Note: Since I made you wait 18 chapters for their first kiss, I decided to throw two chapters of fluff and smut at you! This is the first one, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 19

After her birthday celebration, time flew by so fast. Sakura came to the decision that she would let life work its way and not fight against it anymore. If she ended back in her time or staying here, so be it. After the kiss, she realized that she too could be happy even if it had never been what she expected from life. It had been quite a thought process but holding back and staying behind in this timeline too was not an option. She decided to live.

She still had those nightmares with Tsunade, but every single time when the last moments of the battle were playing, she had to turn her head away. She did not feel strong enough to live this moment again. Every time she did, Tsunade's disappointed voice was telling her that she had to look if she wanted to understand… But it was too much for her. Every morning, this nightmare was leaving her sitting in her bed, shaking. The was something about it… Something so real… Something that made her skin crawl. What could she learn from this battle that she did not already know?

Other than the dreams, life was good. The first thing the founders knew was that many other clans took an interest in the village and were asking to negotiate to be able to join Konoha. The negotiations with the Nara clan went smoothly but the Yamanaka and the Akimichi were giving some trouble to Madara and Hashirama so much that the Senju leader had to get Tobirama involved. Sakura had been quite disappointed not being able to spend more time with the young Senju, but he had been really busy picking up Hashirama's slack on village matters. If Hashirama was anything like Tsunade had been, she could totally understand the struggle. She had been the one in Tobirama's shoes quite a few times when Shizune was not there.

Even though the white-haired shinobi was not available as much, he always found a way to see her in a day. He was making a point to walk her to and from work as often as he could, bringing her lunch and talking with her, but was always called away and leaving her with an apologetic look. Sakura was cursing Hashirama and his inability to be serious for more than one minute when it came to village matters. Since her birthday, she was trying to figure out what was going on between them and not being able to spend more than ten minutes with the man did not help her predicament. She wanted to explore this options that life had shoved in her face, but to do that, she had to actually see the white haired shinobi. Tobirama had the task to find his brother since he could disappear during the day when important decisions needed to be taken. One day, she would have to find Hashirama and whoop is ass for being such a slacker.

Those negotiations were taking a toll on everyone's peace of mind and she could see it with the way Tobirama looked the past few days. When he was talking to her, the crease between his eyebrow told her that he was preoccupied with multiple things. He was tense and the appearance of dark circles under his eyes were a good indicator as to what his recent sleeping schedule looked like… Sakura knew that building a village was not easy, but seeing how taxing it could be was another story completely. It made her even more grateful for what she had growing up.

That morning, the young Senju had knocked on her door like he did most of the mornings when he had time to walk with her and she was out of the house in a second, closing the door behind her without locking it. About to make a comment on it, Tobirama just shook his head and matched his pace to hers. He knew better than to start an argument with her about that, especially knowing that she did not have any intention to change her habit.

Walking next to each other, their arms and fingers were brushing and the silence between them was comfortable. It was a thing he appreciated about her. The fact that she did not fear the silence. The opposite of his brother. Tobirama would have lied if he said that he was not walking her often to work to have stimulating conversations and comfortable silences. He was enjoying her company greatly and was definitely taking advantage of his free time to be with her when he could. He tried not to read too much into it, but after the kiss, it had been kind of hard. The rational part of his brain told him that she was a breath of fresh air compared to the two men he had to deal with on a daily basis. Thinking about the rest of his day, Tobirama frowned. A barely audible sigh left his lips and Sakura turned her head in his direction.

"Tobirama, are you well?" Like taken out of his thoughts, he stopped walking, looking at her with something akin to regret in his eyes. Worried she placed a reassuring hand on his forearm.

"I just want to apologize. I know I have not been of the best company these past two weeks." He paused, rubbing his tired eyes. "I just can't seem to see the end of those negotiations with the Yamanaka and Akimichi clan. Let's not mention my brother's ability to make things complicated... What a stupid idea to plan a wedding in the middle of all this."

A smile found her lips. She knew it was bothering him, but it was the first time he ever mentioned it and opened to her. And he was mistaken, he was of great company even if things were stressful. Even through his crazy schedule, he was making a detour and taking time to see her. That was enough for her. At first she did not even expect him to get out of his way to see her, but he did. She knew what it was like to be busy and barely have time to breathe. Trying to meet his eyes, she huffed a small laugh.

