Sweet, Sweet Devil

by drawingdownthemoon

Sakura knew there would be a culture shock moving from the warmth of California to the cold streets of New York. What she didn't know, however, was how easily she would find herself falling for this stranger despite every instinct in her body telling her not to. But the truth is it cannot be helped once you've become the targeted prey of this sweet, sweet devil.

25. Chapter 25

Hello, lovelies! I hope everyone had a restorative weekend. I come bearing a gift for you today and that gift is the 25th (and longest) chapter of SSD. All together we're at about 185K words, can you believe it? That's over 400 pages. I'm still pretty shaken by this. Anyway, please read on and enjoy!

---

CH 25

The late sun was streaking through the apartment in greedy blocks of light through the window walls. Stark shadows stretched behind the severe angles of the minimal but luxe furniture throughout. There was a sigh from the couch where Ino was slouched forward, her back to the windows and her forehead pressed against her interlaced hands as though in prayer.

Ding.

Shikamaru peeled his back off the wall and shuffled to the open kitchen where the percolator finished boiling the water he was heating for coffee. No one had asked for any, but he knew this troublesome day was far from over. "Ya gonna go in there?" He drew lazy circles in the pour-over filter with the water.

Ino shook her head but then realized her boyfriend wasn't looking at her. "He'll come out when she's awake. Besides," she sighed again as she laid out along the length of the couch. "I'm still working out exactly what I need to say."

Before he could say anything else, the front door swung open. A sweaty Naruto with demon eyes dragged himself in, still panting from his run. "I'm back!"

Shikamaru turned to pour himself a cup of coffee. "We can see that, idiot."

When Sasuke had finally calmed down and acclimated to being back in the mortal world, he transitioned to his unspoken plans. Still shamelessly naked, he marched out to his desk and scribbled a brief note before stuffing it in an envelope already pregnant with whatever was inside. He returned to the room where the others were and handed it to Naruto, asking him to locate Kiba and give him the mysterious envelope. Next, he turned to Hinata, who was beside Sakura's unconscious form. His curt ask of her was more delicate. He wanted her to wake Tenten and escort her back to her apartment and tell her that Sakura had to head home herself. He may have just become human, but he still knew how to command a room.

"You know where that guy lives? Fucking far." Naruto made his way to the kitchen and filled a glass with water from the sink before gulping it down in seconds. "And you know what was in the envelope? Ten fucking thousand dollars and a note that said 'first thing tomorrow.' What's this bastard up to?"

"He obviously paid him off. Are you really that slow?"

Naruto growled at Shikamaru but was interrupted by the guest bedroom-turned-summoning room door opening and an anxious Hinata emerging. She had returned far faster than Naruto thanks to the subway. "She's awake."

Before anyone could move, Sasuke's door slammed open. "Out of my way," he warned them as he stormed by in the black silk robe Ino managed to coax him into before he originally locked himself in his room. They all froze in place except for Hinata who stepped aside to let him in the room. "Close the door behind you," he instructed. She gave one last look inside before letting the lock click behind her.

While Sasuke had disappeared to his room to unpack his new and unexpected humanity, the four of them moved the fold-out couch back into place so Sakura could be taken off the floor. Through the shuffle of the move, the summoning circles were smudged and broken across the hardwood floors but Sasuke paid no mind to them. His focus was on the woman sitting up under the blanket Hinata had draped over her.

"Welcome back," he said without much enthusiasm at all.

Her head was still in a bit of a fog, but Hinata had assured her she was entirely in good health and just experiencing some 'jet lag.' Had she been less exhausted, she would have laughed at the idea of jet lag from Hell. She mumbled something that sounded like a thank you, her eyes taking in the human version of Sasuke standing before her. After spending what felt like days with him in his demon form, his obscenely good looks were only that much more distracting.

He approached her with his dark eyes anchored to her, fully aware of her preoccupation with his exposed chest. She blushed when she realized she was caught ogling. "We need to talk."

She swallowed hard as he stopped right in front of her. "About?"

Seeing her look up at him then didn't break his focus, but it did make him hesitate for a moment. He missed the softness in her eyes that Hell muted while they were there. He sighed. "How are you feeling?"

She blinked a few times, clearly not expecting that to be his topic of urgency. "A little out of it, but mostly just tired." He chewed the inside of his cheek, nodding absently. "Is Kiba okay?"

In his loose robe, he visibly became brittle. "Kiba's fine. I sent Naruto to check on him."

It was quiet again. She knew he wasn't standing there without anything to say. The obvious truth was he was still sorting through his own thoughts, all of them battling for his attention. Kiba was far from the top of the list. "Was that all you wanted to talk about?"

His long fingers pinched the bridge of his nose, eventually sinking into the inner corners of his eyes. "No."

"Sasuke-"

She stopped talking when his hand was suddenly cupping her chin. She didn't move a muscle as he seemed to examine every corner of her face. He slid his palm to her cheek, his thumb stroking the delicate skin there before coming to rest on her lip. A moment later, he pulled back from the touch but didn't offer any explanation. She also didn't need one.

When he took a step back, a shaky breath left her. "I'm going to send the others home," he said as he turned for the door. Pulling it open, he paused to look over her shoulder back at her with his smoldering pitch-black eyes. "Then I'll be back for you."

As she sat alone this time, she wasn't sure if she was left afraid or excited.

---

Naruto whined, slamming his fist on his armrest like a child throwing a tantrum. "Can you just hurry up and tell us?" Sasuke remained unbothered in the kitchen as he sipped from his cup of coffee. This only drove the blonde demon crazier, his limited patience worn too thin. "Look bastard, you either give us the story or I'm leaving and you know you need my help."

"I don't need anyone's help," Sasuke shot back with a burning glare.

Ino scoffed. "Is that so? I would love to hear how you managed to make your way to Hell and back." His glare faded into something more contemplative. Troubled. The Witch closed her eyes to gather her thoughts. For years Sasuke had been in her life and her in his. They had made a pact, but that pact did eventually evolve into a real friendship. He was a master of mystery, but over time she learned how to read him. Observing him then, she knew he was lost.

They had been struggling for so long to find his humanity, the critical achievement sought by demons to live out their lives as humans after serving centuries in the Underworld. Ino poured over ancient texts while Sasuke selectively listened to Naruto's advice, but if they had gotten remotely close to the answer, they had only stumbled upon it unknowingly. Looking over at the closed door across the room, Ino couldn't believe she had been working beside the key to their success in a tiny forgettable clinic all this time.

"While you're holding us hostage with suspense, can you at least tell me what happens between us now?" The devilman lifted his gaze and through thick lashes took note of Ino's anxious fingers picking at one another in her lap.

"You've completed our deal, there's nothing that says I have to revoke my power from you."

Her brows lifted out of sheer surprise. All she wanted was to at least be able to practice her divination...but to keep her ungodly abilities? "Thank you," she managed to say through the shock.

"Sasuke," Shikamaru interjected while Ino worked through her stunned state. "As much as I love just sitting around in your place, I think it's best we get to talking."

The blankets of sunlight were long gone and in their place was the glow of dimmed lights and lamps across the apartment. Outside, the twinkling of the Williamsburg Bridge and city surrounding it formed the skyline. Sasuke had recounted the events of their journey through the Circles of Hell with the detail and emotional detachment one would expect from a being whose whole existence was about death and suffering. From Kabuto's ambush in Limbo to their struggles with Cerberus, he thoroughly laid it all out there. Even the pair's stay in his dungeon. All was well… That is...until he got to their encounter with Jiraiya.

"He said I wouldn't know the specific protection spell her aunt placed on her but I should know what effect it has."

Ino wore a look of sheer disbelief while Hinata finally felt the nagging notion that something was different about Sakura was validated. All this time, she could sense something peculiar about her aura but never managed to place it. This was exactly what she was looking for.

Naruto couldn't help the wide grin that broke across his smug face. "Is this a relief for your ego?" The devilman narrowed his eyes. "Knowing this spell may be the reason Sakura wasn't automatically swooning over you?"

"If anything," Shikamaru added, "it may be more of a bruise than relief. Without your devil charms, you must be wondering if people would find you as attractive as they do now."

Sasuke looked away, immediately proving the cynical genius to be correct. Naruto found the whole situation to be hilarious. He considered Sasuke to be one of his closest friends, but that didn't change the fact that he was a bit of a narcissist who thought the world of himself. To hear that someone was not by default and without question head-over-heels infatuated with him was the highlight of the day.

