard not to recoil when her lips tickled his skin.

For some reason, he'd always hated the sensation. Emi had tried to make him lose the sensitivity a few times, but he'd always found some other way to busy her mouth when she tried.

Truth be told, Sasuke felt the hold of Sakura's legs loosen around his waist, felt them slip long before she did.

Maybe she had, too.

When her body slid lower against his, Sasuke didn't try to stop it.

Instead, he slammed her against the earthen wall behind her, grit his teeth when the warmth of her core pressed against his erection.

In his arms, he'd felt Sakura shudder, heard the small moan she tried to conceal.

Hell was certainly more merciful than this woman.

Jaw clenched, Sasuke resumed the suggestive movements of his hips. It was impossibly harder not to think of just thrusting into her to satisfy the craving that had been nagging him for more than a month now, but somehow, he managed to hold on to a parcel of control.

The quivering of Sakura's thighs against his didn't help either, nor how hot and slippery she was every time they happened to brush together. She hadn't been kidding about the pregnancy hormones making her impossibly horny.

As if to spite him, Sakura tightened her hold on him, forcing him to press and slide against her.

Sasuke couldn't stop the air from leaving his lungs, his throat from forming a pained grunt.

If it wasn't enough, Sakura tugged at his hair, making his fingers do the same to her with a mind of their own.

Sakura groaned, arching into him.

"Fuck."

When he aligned his erection with her entrance, Sakura didn't stop him.

Not at all.

Sakura moaned and locked her lips with his.

Behind his closed eyelids, Sasuke could feel his eyes roll back into his head when he finally sank into her.

Fuck, she was hot.

Sasuke no longer hesitated, he thrusted into her, hard, again and again, spurred on by every little mewl that came out of her.

The harder he slammed his hips into hers, the more his feet slipped in the mud below them. He'd be damned before he let something as stupid as mud interrupt this.

She gasped in surprise when Sasuke pulled on the hair near her nape, but didn't protest when their lips crashed together in another kiss, save for the whimpers when he bit too hard, but those only made him want to fuck her harder.

This was a good enough distraction for Sasuke to be able to move towards the bank, until only an inch or two remained and they were mostly at the mercy of warm summer air.

When he placed her down on the ground and put some distance between them, she'd tried to keep him closer, but Sasuke would have none of it. She didn't put up much resistance when he spun her on her stomach and pushed down on her upper back, making sure her hips stayed at the desired height with his other hand.

Without the water in the way, she felt even better when he entered her again. Hotter, wetter.

The difference seemed to be a positive for her as well if he could judge from her long, drawn-out moan.

Sasuke restarted pumping in and out of her, emitting a few grunts out of sheer pleasure himself.

Once her moans became more even and steady, Sasuke leaned forward, grabbing a handful of her hair to pull her head back. She groaned in protest and Sasuke's hips jerked involuntarily, burying him deeper into her.

Breath coming in erratic pants, Sasuke closed his lips around Sakura's neck, biting and sucking hard enough on it for bruises to appear soon enough.

She grunted and whimpered, struggling weakly against his aggressive teasing.

"Stop fighting," Sasuke rasped against her skin. "You're enjoying this far too much to make me believe you want me to stop."

Her shaky moan only proved him right, as expected.

While his fingernails dug into the skin of her hips and most likely broke it, he growled, "That's how you wanted me to fuck you, didn't you?"

She whimpered below him, equal parts pleasure and pain.

"Say it out loud!"

"Fuck me harder!"

Sasuke's lips twitched into a smirk and he complied.

Already, he could feel the muscles in his thighs and abdomen tighten, the pleasure building up and threatening to burst at any second in every fiber of him.

Just before it happened, Sasuke pulled out of her, watching his seed spill on her ass and back with every pulse of his member. Through gritted teeth, he groaned loudly, closing his eyes while the relief washed over him.


Authors' Note: We're dying to hear what you think of this chapter, even if it's "whargaaarble they wuuuuuuuuut"! Drop us a line. We love this one. Hope you do too. ;)