"Leave it to Hashirama to do something like that! Don't worry about me, I am doing just fine, and I understand how tedious this process can be." Seeing he was not convinced, Sakura reached up and touched the red marking in his cheek lightly with an amused look. "I get to see you almost every day, I cannot complain." He finally met her eyes, trying to read her. She shrugged and with a small smirk dropped her hand to her side. "Just know that I did not forget the dinner you promised…"

Taken aback for a moment, Tobirama watched her walk while trying to remember this promise. She saw him pondering things for a moment and he nodded, catching up to her and grabbing her hand in his. He continued walking towards the hospital without a word. Blush stained her cheeks. Since her birthday, they had been walking close but never had he held her hand. They did not talk about this birthday kiss either… They would at some point when things would be less hectic for sure. For now, she had to admit, the feel of his large hand holding hers was not unpleasant and the look of surprise on every single villager's face did not bother her at all… Ok. Maybe it did a little, but it was not bad.

When they arrived at the hospital he had yet to let go of her hand. Still in thought, Tobirama looked at her and stayed silent for a moment. His whole demeanor shifted, and she could see him standing straighter like he took a decision and was pleased by it. Eyes tracing her face, he tilted his head, messy white hair brushing his forehead in the process.

"Let's have dinner tonight." Wide eyes, Sakura froze. He was busy and tired... She only wanted to mess with him by reminding him of the dinner thing. Not push him to do it now.

"But you-"Cutting her he looked down at their joint hands.

"You are right, we have yet to have dinner together. Even with everything going on, I think it would be beneficial for the both of us to enjoy a relaxing evening."

Seeing his determined eyes, she laughed and nodded, knowing it would be useless to argue with the man. His gaze softened and Tobirama lifted her hand to his lips for a quick kiss. He left her a few second later, probably going to his brother's office.

Standing in front of the hospital, Sakura smiled. Tobirama did not like human contact, but he acted differently with her. He held her hand, kissed it. It meant a lot to her knowing how the he was. Breathing out slowly, Sakura entered the hospital with a slight bounce in her step. Today was going to be a good day!

Dinner had been in the back of Tobirama's mind for a few days, but he had been so busy that he never acted on it. With her mentioning it, he had to make a move. He liked her very much and walking her to work every day might not have been enough at some point. For god's sake, she deserved more than a daily walk with him. It was Sakura!

He would get out of his brother's office early today to get what he needed for dinner and would grab a good bottle of sake because he knew she could use a cup of it after work. Ghost of a smile on his lips, Tobirama worked and did as much as he could so no one would disturbed them later on. He also had some tasks related to his brother and Mito's wedding to accomplish. Because, yes, his brother had decided that organizing a wedding in the middle of negotiations was a good idea.

Tobirama had not seen his brother nor did he see Madara today, which was interesting considering everything that needed to be done… Shrugging, he continued to work and when he took care of the last of the paperwork, Tobirama got up and stretched, feeling the muscles in his back protest. The sun was slowly setting, which meant that Sakura was going to be done with work soon. Smiling, he turned to get out of the office, but Mito crashed into him, witnessing one of the rare smiles of Tobirama Senju. Seeing her unstable on her feet after the crash, helped stabilize her by grabbing her shoulders. That done, he realized he was still smiling so he tried to bring back his stoic face.

"Well, I did not think that taking care of your brother's business would make you this happy… Or is it something else?"

He bowed to her and met her eyes quickly, darting towards the door as nonchalantly as he could.

"I am sorry, I would love to stay and discuss with you, but I have places to be!" Putting his hand on the door handle, ready to leave he opened the door.

"You mean, you have a cherry blossom to see?" Tobirama froze and looking over his shoulder, he saw the teasing smile she was giving him.

"I heard rumors when I went to the hospital today, but do not worry, your secret is safe with me for the time being."

Giving her a grateful nod, Tobirama left. He really did not want to add to the humiliation and he had a dinner to plan.

It had not been a good day. Sakura's day had been hectic to say the least. Everyone had some kind of problems, some kids decided to play in the trees and broke a leg or an arm in the process, paperwork flooded her desk, patients had been rude, a Uchiha patient had been forward with her and she had to almost break his wandering hand, an emergency surgery came in right when she was about to leave so… She left work two hours later than she should have.