From the sidelines, Hinata felt heartache for the devilman. "It also goes to show how genuine of a connection you both have, no?" He sent her the smallest of smiles that had she blinked, she would've missed.

"It would be worth looking into, just to know more about what other spells this Tsunade woman knows," Ino shrugged, downplaying her rattling thirst to know more.

Sasuke continued on with the rest of their story from where he left off. He shamelessly owned up to the terms of his deal with Kiba, but stepped around what the arrangement was with Sakura. And that was just half of his troubles. There was the surprise twist upon his return.

"It was unexpected," Hinata said from the windows as she looked out at the city. "Even if all this time you just wanted to be human, you didn't know how you would feel once it happened."

There was a heavy silence that followed that loaded truth.

"It was everything that I was."

Naruto couldn't stand sitting still any longer and jumped to his feet. "But now you're free to be more than Satan! You can finally just be Sasuke!" He practically flew to the brooding man's side and slapped an arm over his shoulders. "You can take up bird watching or something."

Sasuke sneered at the long-retired demon and shoved his arm clean off of him. "I'm not going to go bird watching."

"Fine! You can do whatever the Hell you want!" Naruto waved his arms with exasperation. "You have your whole second life here to do it all!"

"He's right," Shikamaru yawned. "But can we figure out Sasuke's bucket list another time?"

Ino suddenly stood up and marched in front of her Satanic companion. "Just tell us what your pact was with Sakura."

From inside the room, the voices were frustratingly muffled. She could hear Sasuke's unmistakable deep voice for a moment before everyone else grew quiet. It was a struggle to stand in her weakened state but she allowed herself a bit of patience when the lightheadedness kicked in.

"You sick asshole..!"

Well, at least until she heard that.

She tiptoed to the front of the room and lowered herself to the wood flooring. Her ear pressed hard against the door as she anxiously hoped to get some context for Ino's outburst.

"She'll be comfortable."

"Bullshit she'll be comfortable! You and your shameless ego!"

Her heart sank. It was inevitable that he'd tell them, she had just hoped to have more energy to face what her new reality looked like.

"It's not like-"

"Not like what? Like when you made your deal with me? Essentially enslaving me like your own little witchy minion? You arrogant fuck!"

The screaming went on, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, until Ino ran out of steam and insults to hurl at him. The stomping of her feet grew louder as she made her way to the door Sakura was scrambling to scoot away from.

"Sakura?" Ino's shockingly calm voice rang.

"Here," she piped up, drawing the Witch's attention to the floor.

"Oh," she threw on a lopsided smile. "Was I not loud enough for you to hear from the bed?"

Sakura smiled sheepishly while taking the hand she was offered to stand up. "I wouldn't say that."

Ino helped her to the bed and busied her hand with her long ponytail as she paced the room. "So you're working for him now, huh? He didn't even know he was going to be human, yet he already had another companion lined up." She sighed. "Did he say specifically what you'd be doing for him?"

The pink-headed woman shook her head. "We haven't talked about it yet."

Speaking of the Devil, Sasuke appeared in the doorway with only a subtle look of contempt on his face. "It's time to go," he said to Ino.

"What about Sakura?"

"She'll stay here tonight while she regains her strength."

Ino crossed her arms over her chest. She had seen Sasuke do a lot of things in her day. Whether it was convincing a packed Michelin-star restaurant to give him the best table or navigating a dozen bodies in an orgy, he was a very capable man. But taking care of someone who was ill?

"Not a chance."

This time it was Sasuke who folded his arms. "Ino…"

"I'll be fine," Sakura assured her, catching both Sasuke and Ino off guard. "I can handle him."

When Sasuke narrowed his eyes and his lips twisted downward, Ino laughed. "He's more talk than he is bite, isn't he?" She rested her hand on Sakura's shoulder while weighing the situation herself. "Make sure you eat something before you sleep tonight and take a few drops of the tincture I left for you in the kitchen. You can add it to some tea or something."

Looking back at that moment, she would wonder if she should have insisted on taking Sakura with her.

After a few more strings of instructions laid out by Ino, the two Witches and their partners took their leave. Sasuke turned from the front door to face his empty apartment. It was both a relief and source of stress to have the opinionated bunch out of his space. All that was left was Sakura. Just him and her. He swallowed as he remembered her taste.

He took his time padding through the open living room, half-wondering what time it was and how many waking hours they would have together before the exhaustion of her mortal soul's travels forced her to sleep. His bar cart looked slightly off, a sign that one of his gracious guests had helped themselves to a few drinks in his absence. His favorite whiskey was running low but there was enough for him to enjoy that evening. After all he had gone through, literally to Hell and back, he figured he was due for a drink. Maybe two.

Sakura spun around with a gasp when there was an unexpected knock on her door. She had been perusing the bookshelves next to the pull-out couch she had grown restless on. "Sorry, I was being nosy."

He leaned in the doorway. "Look at whatever you want."

It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, but there was a layer of tension she couldn't quite describe. The weight of what was yet to be discussed was heavy on her and she was already so tired. "Do you think I could shower and then talk with you about...what's next?"

The devilman pulled his shoulder from the door frame and backed out of the room. She followed him out a few steps behind, staring after him in wonder as she adjusted to seeing him like he was and not as the demonic beast he lived as in Hell. As he almost glided to the marble kitchen island, she couldn't help but admire the way the silk robe draped over the tops of his broad shoulders and cinched at his trim waist. When he turned to face her, she had to quickly divert her eyes so as to not be caught staring. Unfortunately for her, she wasn't quick enough.

"Do you miss my demon body?" He smirked when she suddenly became very engrossed in the lamp closest to her. His grin only grew when he noticed the redness across her cheeks. It was always all too tempting to play with her. "Or maybe just my demon tongue?"

Her face shot up with a look of complete offense. "Are you going to hold that over my head?"

His smirk slackened. "I'm only teasing you." She shifted her weight out of discomfort and looked away with a frown. He ran a hand over his face, coming to terms with the fact that things were different now. The moment he made his deal with her, he knew that was going to be the case. But it was his mess to navigate. "You can use my shower. There are fresh towels on the counter."

She thanked him before turning to the french doors separating his bedroom from the rest of the apartment, struggling to keep the memory of that aforementioned demon tongue at bay.

The hot water soothed the aches and stiff muscles that seemed to plague her entire body. It was as though the struggles and pain her soul had to endure in the Underworld had manifested in her physically, which she couldn't rule out entirely. In an effort to clear her head she tilted it back into the water, letting it wash the suds from her hair and down her back. Her eyes fell shut as she began to unwind. The water just felt so calming…

.

.

.

A pounding at the door stirred her. She wanted to roll over and bury herself in her pillows to block out the intrusive sound, but there were no pillows. There wasn't even a bed or blankets.

"Sakura, are you okay?"

Eyes snapped open to reveal not her bedroom, but the shower. Sasuke's shower. She rubbed the back of her head, a dull ache hinting at how she ended up on the tiled floor.

"Sakura?" Sasuke's muffled voice called again.

"I'll be out in a minute," she called back as she reached up for the handle to turn off the water. Sitting in the draining puddle of the shower, she worked on centering herself after the startling realization that she had essentially blacked out in the shower. Clearly she had underestimated the toll her body had taken and tried not to think about how horribly wrong her shower could have ended had she fallen forward into the glass.

So there she was again. Trapped by her own weakness and left all too dependent on someone else to take care of her. She managed to get herself standing again and gingerly dried off before wrapping herself up in a long, thick robe hanging by the door. When she opened the door, the unmistakable smell of fresh cheese and tomato sauce greeted her.

"Everything okay?" Sasuke asked as she emerged from his room. She noticed he had sweat pants on now and the robe hung open looser than before, his sculpted body adorned with tattoos on display. His hands were busy with plates and glasses as he stepped down to the sunken living room where a pair of pizza boxes were stacked on the coffee table. She could smell the fragrant pies wafting towards her.

"I think I fainted," she admitted, surprising herself with the blunt honesty.

Sasuke paused for a moment before putting the plates and glasses down. "Are you hurt?" He started to walk towards her even when she shook her head. Before she could say anything more, he was holding her chin and searching her eyes. Whenever his face was that close to hers, it became hard to focus. He was too gorgeous, she decided. "You need to take Ino's tincture."

He gestured for her to go sit down while he grabbed the Witch's creation and a bottle of sparkling water. The tiny vile was a dark amber, but the tincture itself was a cool violet. Sasuke used the dropper to squeeze some into her glass, the concentrated concoction streaking and dissolving into the bubbly beverage. It tasted somewhat like gin and she wondered if that was something Ino used and if it would be the dumbest idea in the world to ask Sasuke for a gin and tonic.

