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Chapter 2

To say their first night together was awkward was an intense understatement. By the time Sakura had exited the bathroom, eyes still puffy from the tears she let fall, Sasuke had already claimed his side of the bed. Laying on his side, he seemed calmly at sleep. Sakura slowly slipped into her side of the small but oh-so comfortable bed. All the while trying not to touch him. She laid on her back, staring up into the grand chandelier now turned off. Sasuke is here..sleeping next to me. And he couldn't be more distant. He doesn't care about me. He cares about the mission. It's always been about the mission. The tears threatened to spill again, but abruptly stopped when she heard Sasuke stir. He had flipped on his other side, now facing her. He was so beautiful even when he slept. He reverted back to his 12 year old self when he slept so peacefully. This was actually the most rested and at peace she has ever seen Sasuke. She found herself staring, staring far longer than someone simply admiring his beauty. She was so in love with him it made her chest ache, it just wasn't fair. Why can't she be more like him? And then her emeralds met onyx.

She was taken aback and turned as deep red as their satin sheets "I-I'm sorry, Sasuke you looked so peaceful it was just I-I've never seen you like that he he" her words came out like vomit. She was always so unbearably truthful to Sasuke, even when she tried her hardest not to. She braced herself for the glare, for the "you're being annoying" retort. But it never came, instead his eyes seemed sad. Very sad.

"I wasn't asleep."

"What?"

"I can't afford to sleep, not with his lackys standing behind our door. I have to remain alert, you can sleep. I'll keep an eye out." He's lying, he's just embarrassed he was caught fast asleep.

Sakura smiled, "Okay"

"Why do you always grin like that, like you know something I don't?"

This caught her by surprise. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. I just know you a lot better than you give me credit for." She smiled again, her words filled with truth as they always did when she spoke with Sasuke.

"hmph, and you think I know nothing about you? This isn't one sided."

"What do you mean..?"

"I know what you're thinking before you think it. Others may not notice it as well, but you wear your emotions on your sleeve. They're always written all over your face. "

"Naruto always said I did..never believed him until now."

"Naruto….of course Naruto noticed." Sasuke closed his eyes again, and spoke through his teeth.

"What's wrong?" our pillow talk can't end now..I won't let it.

"You and Naruto spent a lot of time together after I left, didn't you?"

"Yes we did, why?"

"Does he still have that moronic crush?"

"On me? No no! You didn't know? He's married to Hinata now"

"Oh…I hadn't even bothered to ask him about things like that. Come to think of it I did get this frilly letter while I was traveling from him."

"Didn't you open it?!"

"No."

"Sasuke! You can't just throw things like that away!"

Sasuke smirked "Maybe I should've brought you with me. Maybe I would have been able to attend his wedding."

Sakura's face turned bright pink, then pale white. He's admitting he wouldn't have minded me coming with him. That I should've came with him.

"Why the blush?" Sakura met his eyes again to see a completely mellow and analytical expression. Sasuke studied her constantly changing emotions like an Academy book.

"I just..I really wanted to come with you, Sasuke."

"I know." Those were the only words that would come out. He didn't have any other answer for her.

The silence between them grew, nether were anywhere close to sleep. But neither chose to speak.

Sakura turned on her back again, Sasuke's eyes never leaving her.

"Goodnight, Sasuke" she finally decided to say. He hm'd back at her as a response, but kept his position.

Sakura woke to an intense warmth. The warm sheets smelled of pine and the air right before a thunderstorm. It was a beautiful scent, and she found herself breathing in deeply before snuggling into it even more. But the sheets were much harder than she remembered, almost bulky with their own muscle tone. She sleepily opened her eyes, the sheets had changed to whitish fleshy color. And had the muscles and abs of a god. Slowly, she tilted her head up to meet the questioning onyx ones of the sheets' owner. She jumped, using her palms to hold her weight, balancing on his chest.

"Sasuke!?"

"Did you forget I was here?" Sasuke's question was completely nonchalant, his arms were stretched out behind him, hold up his head. He looked completely at ease.

"No..I just" Sakura was saved by their awkward encounter by their room's door suddenly being slammed open.

"Madame, you are wanted this evening by the young lord. We have brought you gifts as well as your gown to be worn for his lordship." The identical guards filed in, bringing fruit baskets and candies. As well as Sakura's elaborate gown. Sasuke's eyes wouldn't leave the guards.

Noticing the awkwardness of her and Sasuke's position, she shift and crept out of the bed hoping to retrieve the gifts and retreat into the bathroom. On her way to the bountiful gifts, she glanced out the window. Instead of seeing a sunrise, it was almost sunset.