Leaving the doors of the hospital, she turned to the spot where Tobirama was waiting for her normally and was disappointed when realizing that he was not in his usual spot. Sakura sighed and rubbed her face tiredly. She could not blame him, he probably got tired to wait for her. She knew he was not the most patient man…

With a feeling of sadness looming over her, Sakura started to walk back home. She thought back to her interaction with the Uchiha patient. He had asked her a few personal questions like if she was single among other things. When she answered that it was none of his business, the man huffed and spat something about those damn Senjus keeping the women to themselves. He then started saying that she could know what a real man was if she gave him a chance. The thing that made the situation worse was when the Uchiha tried to grab her butt multiple times. Not being in a great mood already, she had lost her patience and almost broke his hand. For god's sake, she was not an object to own and touch whenever it was convenient!

During the day, she had seen Izuna and old him about her encounter with the Uchiha. He had been mortified with the actions of the clansman and promised her he would take care of it, which made her happier. If nothing changed, she would definitely mention it to Madara, but for now with everything going on, she knew the man did not have the time for such trivial matters. But for heaven's sake, someone needed to teach this man how to treat a woman! Rolling her eyes, she realized that she was almost home.

The walk was short and uneventful and once she was on the porch, she felt a small wind gust on the back of her head. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Tobirama appear behind her with two grocery bags. Her heart warmed at the sight. He was not taking her out to dinner, he was bringing dinner to her, and this was making her really happy because there was no way she would get out of her house tonight. She would get comfortable and relax at home. With him.

Taking in her tired appearance, Tobirama took a step forward. He saw how her face lit up when she saw him and felt sorry because he knew she probably waited for him or at least thought he would not show. Trying to justify himself, he settled with:

"I got caught up at the market." Which was true. He got caught up at the market because his brother finally appeared out of nowhere and asked him millions of questions about the paperwork her did that day. Tobirama had answered them all and made a point to let him know that he would take a night to relax and do his thing since he had been the one cooped up in the office, covering for them. Hashirama being oblivious agreed and went on his way, not asking what his plans were.

He got snapped out of his thoughts when Sakura smiled at him and opened the door. With a small wave of her hand, she invited him in. Taking the invitation, he walked in, dropping the bags on the table. Sakura was really curious about whatever was in those bags, but smelling the antiseptic on her clothes, she decided to go and change before doing anything. She started to walk over her to her bedroom.

"I'll be back in a second, I need to change." Nodding, Tobirama went back to his grocery bags.

Tobirama had a triumphant smirk plastered on his face as soon as her bedroom door closed behind her. He knew she would be tired and thought that she would rather stay home and cozy. He was not a fan of eating somewhere else and was happy to be able to cook for her. Dinner would be simple. He had chicken, rice, and vegetables, but the secret for a delicious and simple recipe was the flavor.

Getting to the kitchen, he took everything he need out of the cupboard and prepared the chicken, seasoning it. Grabbing another knife, he took some of the veggies he had and started to chop them with a regular pace. When she came out of her bedroom, she stopped, bemused. Seeing her frozen into place, he turned to look at her, raised eyebrow. Shaking her head, she pointed at the food he was preparing on the counter.

"I did not know you could cook."

"Have you ever bothered to ask if I could?" She shrugged and had a tired laugh.

"I supposed I never did…"

He looked at her for a moment, appreciating her change of clothes. She was wearing his pants with a sleeveless shirt clinging to her curves. Remembering those same curves close to his body a few weeks ago, he continued to cook, chasing the image and feeling from his thoughts. She was gorgeous. In a kimono, in a battle worn outfit, in his pants…

Sakura was looking at him cutting the vegetable with precision and ease. He was moving in her kitchen like he belonged in it. Getting closer, she jumped and sat on the counter next him to see what he was doing. Observing over his shoulder like this, she considered herself lucky. He was so much more than a man whose face was carved in a rock and she appreciate to see this side of him. This domestic side.

Tobirama was cooking, aware of her eyes on him, her breath near his face and he would have lied if he said the he did not enjoy this. In that moment, he felt at home. Such a foreign feeling, long forgotten. It was hard to explain, but he did. He dropped the chicken in the pan with some spices and soon a delicious aroma surrounded them. Sakura's stomach growled loudly, and he stopped what he was doing to look at her pointedly. Seeing a blush creeping on her face, he could not help but have a small chuckle laced with amusement.