Like a brick wall, her thirst hit her at full force. She gulped down the entire glass in seconds and the relief that followed was unparalleled. Her head started to clear almost instantly, which was unexpected. She made a note to ask Ino if this was also a good hangover remedy.

"Eat something," Sasuke firmly instructed her. He meant well, but she still threw him a sideward eye for the tone.

As she opened the top box and stared at the pie, a wave of bittersweet nostalgia washed over her. It wasn't all that long ago that she had made the short walk to get pizza for everyone that fated night they first met. The cheese was still hot and formed long strands as she pulled a slice to her plate. He watched her lick the grease from her thumb and settled back in his seat while his own finger twitched.

After a few bites hit her stomach, she could feel herself become more herself again and let out a sigh of relief. Her quiet host simply remained observant, especially when she better angled herself to address him. "Is now a good time to talk about it?"

He rested an arm atop the back of the couch, causing his robe to open even more than it already was. She milked every ounce of her willpower to keep her eyes on his and not the sculpted pectorals and abs he had to be intentionally taunting her with. He saw her swallow hard.

"What do you want to discuss?" She gave him a look that dared him to continue playing dumb. Of course, he ignored it, his mind still preoccupied with a list of what he'd like to do with that mouth of hers.

"The deal we made," she said and then paused with some hesitation. "And Kiba."

"You don't need to concern yourself with him anymore," he said brusquely.

Her eyes narrowed. She set the plate down on the table and turned her body to face him straight on. "What did you do?"

He scoffed. "He didn't even bat an eye when we discussed our terms."

"Sasuke…"

His aloof attitude gave nothing away and that only angered her more. It was amusing, he decided, to see her get so worked up. That said, he knew he was bordering on cruel and needed to change his tune if he didn't want her storming off and locking the door. "He's going to pursue his travels again as he originally desired. I asked him to make good on the promise as soon as he was able to."

She deflated next to him and looked out the windows as if to spot him crossing the bridge right then. Watching her, Sasuke played the role of a voyeur to the beautiful sadness. He absently wondered if she would feel the same longing for him if he were to leave. "No goodbye?" She asked with no expectation of an answer.

He didn't say anything. The truth was that Kiba didn't offer a goodbye. He didn't send a message for Naruto to relay or even remorse. There was no benefit in telling her this, so he opted to not rub salt in the wound and just let her heal on her own. It was for the best, he told himself.

While he let her process her ex's final departure, he pivoted the conversation. "Do you want to still discuss our arrangement now?"

With a quick swipe at what he suspected was a tear from her eye, she turned to face him again and tucked a leg under herself. "Yes. Let's discuss."

Her hair was wet and clinging to the white terry cloth of the robe but still managing to leave blotchy trails of water on the cushions behind her. The evening colored her eyes like sage leaves and the glow of the lamp served to highlight the focus she trained on him then. Seeing her shift into her 'serious' mode there in his apartment at whatever hour it was with a strand of cheese hooked under her chin made it hard for him not to smile. When he rested his lips behind an index finger to hide an amused grin, her expression soured.

"I'm so glad you find this so entertaining." She moved to stand but he reached out and grabbed her wrist before she could get her footing.

"I didn't mean to come off that way," he said truthfully. "I just can't remember the last time I spoke business with someone while in robes like this."

She looked down as he said this and couldn't help but smile as well. Everything about the situation was ridiculous, so of course, it only made sense for what she was wearing to be too. Her eyes trailed from the fuzzy material to the warm hand and thumb gently caressing the inside of her wrist. "Do you have anything I can change into?"

Sasuke took his time letting go before getting up to find her something suitable in his bedroom. He shuffled through some drawers and came back with a black t-shirt and sweatpants. "You can roll the waistband down to your size," he suggested.

"I'm sure you have plenty of experience to support that," she mumbled before disappearing into the second bedroom. He didn't bother confirming or denying it.

While he waited for her return, he pulled a warm slice from the box for himself and reclined back where he was before. It was nice having her there, he decided. Underneath the tension and bickering, he wondered if she felt the same. It was a complex question to answer. After all, there were so many layers to their relationship, so much that had transpired. Thinking back on their first date felt like a lifetime ago and Karin's sex tape incident even longer. What did he realistically expect of Sakura, this young friend of Ino's with a protection spell he couldn't penetrate? Maybe that wasn't the best word to use…

The squeal of her door opening pulled his wandering thoughts back. "Okay, now where were we?" She didn't bother using the step and instead opted to hop over the back of the recessed couch. Picking up her plate, she filled it with another slice. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her quick ability to make herself at home.

"Our arrangement."

"Can we not call it that? It sounds…"

"Like I'm your sugar daddy?"

She almost choked while eating, failing to play it off as nothing. Although she had no intention of ever admitting it, hearing him use that phrase sent a shiver through her. It wasn't as though that sort of thing was exactly her kink or anything, but not having much variety in her sex life maintained a strong air of mystery around concepts that were off the vanilla path.

As much as he relished in his ability to make her squirm, Sasuke knew they needed this conversation to be clear and precise. It was the deal that brought her back to life, after all. He reeled back his smirk and cleared his throat. "In the Ninth Circle, you pledged your allegiance to me. Our agreement is that you will work for me, for an appropriate amount of time, under my terms."

Her brave facade faltered and gave way to the masked anxiety she had been harboring since she woke up. He could only imagine the array of tasks and torment she furiously worried he was going to put her through. It was frustrating. Was he not respectful of her? Did he not keep her safe and keep to his promises? Why was her default to keep her defenses so high around him?

"Have I done anything to betray you?"

She looked up suddenly like a deer in headlights to see his annoyance as clear as day. He leaned across the space between them and dared her to meet his stare. When she failed to respond, her heart lurched in her throat as he searched her eyes for an answer.

"Have I not been good to you?"

She pressed her teeth into her lip as she shook her head. "You've been great to me."

"Then explain to me why you keep saying you trust me, but clearly do not." His words stung and filled her with sudden shame. She hid her face behind a curtain of pink hair as she looked down at her lap. "Look at me," he ordered her, but she couldn't do it. She couldn't bring herself to tell him the truth because she wasn't sure she was ready to face it herself.

Before she could even think to scream, he was on top of her, pinning her hands and back to the cushions. His lips had curled back in a snarl and his grip was just shy of leaving a mark. "You will answer me!" She couldn't stop the sob that came up. He remained unphased by it, too fed up with the one-sidedness, and held his position on top of her.

"Please get off of me," she begged.

Sasuke lowered his face to hers. The snarl was gone, she noticed. But in its place was something far more sinister. Calmer. "Are you afraid of me?" He narrowed her eyes as she shook her head in denial. He could feel her heart pounding in the pulse of her wrists in his hold and see the frantic throbbing in her neck. "Are you fucking lying to me?"

There was another sob. "Sasuke, please!"

"Not until you tell me the truth!"

"Fine!" She screamed. "I'm afraid of you! I'm afraid of the Devil! I'm afraid!"

His grip instantly loosened and he pulled back from her tear-stained face. This wasn't the first time she had said that. He closed his eyes, falling back into the memory of that night not all that long ago.

"I'm afraid of you."

It was when the group had gone upstate to camp for Beltane. He remembered the smell of dew in the grass and soft roll of the lake on the rocks the pair had stumbled upon.

She cringed immediately, the words not matching what she meant to express. His jaw locked and his eyes grew cold. As she watched his expression morph, panic took over.

"You don't understand," she started explaining, her hands flying to his. He tried pulling away, but her fingers curled into a vice grip. "Please let me explain, Sasuke."

He sneered. "Explain that you're afraid of me because I'm the Devil? That damned boyfriend of yours willingly became a monster all on his own, so don't waste your breath." He tried pulling his hands back again, but she refused to let go. "Give me my hands back."

She ignored his request, her heart hammering in her chest as her eyes grew wild. "I can't read you, Sasuke! That's what terrifies me."

That night was the first time he had kissed her. That painful conversation ultimately ended as one of the most joyous nights he could remember. Maybe he was foolish to think it would last, that they could go back to that moment in time. His eyes opened, any traces of softness no longer there.

"Hn." Her breathing was shaky as he climbed off of her and adjusted his robe. "I'm going to-"

This time, it was Sakura's turn to grab him. "Please wait," she whispered. Her hand was shaking, but he wasn't sure if it was adrenaline or fear at that point. He pulled himself from her as he seemed to look right through her.