"It's not funny, I had a busy day and barely had time to eat anything… And this smell so good. What did you season the chicken with?" Shrugging he faced her.

"Some spices." Unimpressed with his answer, she raised an eyebrow but he did not answer her question, enjoying the way her lips pursed when she pouted.

Smiling, he walked back to the bag that was on the table and grabbed the bottle of sake. Getting back in the kitchen he grabbed a cup and poured it in. He then approached her and stood in front of her while she was still sitting on the counter, her legs on both sides of his. She could feel his hip brushing against the inside of her thigh. The contact made a dangerous warmth course through his body.

He was tall. Even if she was sitting on the counter, he had was a head, almost two, taller than she was. Leaning her head back to better look at him, she gulped under the intense look of his eyes. Still staring at her, he gave her the cup and she smiled at the familiar smell. Sakura brought it to her lips and drank a sip. His eyes were following her movement, lingering on her lips… She expected him to go back to his cooking, but he just stayed there, towering over her, crushing her with his presence. Not that she minded. It was… Exciting. After her second sip, she looked up at him.

"You don't want any?" Tobirama shook his head, not trusting his voice, and she raised the cup closer to him. "Not even a sip? You look like you need it as much as I do."

Getting even closer to her, she could feel the heat radiating from his well sculpted chest and a strand of white hair tickling her forehead. She held her breath when he grabbed the cup and took a sip, never leaving her eyes. The way he had done it made a pool or warmth flood her belly. Smoldering red eyes were leaving flames on her skin. Gulping, Sakura blushed a deep shade of red. How could this simple action, make her feel that way?

Tobirama put the cup back in her hand, making sure to let his touch linger on her small hand. Staring at her through half closed eyes, a ghost of a smile on his lips, he looked like he saw something he wanted to see. Placing a strand of pink hair behind her ear, he took a step back and went back to the stove, leaving a struggling Sakura behind him.

Sakura let out the breath she had been holding and wide eyes, stared at his back… His amazing back. This should not have turned her on like it did… But it did. Taking a few calming breaths, she jumped off the counter and busied herself. Getting plates out she placed them next to him without noticing the glance he threw at her.

Observing her, Tobirama smiled to himself, she still had a remnant blush on her cheeks, and he knew exactly where her thoughts had been wandering… Because his thoughts went there too many times in the past weeks. It would have been so easy to bend down and kiss her that moment, but he enjoyed the reactions he could get out of her. She was so receptive to his small attentions and it gave him the answer to some of the questions he had for a while. Was she attracted to him? Was she open to see where this thing between them could go? The way she was reacting to his proximity and his touch gave him a pretty good idea of the answer and it was reassuring in a way. He wanted to make sure that the kiss they shared on her birthday was not something that happened in the heat of the moment and something she would regret later. Her reaction to his proximity just now proved him that she probably did not regret it.

Taking the chicken out of the pan, he put the food in the plates and prepared some tea quickly. Bringing the food at the table, he placed a plate in front of her.

Sakura was looking at the colorful meal in front of her and with a quick "Thank you for the food", attacked the meal. When she ate the first bite of chicken, the flavors just exploded in her mouth. It was delicious and probably in the top three of the greatest meals she had even eaten. Closing her eyes, she enjoyed each flavor and a delighted moan escaped her.

"This is so good." Her voice sounded breathless and Tobirama froze for a second.

The pure bliss stamped on her face, her closed eyes, her voice and the moan that came out of her had been so sensual that his brain found the gutter really quickly. He tried to swallow the bite of food in his mouth but choked on it. Coughing silently not to alarm her, he finally swallowed it. Yep, his thoughts had been there way too many times and would probably go back there even more after that sound!

She had reopened her eyes and looked like she appreciated the food. He tried not to, but it was so hard. For the rest of the meal, he could only focus on her mouth when she was eating. Her soft lips… The way she would sink her teeth in the wood of the chopstick… Tobirama was hot and needed to change his train of thought before to do something stupid… Drinking a sip of tea, he met her eyes.

"Tell me more about you."

About to bring another piece of chicken to her mouth, she paused.

"Me?" His small nod made her put her chicken back in her plate. "There is not much to say about me… Nothing that you don't already know. I am a medic, was in a team with two prodigies, I went to war-"

Reaching into her plate, he stole a piece of chicken and cut her gently.

"No, I want to know about you, your family… What made you want to become a medic in the first place?"

Sakura stared at him for a second and then nodded. Her eyes were guarded, but realizing who she was talking to, she relaxed slightly.

"You see, no one ever asked me this question. People were always asking me how it was to be on a team with Naruto and Sasuke and how it was to have the mentor I had…"

Tobirama understood a few things in this statement. People did not really care about how great she was or what she could do. They only cared about how it was to be placed in the same team as two powerful shinobi. The other thing he picked up is that people were considering her lucky to work with her mentor and did not take into consideration that she had been great and strong enough to work with her in the first place. It probably had been something bothersome growing up without having any sort of recognition. He was about to change subject not to make her feel more uncomfortable than she already was, but she surprised him.

"So, how should I begin…"

She gave him a general story about her family and where they were from, how it was growing up with them and how they had been disappointed the first time she told them that she wanted to become a ninja. She then told him that they got used to the idea and her dad went with her to buy her first set of kunai. She told him the story of their first mission in the where they fought against a powerful ninja but never disclosed the location. She knew that it would give her secret away so stayed as vague as she could with names and places. She already talked to him about Sasuke back when she first arrived to the Senju camp, but she explained to him her childhood crush and how stupid she had been. How she realized that it had never been love to begin with. She told him Sasuke's story and explained how he left the village at some point becoming a rogue nin. How they tried to recover him a few time… How her other teammate left to train under a sage. The way her sensei basically abandoned her and never really trained her to begin with. How she tried to kill Sasuke on her own, but miserably failed. The war and the role she played in it…

Tobirama remembered their conversation a few months back and knew that the teammate she had a crush on was the one who told her that she was weak and annoying. Knowing everything that happened to her, puzzle pieces were coming together, and he was in awe. She was strong. So strong. Everyone leaving her probably did not help her feeling good about herself. Coming back to the few failed retrieval missions to get him back and she paused.

"I guess you could say that I became who I am because of him."

Hearing that, Tobirama froze. Him. The man who had been horrible with her. This Sasuke person. There was no way in the world that this man could take the credit for her hard work. Seeing Tobirama's face, Sakura could follow his train of thoughts. She reached across the table and grabbed his wrist.

"I do not give him the credit for everything I became. I am just saying that without him leaving, I would have never tried to become stronger." She met his eyes with her emeralds, and he could not look away. He could see so much determination and confidence in her eyes that his frustration died. She knew her worth. Leaning back, she let out a breath and tilted her head. "I felt so powerless and was so sick and tired to be in their shadow that it gave me the motivation I needed to show them that I could be their equal." She had a laugh. "Tsunade was quite the mentor and her training were difficult, some would say it was insanity, but I would do it again in a heartbeat."

She paused for a moment, staring at their hands and Tobirama watched her, wondering what was going on in her head.

"See, I am glad I became who I am today and after the war, I felt like I was finally their equal. Not that it mattered that much since they both died… But to answer your question, the reason why I am doing what I do right now is because I like to think that I am making a difference. That, by saving lives, I am keeping families together, letting children grow up with their parents… The war just put things into perspective for me." Focusing on him, his heart skipped a beat with the intense emotion contained in her eyes. "We tend to take things for granted way too often. For me, that was a wake-up call and I realized that there is nothing more valuable than a life, no matter whose life it is."

Tobirama was speechless. Being able to understand where she was coming from and why she was so animate about saving lives was more than he could have ever asked for. Seeing how she still had hope for everyone even after everything she had been through was humbling. He had been surprised to hear the words flow out of her mouth with such ease. After the tantrum she threw in the past, he thought that he would have had to abandon the subject, but she had willingly opened up to him. Not to Madara. To him, Tobirama Senju. For her to trust him with this sensitive part of her life was bringing him joy.