He walked off to his room and closed the doors behind him, unaware that she was thinking about that early summer night as well. Sakura shielded her eyes with her arms crossed over her face.

"You and I," she pointed between them. "We literally come from separate worlds and our values are completely unaligned. You're out there looking for a good time, sleeping your way through New York, but that's not how I operate in the slightest. Despite me knowing this, you somehow have gotten so far in my head that I don't even recognize myself when I'm around you. You make me so nervous and flustered when I see you, but the minute you're gone I'm wishing you were still with me." She stopped for a moment when her voice started to shake at the end. "I don't know what to do and it's terrifying!"

She wanted to badly to barge into his room and wrap him in a hug and demand they start over. They had shared their vulnerabilities and found themselves closer together than ever, she didn't want that to have been a wasted connection. But going back to that time...undoing the damage she had done...that was impossible. She had said what she said and there was no taking those words back. They were to be bound in a different way than she had ever imagined and had to trust him, just as she said she would then. With some effort, she pulled herself up and stared at the pizza stacked in front of her, cold and mostly untouched. That night continued playing in her mind and across the apartment in his as well.

"Do you trust me?" He whispered.

"Yes," she immediately responded, almost begging.

That kiss was unlike any other she had experienced in her life. It was tender, kind, and understanding. Her fingertips found their way to her lips as she relived his touch.

She was undeniably attracted to him and knew in her heart he wasn't going to enslave her in any way...so why did she keep pushing him away?

As the impulsive urge to go after him startled to bubble up again, she tasked herself with putting away the leftovers and moved to bring the boxes to the kitchen counter. It would at least give her time to process. Looking out from the kitchen, she had a perfect view of the spacious apartment she could never afford. It was stunning, really. The only other time she could recall seeing such an apartment was in a dreamy interior design magazine she'd flip through while at the airport waiting on a layover. Truly seeing it then, the lofty ceilings seemed more empty than airy. The meticulously designed furniture was severe, not just modern. The spotless surfaces were barren, not just minimal. This grand apartment was not truly a home. She retrieved herself from her thoughts and poked around the cabinets until she found some proper zip-lock bags to store the leftovers. All the while, she couldn't help but think about the devilish man behind the closed doors who was lonely, not just alone.

And she was, too.

"Sasuke?" She knocked lightly on his door and then took a small step back to wait for an answer. There was the faint sound of sheets rustling and then the click of the doorknob turning. The stoic devilman stood before her and almost looked bored. "Can you come out so we can talk?"

He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned on the open door, the dim lights from the living room bringing to her attention the fact that he no longer was wearing his silk robe. "What do you want?"

She swallowed her pride as she looked down at her feet for a moment. When she brought her gaze up to meet his, she knew it needed to be all or nothing when it came to her honesty. "I'm sorry for the way I acted earlier. I didn't mean it when I said I was afraid of you, that wasn't fair." He remained frozen in place as he observed her, causing her to fidget. The more she spoke and the longer he went without responding, the more nervous she became. Still, she continued. "While I wouldn't exactly call you an angel, you've been so kind to me since the beginning, even when I didn't entirely deserve it… You're a good person, Sasuke, even if you were the Devil."

There was a flicker of softness before he composed himself. "Thank you."

"I think what's been scaring me all this time is just how good you are and how much it'll hurt if you ever…" She paused, looking for the right word. "If you ever leave." He knew as he heard the strain in her voice she wasn't talking about Hell. "So… Do you think you can forgive me one more time?"

He lifted a brow. "Do you deserve forgiveness again?"

She didn't know what to say to that. Did she? He had her under his expert watch while she stood there in self-doubt. After he felt she had suffered enough, he opened his arms in front of her. "You'll always be forgiven as long as you do trust that I am not going anywhere."

The force of her against his chest was unexpected but far from unwelcome. He closed his eyes and wrapped her in an embrace, his lips resting on the pastel crown of her head as though he had done this a thousand times before.

She cleared her throat. "Can we just make hugs the deal?"

He grinned and stroked the hair from her face as she looked up at him. "That would be too easy."

She was only kidding but that didn't stop the disappointment that followed. "I guess we should get back to where we left off."

"Hn," he nodded and released her to step back into his room. It was completely dark except for the lone candle on his bedside table. Looking at the tousled black sheets and the flickering shadows in the room brought back tangible memories from their stay in his secret dungeon. Her breath hitched.

"Can we talk out here instead?" Her voice came out in a higher pitch than she intended. Sasuke shrugged. She also thought about saying something about him just walking around shirtless but knew him well enough to know that would only result in him threatening to take his sweats off instead. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't tempted to test this, but ultimately shook the thought from her head.

Instead of returning to the living room, they met around the kitchen island. "As I was saying earlier," he started out with as he opened his oversized fridge. Her eyes trailed the rippling of muscles down his back. "In exchange for your safe passage back to your body, you agreed to work for me." When he turned around, he had another slice of pizza in hand from one of the bags she had stowed away.

She took a deep breath. "So what kind of work?"

He took his time chewing the slice as he hunched over the marble surface. "I need a primary physician."

Her brow bunched in confusion. "You want me to be your doctor?" He nodded after ripping into the crust with his teeth. "Do you even have to worry about your health?"

"Now that I'm human I do."

"Can't Ino treat you?"

"She has paid her dues and is no longer obligated to me."

She mulled this over. "Does this require me to quit my job?"

"No." He swiped at the crumbs resting in the corner of his lips. "But I expect you to answer when I need you."

"I don't understand," she blurted out. "I'm not going to complain here, but how is this that serious of a commitment? Do you plan on being sick often?"

He shrugged, wiping his hands of the grease. "We'll just have to see how I fare without my full demon healing abilities. As for the severity of this debt," he shrugged. "You may be underestimating the care I need."

Sakura stood there in thought as he retrieved his glass of seltzer from the living room. He had his back to her as he tilted the water back into his mouth, she stared at his twelve dash-like tattoos he memorialized his wings with and wondered how much of his devilish abilities he retained as marveled at his kindness. He could have asked her to do anything in exchange for her life and she probably would have surrendered to whatever fate he prescribed. Despite this unspoken truth, he chose to show her mercy. When he turned to face her, he caught her staring this time. "Eager to conduct your first exam?"

She turned bright red, just as he intended. His feet were light on the floor as he took his time approaching her. With every step, his smirk and her blush deepened. Eventually, he was close enough for her to feel the heat radiating off his skin. She leaned back into the counter's edge for space.

"You know," he mused out loud. "An exam might not be such a bad idea." The backs of his fingers ghosted down her arm and left a trail of goosebumps in their tracks.

"It's late," was her half-hearted rebuttal.

He craned his face down so he could brush the tip of his nose along her neck and let out a hungry groan. "It is." Before she could respond, he lifted her by the waist and seated her on the island with himself nestled between her legs. "Should I examine you instead? See how your recovery is progressing?"

Her heart began pounding as his large hands stroked the tops of her thighs over the sweats he gave her. She didn't know what to do or say, her mind still stuck on their pact and her responsibilities. "Sasuke, wait," she spoke softly as she used her hands to stop his. "Is...this part of the deal?"

He peered up at her puzzled, his brow knit together. "No."

She cupped her face in her hands as her flustered thoughts became too much. "I feel like we're back where we started," she told him. "I'm confused."

He analyzed her from head to toe, looking for something to give him clarity. "I don't understand."

Her hands fell to her lap and she dropped her gaze to his hands still gently resting on her. Suddenly she was nervous, but she had already decided to be direct and honest. She was going to be vulnerable with him again. "I don't want to just be hooking up with you."

His head dropped in what appeared to be defeat and she immediately regretted saying anything. Why couldn't she just go with it? Her heart sank as she prepared for the inevitable rejection. He was anchored to his human self now, he could go and fuck whoever he wanted 'til the end of time. How could she ever think-

"How can someone so smart be so dumb?"

She gasped. "Is that necessary? I just put myself out there-"

He slammed his hands down on either side of the marble surface, effectively silencing her. "Do you even understand how I was able to become human?"

As she sat there trapped by his arms, she realized she didn't have an answer. He shook his head with an air of frustration. Sakura wished she could just shrink inside herself, suddenly aware of how single-minded she had been.

His face reached up to close in on hers. Her breath caught in her throat as the familiar pools of merlot swirled in his eyes. "I needed to find my true source of happiness. That's what my brother did before he returned to Hell, as did Naruto and many, many other demons before me." She stiffened as he took a deep breath through his nose as though to inhale her very soul. "Do you know what I thought was the source of my true happiness and fulfillment?"