Finally looking away after Tobirama's silence, Sakura felt ashamed. It had been so easy to talk to him and to explain him why she was that way. She did not mean to drop all of that on him tonight. But, he was looking at her with so much affection and warmth in his eyes that it was making her a tad emotional. This look was one that she never thought she would see directed to her. It was the one she had once hoped Sasuke to have when he looked her way. Right now, this same look was on the Nidaime's face, and it made her feel appreciated and understood. She also never thought that the man was able to express feelings like those considering his stoic reputation. The silence stretched and started to make her feel uncomfortable. Fidgeting, she had a nervous laugh. She probably had said to much.

"Sorry if I talked too much, it is kind of a long and complicated story…"

"Not at all. Thank you for telling me, I appreciate it." Smiling to her, Tobirama picked up the plates and cups and made his way back to the kitchen. After this talk, he understood if she needed some space to take a moment to breathe. So, he started to wash the dishes.

To his surprise, Sakura joined him and started to dry the plates. Their elbows brushed a few times and she met his eyes again to see the same warmth. Smiling up at him, she playfully pushed him with her hip. His laugh reverberated in his chest and it was something amazing to hear. For a few minutes, they took care of the dishes and at some point, she grabbed the last item to dry and paused.

"Now it's your turn. What made you… You?" Another laugh left his lips and crossing his arms on his broad chest, he leaned his hip on the counter.

"Can you be more precise?"

"How did you become the man you are? What is your story?" Putting the last item away, Sakura wiped her hands and turned back to face him.

"My story isn't very different from everyone else's in this village." Seeing her raised eyebrow, he smirked. That was not the answer she wanted.

"Tobirama, I told you my story, you have to tell me yours." Smirking she tried her luck, knowing how proud of his manners he was. "A gentleman would share his story after-." The rest of her words died in her throat.

He looked at her, serious, and walked with a predatory grin on his face. She backed up until her lower back hit the counter. Trapping her, he placed his hands on the counter on each side of her body. Approaching his face close to hers, she could feel his warm breath brushing her face and see the different shades of red in his iris.

"I don't know how I feel about you criticizing my manners ever since we met…" His low voice made a shiver run down her spine and he could see the goosebumps on her bare arms. There was something electric between their body and she felt drawn to him. His scent was around them, covering them like a blanket and she wished she could bottle that smell. Bending closer, he brought his mouth to her ear and she could feel his breath brushing her shoulder. Her heart was about to burst out of her chest.

"I am a gentleman. You'll notice when I am not." His lips brushed the pulsing point on her neck, and she closed her eyes at the sensation. Her breath caught in her throat. His words troubled her. What did he mean by that? You know what he meant Sakura… At the moment she just wished he would kiss her like he did at her birthday, but he slowly withdrawn and took a step back, leaving her to catch her breath but still looking at her with burning eyes.

Tobirama knew that his words hit home by seeing the look on her face. Desire barely veiled in the depth of her emeralds. His body reacted to hers so easily that he cursed at his stupidity. He had to stop teasing her, because he ended up torturing himself even more in the process. Grabbing her hand, he walked to the back of the house, sitting on the stairs of the back porch. Sakura was still processing the thing that just happened and was following him silently.

"I can tell you the big lines of it." Still in her head, she snapped out of it when she heard his voice, then she realized they were sitting on the stairs outside. Wow, good situational awareness Sakura, what a great kunoichi you are!

"Of what?" Remembering what they were talking about before that, Sakura shook her head and focused on the man. "Oh! I would like that." Settling more comfortably next to him, she put her elbow on her knee, leaning her head on her palm.

He went ahead and talked about his childhood, the death of his brothers, his father's character and the harsh way they were raised, this constant war, how he killed his first opponent when he was only six years old, the moment he found out about Hashirama and Madara's meetings, how his father died and Hashirama took the position as leader. He then talked about some jutsus he was working on and it made her smiles since she already knew a couple of them and how they would be taught in the future ninja academy. Realizing something she sent a questioning glance his way.

"How was your mother? You did not mention her…"

After her mentioning this subject, his look became far away, like he was in another world. Tobirama never talked about his mother because even after all these years, he missed her. He knew that his father should have treated her better and taken care of her more than he did, but he focused on a silly war instead. This subject made him feel vulnerable. Hell, Hashirama and him barely talked about her. It was an unspoken agreement between them. He almost did not answer but after everything Sakura had shared with him, he felt like he had to. And he wanted to. To keep her memory alive… and because he was telling this to Sakura. Tobirama felt a wall inside of him crumble.