She very carefully shook her head as he came even closer, his mouth inches from hers as he gazed at her lips with carnal hunger. She found herself completely on edge. "You don't want to guess?" When his fingers just barely grazed her cheek she flinched. He waited patiently for her to look at him again. "I thought it was sex."

When he didn't say anything after that but continued to stroke her cheek and neck, she mustered the courage to speak up. "...What was the answer?"

"Something a little less tangible, I suppose…" His voice drifted as he became distracted by the racing pulse in her throat again. She swallowed, pulling him back. "An act of true selflessness."

He granted her the privacy of her thoughts while she processed this information. Without words, he was still able to follow her racing mind through her rapidly changing expression. Confusion, frustration, realization, shock...disbelief...acceptance. He cupped her cheek again and stroked it with his thumb. The bloody storms in his eyes had calmed as she waited for him to expand on what he meant.

"You test my patience like nothing else, Sakura... But you also showed me what it means to put someone else before yourself. I want to continue to be the one who does that for you."

She clasped her hands on top of his, pressing her cheek deeper into his palm. "Sasuke," she whispered through the quiver in her voice. It was the sweetest thing she had ever heard. "After all you've done for me, that's all I want to do for you as well."

His free hand reached out to cradle the back of her head as his mouth finally found hers. The kiss started out gentle and soft. Their lips echoed their raw affection for one another over and over without a single word needed to be said. With each shared breath, this affection grew hungrier. Less timid. Bolder. Hands began to grope and explore. Friction found new opportunities to exist between them. Carnal needs expressed themselves through soft moans and deep growls. There was only so much kissing and touching could satisfy. They needed more.

Sasuke folded her legs around his waist and cupped the backs of her thighs to lift her off the island, all while sucking at her throat. In her lusty daze, Sakura threw her head back and clutched at his inky locks, further arousing the devilman. Despite facing away from the direction he was taking them, she could tell he was walking towards his bedroom. "Sasuke," she breathlessly called to him. He ignored her and continued suckling at her delicate skin.

They were in his room, the candle now just a few inches tall and calmly swaying its flame. He kicked the doors closed and lowered her to the bed. "I'm going to have you, Sakura."

It was the very voice she knew that once ruled an entire world. It left her speechless for a moment. She watched him drink in the sight of her splayed on his bed, in his clothes, looking back at him through hazy green eyes. She dared a grin. "Come and get me already."

A familiar dark aura arose and she simply laid back and admired his delicious strong body and the devilish ink he had riddled all over it. She wanted to put her mouth on each and every inch of it, including the parts she hadn't yet seen. She stretched out an arm towards him, reaching to feel him, but he remained rooted in place.

"No."

She blinked a few times thinking she misheard him. "No..?"

He slowly shook his head with hooded eyes. "You don't deserve the pleasure I'm going to give you yet."

Her jaw dropped. "Are you kidding me?"

Before she could continue, she found herself flipped onto her stomach and her pants yanked down to just below her ass. "Hey!" She protested. Her toes just managed to graze the rug below as she struggled for her footing. "What are you-"

SMACK!

The young medic yelped at the unexpected contact and looked up over her shoulder in disbelief at the looming man beside her, now resting his hand on her burning skin. The flesh of her ass cheek was left stinging and then just tingling. "Do not even think about defying me in my own home. Understand?"

She nodded, her head spinning. Even more surprising than the spank was the wetness she then felt rousing between her legs.

SMACK!

"You will answer me."

Her heart was pounding. "Y-yes," she mumbled into the coal-black sheets.

SMACK!

"Ah!"

"Yes what?"

"Sas-"

SMACK!

When she looked up at him that time, she noticed his eyes looked different. They were colder, much like his brother's in the Ninth Circle. His lip curled as he corrected her. "Yes, Satan."

There was something so darkly delicious churning inside her when he said that. Something she hadn't felt before and something she couldn't ignore. It felt so wrong, but she was curious… She kept her eyes on his as she repeated after him. "Yes, Satan."

His wicked grin crept across his face and his hand stroked the length of her back. The tension melted under his touch and she suddenly craved more of it. From behind, the bed dipped at her hips just as she let her face rest back into the mattress. Sasuke had gotten down on his knees, leaning his weight into his forearms on either side of her. She stiffened as a lazy trail of wet kisses made its way across her enflamed behind. "That's a good girl," he whispered in a groveled voice that sent her heart fluttering again.

She fell into a trance-like state as he continued to grace her ass with affectionate attention, groaning appreciatively against her every so often. "You have such a beautiful ass, Sakura." She couldn't help but smile to herself.

SMACK!

"Ah!"

"What do you say when you receive a compliment?"

"Th-Thank you, Satan." She caught her breath as he caressed her again.

Soon after, he got up from his knees and she could hear him walk away from the bed. "Undress for me, I want to see you out of those baggy clothes."

She heard the bedroom doors open and looked around just in time to see him leaving through them. Was he trying to give her privacy to get naked? To get some sort of whip or chains? It was unclear and she found herself overwhelmed with nerves as she tentatively crawled off the bed with her sweatpants still halfway down her thighs.

When he came back into the room, he found her just like that, awkwardly standing around in his clothes and her face crowded by anxiety. He put down his drink on the bedside table and stroked her arms. "What's wrong, baby?"

No whips, no chains, no torture devices. Just his damn drink. She let out a shaky breath into his bare chest and let her weight lean into him. He smelled faintly of warm sandalwood, now a familiar scent, and stroked her hair with an unexpected amount of care. "Is it lame if I say I'm not used to this kind of foreplay?"

He peeled himself back off of her to take a look at her face. There was apprehension he recognized from when he lost some control in Hell. His chest constricted at the thought of pushing her away. He'd find a way, he decided, to meet her somewhere in the middle...and then bring her to his side. "It would be lame if I judged you for that." He eyed the shirt still hiding her form that he so deeply desired to see. "Can I take this off of you?"

She lifted her arms and let him pull the shirt over her head. He let out a shameless groan and bent down almost instantly to wrap his lips around one of her nipples while he cupped her other breast. The combination of anticipation and the swift flicks of his tongue started to make her lightheaded. Fortunately for her, he let his hunger get the better of him and guided her back to the bed until her calves met the frame and she was lowered down onto it. His fingers curled under the waistband of the sagging sweats and tugged them clean off of her. "There," he said finally. "You're so gorgeous, Sakura. You know that?"

The nude woman blushed, moving to cover herself. Sasuke was straddling her before she could hide from view and pinned her wrists so he could continue admiring her form. His eyes grew dark again but his lips turned with a faint smile. "I just told you how gorgeous you are and you respond by hiding your beautiful body from me?" He cocked his head to the side. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you were looking for another spanking."

She'd be the worst liar to ever have been born if she even attempted to say she wasn't turned on by his dominant inclinations in the bedroom. Kiba had also been an alpha type who liked to take charge more often than not, but this was different. He wasn't just trying to rail her from behind and selfishly steer them to his orgasm under the guise of playing the tough guy - or at least assumed. She could feel something deeper at play with Sasuke. Pondering this over, she realized she would be a fool to expect anything less. He was, after all, literally a crowned sadist and not forgetting that horrid sex tape Karin sent her, a creative one at that. As intrigued as she was by this unexplored side of sex, she couldn't help but harbor some anxieties.

"Sakura," he addressed her softly. "Are you alright?"

She cursed herself for not saying something sooner. "Sorry, I think I'm just a little nervous still."

He rolled over to lay beside her. His own sweats had shimmied down at some point and the very edges of his pubic hair came into view at the center of his V-cut. "What's making you nervous?"

Sakura swallowed hard and sat up with an arm draped over her breasts. Sasuke reached down for a blanket, which she graciously accepted to cover with instead. "You have a lot more experience than I do, and I haven't forgotten that tape Karin sent me." She shrugged in a poor attempt to downplay her words. "I can't say I've done much outside the realm of normal sex, so I guess I'm feeling intimidated. I don't have any party tricks for you here."

He had to take a minute before responding. The truth of the matter was that he had tried essentially under the sun when it came to sex and the vast array of kinks and taboos that existed. When he sought out sexual partners, they were rarely through the everyday dating app or bar scene. They usually were sourced from underground sex clubs or lesser-known lounges where individuals interested in more eccentric and erotic experiences congregated. Looking back on his most recent years of partners, he admittedly had been more partial to the stranger opportunities. Most of his engagements were your run-of-the-mill BDSM setups he used as an outlet for release and opportunity to indulge in some sadistic punishing. Ino and Shikamaru would sometimes join him depending on the spot. Every so often he would happily find himself with someone more interested in a specific kink rather than just being dominated and couldn't remember ever saying no. Rain or shine, he loved to indulge the kink-enthusiasts - leather freaks, bondage fiends, latex lovers, cuckold couples, role players...if you could get off on it, he probably tried it.

So, sitting on his bed with this woman who found his spankings to be more surprising than fundamental, brought some unexpected perspective. It could be fun, he mused, to introduce her to a few things.

"I'd be honored," he said, stroking her hair. "To teach you how I like to fuck."

Sakura shuddered, unable to fight back her body's visceral reaction to his seductive voice she damn well knew was intentionally using to drive her mad. He slowly pulled her arm off of her body and then slid the blanket down her legs. "I want to feel you, baby." With his sly hand, he trailed over her breasts to massage the tender mounds. Her nipples puckered, daring him to pinch them. From there, he grazed down her stomach to the soft dip of her pelvic bone. When she couldn't hold down a small protesting moan, he chuckled. "Do you want me to eat your little pussy again?"

When she didn't answer right away, he ran his fingers through her pubic hair and gave it a light tug. "Y-yes," she finally said.

"Good girl," he purred, sliding off the bed to kneel at the edge of it. His hands hooked onto her hips and dragged her closer to him, spreading her thighs in the process. "We'll work on your proper responses later."

A shock of pleasure coursed through her from just the lightest stroke of his finger down her slit. He gave a throaty chuckle. "Do you like it when I talk to you like this?"

She started to nod but paused when she saw the disapproval brewing in his eyes. "I do," she said at a volume only a mouse could hear.

Sasuke leaned into her musky opening and inhaled as deep as he could. His mouth began to salivate as he continued to drag his finger up and down her wetness, the sound of her juices only making him harder. "What do you want, Sakura?"

Her head tilted up from where she was hiding it under her arms. "What?" She didn't understand - or didn't want to believe what he was asking.

The rhythmic stroking stopped. "You have to tell me what you want," he explained.

Sakura propped herself up on her elbows as he stood straight on his knees. His hands absently stroked the insides of her thighs. "You know what I want," she protested. "Why are you making me say it?"

He gazed at her through hooded lashes and leaned forward to make himself clear. "I want to hear you say it… And I can just get right to claiming your sweet little hole next time."

No amount of dirty-talking porn would have ever prepared her for the way he leveraged his words.

The devilman between her legs lifted his hand so she could get a clear look at it. Despite her embarrassment, he splayed out his fingers to show off the web of her essence clinging between them. Her eyes widened and he put the digits in his mouth to lick them clean. What was surprising to her wasn't the fact that he did that, but with what. His tongue was long and slick with saliva, just like it was in his dungeon. "Is your tongue...how is it still like that?"

He smirked, the pink muscle recoiling into his mouth. "This new mortality had subdued some of my demonhood, but not all of it." He took in her vivid flush and the palpable anticipation coming off of her in waves. He suddenly wasn't feeling as patient as he thought he'd be. "I changed my mind," he said, sending her down a pit of confusion.

"About what? This?" She gestured between the two of them in complete disbelief.

He sat up and rested his hands on her thighs again. His fingers drew faint circles on them right where her legs met her hips. "I'm not going to have you tell me every little thing you want. I don't want the distraction of teaching right now." She took a shallow breath as he gripped her. "I'm just going to take you tonight."

Her heart began to pound faster as he stood up in front of her in all his unholy glory and consumed her with his eyes as his thumbs hooked into his waistband. She almost held her breath as he started to pull it down. When he stopped, she looked up to see his smug grin and his eyes twinkling full of mischief. "That's right," he said, feigning surprise. "You haven't seen my cock yet." He brought one hand to the front of his pants and grabbed the visible bulge through them. Sakura swallowed hard.

"Have a feel," he offered as he walked right up to her where she was laying on the bed. She hesitated, but then brought her palm to where he was gripping himself. Her touch was polite, barely making contact. Not satisfied with this, he pressed his palm into the back of her hand, effectively making her grip his length. It pulsed against her.

She felt the wetness between her legs spread as her mind played out how it would feel to have him spreading her out and stuffing her. He looked down at her face just inches from his crotch. He grew harder at the thought of her blowing him and seeing her strain to fit him all the way in her mouth.

"You want to see it?"

Without overthinking it, she nodded.

He was more than happy to oblige. As the band slipped down his hips and slowly threatening to unveil his manhood, Sakura couldn't blink. His pubic hair was thick and shiny, curling around the base of his shaft that slowly came into view. Even after feeling it, she was surprised by how far he was pulling the band down without yet reaching the tip of his penis. Inch by inch, she felt her eyes grow wider. He had more girth than she could wrap a single hand around and a few bulging veins running down his length to the swollen tip that finally popped out inches later. It throbbed in front of her, flaunting its soft curve and hefty size.

Her hand reached out to grab it and his eyes widened. She stared back up at him with a glint in those deep emeralds he hadn't seen before. As her small fist dragged itself up and down his length while she stayed on her back, an appreciative groan reverberated from his chest. "It needs to be a little of this," he grunted, gently stopping her ministrations to spit in his hand and rub it into his erection. "Hn… I bet I'll slip right in with how drenched you are," he commented as he tugged on himself.

He snuck his other hand back to her slit and was pleased to find it sopping wet to the touch. She tried to stifle a moan, but it was pointless. He was the embodiment of sin and knew just how to draw out the worst in her with just his touch. "Oh god," she whispered breathlessly. He navigated her body better than she could herself. She couldn't believe her thighs were already quivering.

"The brain is such an overlooked erogenous zone," he chuckled. She felt her eyes roll back from just his fingertips brushing on her clit at that point. "The anticipation of having me fuck you must have been eating at you day and night, huh?"

She couldn't think straight enough to speak coherently. All her focus was on his minute strokes on her swollen bundle of nerve endings and those glowing eyes watching her unravel without him hardly having to do anything at all.

Did he think she was pathetic for this?

"Look at you squirming for release."

But he was turning her on so much, she couldn't help it.

"You want me to make you cum from just my finger, don't you?"

The coil in her stomach was winding tighter and tighter, restricting all thoughts outside of her immediate pleasure.

"Such a sloppy pussy."

His finger circled her clit again and again to the point where her nerves were on fire and set to explode any second.

"Getting your messy juices all over my bed."

She thrashed her head to the side and was met face to face with his hard cock.

"You're about to come, aren't you?"

Suddenly, his finger was gone.

Her clit pulsed desperately and she looked up at him in alarm. He chuckled.

"Why don't you put that pretty little mouth of yours on this," he suggested, grabbing his cock. He pushed back a few strands of hair from her face as she processed what had just happened. "I'll give you what you want."

She didn't care how handsome he was in that moment or how seductive his voice sounded. That move was completely messed up. She sat up and snapped her thighs closed. "That was so fucked up, Sasuke. You can't just do that."

He bent down to her level, his tone stone cold. "I will do whatever it is I want."

The cruelty he was exhibiting was jarring. This wasn't how she wanted her first time with him to be. "And I won't put up with anything I don't want to." She shifted to the edge of the bed and tugged the discarded pants and shirt back on.

Sasuke didn't move or say anything at all. Pushing against limits was nothing new. They always made the release that much sweeter. It was fun to work against them, but never had he experienced someone outright walking away from him. He couldn't comprehend it. As she started for the door he knew had to say something. "Sakura," he beckoned to her. "Slow down, please."

When she turned around, he expected to see her sexual frustration directed at him. Instead what he saw was a muddy tangle of uncertainty and confusion. "Baby," he lamented.

"Don't 'baby' me right now, Sasuke."

He fought back a scoff and took a deep breath before fetching his own pants. He had enough sense to know standing around with his dick out wasn't going to help him at that moment. "Please come sit down so we can talk about this. I didn't mean to upset you."

Seeing him so patient right then made her question her own outburst. Was she overreacting? On top of her frustration and embarrassment, regret was following close behind. She made her way back to the bed and sat beside him at the edge.

"Will you tell me what happened?"

She chewed on the inside of her cheek as she tried to find the right words to explain herself. After a long pause, she turned to him. "You and I haven't had sex yet," she started out saying. He raised an eyebrow at the obvious observation as he waited for her to continue. "So to have you humiliate me like that wasn't the most encouraging act."