"My mother was a great woman. She was beautiful, caring, and knowledgeable. Always there for everyone, standing up to my father when he was being unreasonable, she had quite a temperament. She was the one who had this idea of forming an alliance with the Uchiha."

"What happened to her?" Tobirama frowned and gave her a side glance.

"She died when we were quite young. Her health had always been fragile." Sakura nodded and kept silent, knowing he had more to say. "I wish she could see what we accomplished… What you helped us accomplish" He paused for a moment, wondering if he should tell her and decided to do it, ghost of a smile on his lips. "She would definitely like you."

A blush stained Sakura's cheeks. This was unexpected.

"Why?"

"Because you are not afraid to tell me off." She pushed him playfully and he huffed. A laugh bubbled in her throat and Sakura could not stop it. Smiling in her direction, Tobirama reached out and put a strand of pink hair behind her ear. Her laugh stopped, but she looked at him, amused.

"Someone needs to do it." Her voice was teasing. Tobirama glanced at her with indecipherable look in his eyes and hummed. Leaning back on the stair, Sakura looked up at the stars and took in a deep breath. She was relaxing and it felt good.

"Thank you for this. For cooking and all… I really appreciate it."

"You are very welcome…"

Tobirama grabbed her hand in his and they both looked at the night sky together in silence. He was of great company and she had was amazed by him. By the man he had been able to be considering everything he had been through. Unconsciously, Sakura started to trace circles on his wrist with her thumb. This small touch made his heart flutter. He hated physical contact but with her it was never enough.

Summer was coming, but the nights were still quite chilly. Sakura shivered when a gust of wind blew around them. Letting go of her hand, Tobirama wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to his body. Sakura ended up happily tucked on his side. Smiling, she looked up at him and when she did, the stars were shining in her eyes. Seeing her there, peaceful, and happy, Tobirama only wanted the time to stop. Bringing his head closer, he rested his forehead on hers, lips an inch apart. Closing her eyes, she sucked in a breath when his hand touched the skin of her waist where her shirt had ridden up. Closing the distance, Tobirama brushed his lips delicately on hers. This kiss had nothing to do with the one they shared a few weeks ago. This one was soft, unhurried. Her hand found his neck and she enjoyed the feel of his warm body close to her. His mouth was moving on hers, exploring, but not overwhelming.

After a moment, he pulled back, staring her in the eyes and with a small and happy smile, he kissed the diamond on her forehead before to tuck her back on his side.

This had been far from what she had expected tonight. This dinner had been amazing. She felt cared for. He was attentive to her when she talked, was interested in what made her the person she was today, and he even initiated a few intimate contacts but was never overstepping boundaries. She could not deny that she felt something for the man. Being with him felt like a breath of fresh air after being under water for so long. And the fact that his stoic face melted into a smile multiple times when he was with her was giving away the fact that he too appreciated her company. Just one dinner and they had gotten so close.

They stayed like this for a while, and at some point, Tobirama saw her head drop on his shoulder and felt her slow and steady breathing. She fell asleep. Frowning, Tobirama realized that she had looked quite tired the past week. Was she doing ok? Grabbing her shoulder, he gently shook her.

"Sakura, I think it's time for me to go." Tired eyes looked up in his and she nodded. Getting up slowly, she stretched as he stood up next to her. Putting his hand on the small of her back he helped her to go back inside. She walked him to the front door and had to admit the truth, she did not want him to leave… Grabbing her face between his hands, he bent down and gave her a chaste kiss.

"I will see you tomorrow morning..." Nodding she watched him get out of her house, turning back to see her before to do the familiar hand signs and disappear into the night.

Closing the door behind her, Sakura had a dreamy smile on her lips. In all the time she had been here, she could have never guessed she would have been here, in her village, kissing the Nidaime. He had been acting so differently with her recently. He was testing her and her ability to resist to his closeness… and it was exciting. It was so crazy, but she felt good about it for some reason. This dinner was nice and all and she had been surprised that he opened to her like he did… He trusted her and did not fear to be vulnerable with her and it transpired in the kiss he gave her outside… On her side, she had been quite honest about her past. Not totally, but mostly. Thinking about it, a nagging feeling found her stomach. She would have to tell him the truth about her past. The whole truth. But not now… With everything going on, she felt like it was not the right time. Is there really going to have a right time for that?