He stared down at his knees as he mulled this over. Sure, he wasn't showering her with flowery compliments, but he also wasn't attempting to hurt her. He was a dominant sex partner, something he proudly associated with his identity. Asserting himself in the bedroom was a passion of his. Hell, he thought it was the answer to his humanity practically up until that day. Was she not interested in that?

"I want you, Sakura," he proclaimed. "And I want you to derive as much pleasure from this as I do."

His concern was sincere and gave her some reassurance. Listening to him then, she could hear his confusion as well. She had to wonder if he had ever even engaged in just plain old sex. No, she corrected herself, emotional sex. That's where he was probably lacking. In his eyes, his degrading behavior was unquestionably positive. But for her, with less familiarity and nerves to start with, it was exactly upsetting enough to send her running.

"Can we try something my way?"

His ears perked at this. "You should know I'm up for anything."

She rolled her eyes and smiled. "Yeah, I got that from day one with you."

He feigned a hurt expression with a small pout, earning a laugh from his companion. Hearing it he realized how long it had been since there was a sense of levity between them. He made a note to find an opportunity to change that in the future.

"So what did you have in mind?" Backlit by the candle, Sakura's heated cheeks were hidden. She lowered her gaze to his lips and then stared deep into his eyes. Sasuke was so curious as to what she was thinking and was surprised to find himself a bit nervous. He wasn't worried he would be uncomfortable, but that he wouldn't be successful in making her happy. "I don't say this often, so don't get used to it… But I'll follow your lead."

She scoffed at his ego and let her hair fall forward as she laughed again. "I promise I'm grateful, Lord Satan." He wanted to pull her across his lap and spank her for that jab. Luckily for him, she redirected his attention by grabbing his hand next to her and lacing their fingers together. "I want to take it slow."

"I can do that."

Her eyes stayed trained on his as she brought her mouth closer. He waited until she pressed her lips against him to see what pace she would set. She was so soft to the touch and had this uncanny effect on him that was like sinking into a hot bath after being out in the cold for so long. He sighed against her as she ran her hand up his chest to rest on his shoulder.

"Can I touch you?" He asked without taking his lips off of her.

She nodded, rewarding him with a small moan when he slid his hand appreciatively up and down her side. After a few strokes, she began to shift around as the desire pooled inside her. When she stood up suddenly, he forced himself to remain still. He fought back a teasing comment as she moved to straddle his lap.

Her smile was coy but still sweet. Creamy arms circled around his neck as he gave a satisfied hum that she could feel in her chest. She wanted to feel more of him in her. She wanted him. With their bodies pressed together, she started kissing him again and slid her tongue between his lips. He could practically taste her bubbling urgency.

"Mm, Sakura…"

The wet sounds of their kisses and her heat directed at his crotch were maddening. As much as he wanted to wait for her to guide him, he couldn't restrain himself from filling his hands with her ass and pushing her down harder onto his straining bulge. He hungrily sucked on her bottom lip, holding it hostage with his teeth for a moment before letting her have it back.

"The things I cannot wait to do to you," he chuckled through his impatience.

"Lay back on the bed," she whispered, ignoring what he said. He did as she asked and felt her lay right next to him with her head on his shoulder.

They just stared at each other while catching their breaths and Sasuke found himself not entirely hating it. Her eyes were that darker green again that he wanted to see more of. She smiled, stroking his face and letting herself move to his chest to appreciate his manly physique. The tentative touch was gone, he observed. Her contact was confident. She was finally just enjoying him. Finally. He relished in this new change of pace.

But he was a creature of desire. As much as he was learning to enjoy her increasing confidence, he needed more. They had started kissing again and she had pressed herself flush from chest to toe with him. Her hands grew bolder as they explored new planes on his muscular form and he reciprocated by running his hands back over her ass and through her hair, fisting it lightly.

"You feel incredible against me like this," he whispered as he pressed his hips into her more.

She buried her face in the space between his neck and shoulder and planted a collection of butterfly kisses on his heated skin. When she sat up he watched her inquisitively. She started to pull the shirt over her head, a pleasant surprise for the hungry devilman. "Take two?" She grinned.

Without skipping a beat, he leaned over and put his mouth on her breast to use the flat of his tongue along its underside. She shivered, looking down to find him looking up at her before he captured her hard nipple in his mouth. She mewled, his tongue sending her to the edge. After he felt he had messed with her breasts enough he tilted his head back and hooked a hand behind her neck.

"Come here," he cooed.

She ended up laying on top of him as they began to kiss again. Large hands roamed up and down her back as their tongues brushed along each other. When she felt him grab her hips to grind up against her, she knew it was time to take it to the next level. A shy hand tugged at his waist and he broke their kiss to throw her an amused grin. He couldn't resist the chance to tease her just for a second. "Is that what you want? To see my thick cock again?"

Earlier she would have been embarrassed by that comment, but she was properly aching then and excited by it. "I do," she said in earnest.

His eyes stayed trained on her face as she rolled off of him to let him pull down his sweats. When his hard length was fully released, it sprang from the restraining cotton. He could see her measuring it in her mind. "You can touch it, baby."

She glanced at him for a split second as if to say 'no shit' before she brought a hand to his hard-on. If it was possible, he was even harder than before. She slid a loose fist up and down the rock hard erection and tried to imagine herself spreading and squeezing onto him. She shuddered with anxious eagerness.

Her fingertip circled his tip with the same light swipes he had applied to her swollen clit. The organ rewarded her with a generous bead of precum that she then rubbed down the shaft.

"Fuck," Sasuke growled, hooking his arms behind his head. If he didn't restrain himself, he was going to throw her down and penetrate her any second. "I cannot wait to show you what I can do with that," he continued to say, as he watched her slide her hand up and down his throbbing cock.

Her hand soon slowed and he was so curious to know what she was going to do next. She let one hand stroke his muscular thigh and the other go through the same motions up his rippling abs. Her fingers took some detours, tracing each of his tattoos. He tried to read her face then, but she was too deep in thought.

He was doing his best to be patient, but she still had those damn pants on. His cock continued to throb and his balls were aching. How much longer was this going to be? Her hands moved to her hair and his eyes widened at the tell-tale gesture that he knew had to be preceding some head. Trained eyes watched her push the pink locks behind her ears and shoulders. "What are you planning there?" He teased.

"Nothing if you don't hold still." Her threat was clear, but he also caught the nerves in the back of her tone.

Just as he predicted, she started to lower her face down to his length. He pressed his head back into his fidgeting hands that were dying to fist her hair so he could thrust up into her mouth. It was the sweetest torture, he admitted, when her pink tongue came out to lick the underside of his dick. "Shit," he cursed as she dared to wrap her lips around his swollen tip. She even looked up at him while she did. Fucking tease.

She worked him in her mouth as best she could while using a hand to cover the portion of his length she couldn't fit. He knew the last thing she wanted was for him to face fuck her then, but he couldn't help but release a hand to touch her. She tensed when he stroked her hair, so he slid his hand to her cheek. "Can you let me feel myself through you?" He asked as he stroked the soft skin. She carefully turned her head to the side so his cock was pushing into the inside of her cheek. He rubbed the tip through it and groaned. "I love how you look up at me like that. It's making me mad."

He eased her off of him. "Can you please take your pants off for me again?" She nodded to his delight and shimmied out of the sweats one last time that night. Sasuke sat up and placed a hand on her knee. "I promise I'll be good this time," he assured her with a lopsided smile.

"I trust you," she smiled back.

He smiled back. "Let's get you in a better position then, shall we?" He stacked his pillows at the top of the bed and gestured for her to lay back on them. "This way," he explained, "you can watch me work this delicious pussy of yours."

She blushed as she let her back press into the fluffed down pillows. Sasuke took to all fours in front of her as he stared hungrily between her legs. She could feel herself throbbing at the sight. Slowly, he lowered himself down and hooked his hands around the base of her thighs.

"This time," he said peering up from her pubic mound at her, "I'm going to make you come for me. Hard."

His tongue ran up her soaking slit, coating itself in her essence. He groaned, swallowing fast before pressing his entire mouth against her and covering his face with her juices. "You taste," he said between hungry sucks at her swollen lips. "So good, baby." She gripped the sheets hard. "I want you to always get this wet for me."

The suckling was paired with the dips of his firm tongue into her, its supernatural length causing her breath to hitch. "If you think this feels good," he said once he could hear her panting. "You're going to fall apart when I put this cock in you."

She was struggling to keep her focus, the pleasure becoming so blinding. When she looked back down at Sasuke, she couldn't help but moan again at the sight of him simultaneously eating her out and reaching between his own legs to jack himself. "I think I'm ready," she said, entirely breathless.

"Not yet," he replied. Her jaw dropped open. "I want you to come for me first."

She chewed her lip as he swirled his tongue around. "Sasuke," she breathed. Her fingers laced themselves in his hair which only encouraged him. She was getting close again, he could feel it. Again and again, he flicked at that red and swollen clit with his finger as his tongue rubbed in and out of her sopping wet hole. Soon enough he could feel that familiar tremble in her thighs and pressed on. She was beyond incredulous to his abilities to take her to the edge as he had twice already before. Down in Hell and again here on his bed, he made pleasuring her seem easy. Any guy before him made it into a whole overwhelming ordeal that either ended with her stopping them out of frustration or because they had rubbed her raw. As Sasuke's fingertip gently worked her clit and his tongue massaged her opening, she finally saw stars.

"A-ah!" She screamed, the winding pressure inside her bursting into waves of indescribable pleasure. "Oh…" Her voice cracked, the orgasm eventually subsiding and his ministrations coming to a stop. As her vision returned, she looked down at the man responsible for her undoing and saw him grinning with a face covered in her essence.

"What a beautiful mess," he purred, his tongue licking at the corners of his mouth.

"That was unreal," she panted as her head fell back into the pillows. Sasuke crawled on top of her and cupped her face in his sticky hands to kiss her. She tasted herself as he dipped his tongue into her mouth.

"You ready for more?" His voice was smooth and sultry, hiding the erratic throbbing he was managing below the surface. She could feel his heated tip graze her stomach, the oozing precum dripping onto her. It had been so long ago since he started pursuing her, she reflected in amazement. From the day they met, he was on her case but she was always hung up on one thing then another. Any other guy would have bored of her and given up ages ago, but Sasuke didn't. Deep down, she knew it was her ungainly attempt at self-preservation and she couldn't be more grateful than she was then that he just happened to be more stubborn than her. Looking up at his devastatingly handsome face, she gave him one last kiss and nodded.

He kissed her back before moving down her body. Without another word, just a shared glance, he pressed the tip against her wet folds. How long had it been since he had felt another's body like this? The soft flesh heated to the touch, the eyes dilated and hooded with desire, chests heaving with hunger. If someone had told him a lifetime, he would have believed them. It was a despicable day when he finally came to accept that sex just wasn't enough anymore to be satisfied. He grew hungrier and hungrier over the years, but his palette had slowly, quietly, changed. It felt impossible to pinpoint what was missing, but when he did, he chose to greet it with denial. Until Sakura.

He covered his tip generously in her messy juices and tapped at her sensitive clit. For so long he had been pursuing this woman and he was finally going to have her, all of her. He spread her creamy legs a bit further apart and pushed his hips forward to let himself sink into her. "Fuck," he hissed as he watched his length squeeze in.

Her whole body went stiff and he worried he had hurt her with his girth. He in no way was under the impression she was a virgin, but he couldn't help worry he was doing something wrong. "Please," she whimpered. "It feels so good, don't stop!"

And just like that, his wicked grin returned. Without knowing it, she had reminded him that although there were many human things he had yet to fully understand, sex was something he had absolutely mastered. "I only just put it in, you better prepare yourself."

He started by pumping into her at a leisurely pace, enjoying the sloshing sound of her drenched pussy taking him in. Her pale breasts bounced on her chest with every thrust, exciting him further. He wanted to tell her how lewd she looked, how long he had been going mad thinking about railing her, owning her. He wanted to make her say she was his little slut to fuck and to teach to fuck, that she would love it. Especially when he filled her with his load.

He groaned.

She wasn't ready for that yet, but there would be plenty of time in the future.

"Sasuke," she whined, reaching up for him.

He positioned her legs around his waist as he leaned forward to hover right on top of her as he continued to drill his cock into her. She started to moan louder, the curve of his length targetting her hidden bundle of nerves. "Oh god," she cried.

"We'll need to work on that," he said as he groped her flushed breasts.

"Oh, Satan," she laughed. It made his dick twitch inside her to hear her call him that.

"Give me your hands," he demanded. He gathered her wrists in one hand and pinned them above her head. "You look so gorgeous taking my dick like this," he told her. "I'm going to reward you with my cum."

She looked up at him in surprise and was met with his red eyes. What was more surprising than seeing them that color again was how much they turned her on while he slammed into her. "I think I'm going to come again," she announced. Watching him pump his thick cock in and out of her looking as devilish as he always did was becoming too much. He could feel her walls starting to contract on him.

"You're going to wait until I'm ready to come as well, understand?"

His commanding order sent shivers down her body.

"I'm getting close," he grunted, fucking her harder. She started moaning louder, her voice pairing pleasingly with the slaps of their bodies meeting. Her nails clawed at his back and her mind was on fire.

"Get ready to come with me, baby," he ordered her, his hips slamming hard into her.

They tangled their limbs as the tempo of his thrusts picked up, his release just seconds away. She couldn't help but cry out at the inhuman pace set as her orgasm neared. "Ah, ah! Give it to me..!"

"Argh, I'm coming!" He grunted, the hot load filling her to the brim. She could feel her insides becoming full. This was the undoing for her as well as her walls began spasming with her second orgasm. A few breaths later, his hips rolled to a stop. He shifted to rest beside her with his cock still inside and legs comfortably tangled.

Her head fell to the side to look at the man panting beside her. His abs, twisting with his hips that were still meeting hers, contracted with every breath. His hard chest glistened when the candlelight managed to catch the beads of sweat collecting in the valley between his pecs. When he caught her staring, she couldn't be bothered to be embarrassed. She was too awestruck to even think to be. For similar reasons, he was feeling the same way.

"Feeling better now?" He asked with a smug grin.

She let out a breath laugh and rolled her hips away so he was no longer inside her. "A little parched, if I'm being honest."

Sasuke pulled himself up and off the bed, examining the mess smeared across his pelvis and thighs with a mischievous look on his face. "I imagine you must be quite dehydrated."

Sakura shot a glare his way but said nothing. She didn't want to inflate his ego then, but she knew without a second thought that was without question some of the best sex she had ever had. What was even more shocking was the fact that made her come not just once, but twice! And it was their first time together..!

"I'll get some water," he said as he turned to leave the room. She smiled up at him, grateful for the offer. Her eyes shamelessly lingered on his sculpted ass as he left the room and sighed. She only wished she had let herself do this sooner.

As she sat back and let her body bask in the lingering glow of her orgasms, the warm light from the living room poured into the room. She looked down at her own exposed body and was brought back to reality by the small pool of milky semen pouring out between her legs and onto the contrasting black sheets.

"I suppose I should help clean that up," Sasuke mused as he handed her a tall glass of water. She snagged a tissue off his bedside to catch the rest of the liquid seeping out of her and without thinking offered an apology for the mess on the bed. He caught her eye as he tugged the sheet off the mattress while still nude. "Sakura…"

She looked at him inquisitively. "What?"

He discarded the crumpled fabric and stood in front of her with his hands on her arms. "You have nothing to be sorry for. The only apologies you'll owe me are in bed if you disobey me then, are we clear?"

She let loose a soft grin and he leaned down to kiss it, his hands sliding down to grab at her sore behind. When he pulled back, he intertwined their fingers to guide her to the bathroom with him. "Now let's get cleaned up, I want you to get a full night's rest so you can give me a full physical examination in the morning."

"You're going to just be a pain in my ass about these exams, aren't you?"

His eye twinkled. "Yours and yours alone."

She had to laugh. He was, after all, her sweet, sweet devil.

.

.

End.

---

Aaaaannnddd...CUT! How are we feeling?! Before you read any further, let me cut to the chase and say there WILL be a sequel! We WILL be diving into this newly forming relationship between Sasuke and Sakura now that he is fully removed from his seat in Hell and firmly locked into the mortal world. He's been enjoying himself with little consequences at stake up until this point, so how will his life shape up now that he has found something worth fighting for? And Sakura... If you've read this story through, you know there's a lot of...hobbies and preferences...she hasn't been properly introduced to yet that Sasuke will be anxious to introduce her to.

I am marking this story as complete (finally!) but will update it with the info for the sequel once I have that first chapter ready for publish.

Thank you everyone who has read my story, given me the gift of your feedback and especially those who have been with me since the beginning. You all have made me a very happy hobby writer and I look forward to sharing more cheeky happiness with you on this upcoming story to follow.

xoxo

drawingdownthemoon