"How long have I been asleep!?" she rushed to the window. Her and Sasuke's talk must have lasted far longer than she thought, and its emotional drain on her left her in need of some serious rest. How incredibly comfortable and warm Sasuke's chest had been probably prolonged her sleep even more. How long had Sasuke been awake?

"You were tired, you barely moved all night." Sasuke moved from the bed as well, and walked towards the guards to take, and inspect, all of Sakura's new gifts.

Barely moved all night? How about the fact I moved right onto your chest and held on for dear life?

Sasuke was just a huge riddle. A big, strong, seductively handsome but equally irritating and selfish riddle.

"We shall bid you goodbye for now Ms. Kutchikie. Lord Koga will be back at 9 to retrieve you himself. Master Tamaki, please accompany me." The guard was well-mannered, and didn't sound suspicious. But Sakura still felt a tightening in her stomach at the thought of Sasuke leaving. Of course, Sasuke read that all over her face.

He walked over to her and handed her gifts and patted her on the head. "I'll be back, the weather is nice this evening. You should have a look around the premises." Sakura knew what that meant, Kakashi and Sai were expecting them on the hotel rooftop at nightfall. And since Sasuke would obviously not be able to make it, he reminded her to still attend.

After Sasuke and the guards left, Sakura quickly put away all her new belongings and changed into a new kimono mirroring the one she wore the day before. She opened the window to attempt to leave for her team mates, but her gown caught her eye. She walked back towards the bed where her gown laid. It was a satin red, with a long slit up the side that looked as if it would be clear up to her hip. The neckline plunged down and ended at what looked like would be her belly button. And the back was made up of dozens of criss-cross patterns. Sakura grimaced, this Koga guy sure was a creep. She fought off the annoyance and leaped out the window.

The night had brought a cold mist with it, Sakura could feel the light rain on her face as she looked at her teammates on the rooftops. It filled up her lashes and she had to constantly wipe her eyes.

"I was able to overhear the conversations between Koga and Sasuke." Sai spoke

"So that's where they took him? To meet with Koga?" Sakura felt her heart race, she saw how Koga sized him up.

"Yes, it seems like Sasuke may get more out of him than you will. Koga said he has a mission for him that he will pay handsomely for. He has been given word that leaf nin are on their way to retrieve on of his prisoners. He plans to hire Sasuke to guard him."

"So I'm off the hook!" Sakura was ecstatic.

"Not exactly, if we take you out of the picture Sasuke as your hired guard would have to leave with you. We have to keep on as if nothing has changed. Sakura, just in case Koga changes his mind about Sasuke still attempt to get some information out of him." Kakashi chimed in

"Yes, alright."

Kakashi checked his watch, "Looks like you better hurry Sakura, you've got a party to attend."

"Don't remind me." Sakura crossed her arms.

"Well, maybe if you wouldn't have slept all day you wouldn't be so grumpy." Kakashi grinned

"yeah well..WAIT! HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?"

But the two had already disappeared.

"COME BACK HERE!"

Sakura was still fuming when got back to the room. It was bad enough having Koga's shinobi spying on them but to have Kakashi doing it too?

Sasuke still hadn't returned, so she took the time alone to slip into her dress. It was even more showy on her than she first thought. She pulled her hair up into a small messy bun and angrily put on her heels. She was mortified, she couldn't let Sasuke see her like this. She stopped to look at herself in the bathroom mirror. Thankfully she did, because in the midst of her irritably putting on her gown she hadn't completely covered her breasts. She looked more like a prostitute walking the streets at night than an expensive call girl. She attempted to pull the fabric over her breasts with no prevail. While she grew more frustrated, she heard a throat being cleared behind her. Standing in the bathroom door, was Sasuke.

They met eyes in the mirror, and he quickly looked away. A small blush playing on his cheeks.

"I'm going to demand you a new dress." He simply said as he walked away, hand firmly grasping the tip of his katana.

"Wait!" Sakura ran out of the bathroom and caught Sasuke by the shoulder.

"Kakashi sensei said I have to do this as if nothing has changed. He told me what Koga asked of you."

"I figured at least one of them were watching. That still doesn't explain why you have to keep up this charade." He sounded irritated.

"He said that if I stopped and tried to leave you would have to leave as well. We have to keep up our story for the sake of the mission."

"For the sake of the mission. And you dressed like that is part of it? That's stupid." Sasuke's back was still facing her, and he only gave her the satisfaction of seeing his profile and the angry growl beginning to form on his lips.

"I don't like it either, I despise this entire mission actually. But look at me, I look like a cheap date. I won't even begin to catch his eye so maybe if I lay low you can take over."

Sasuke's fist curled even tighter before he vanished.

"Sasuke?"

But he was behind her, hands on her shoulders. His fingers were so tight around her arms that she winced in pain. He was so strong, he wasn't even using chakra. This was all Sasuke.

"Sasuke, what are you doing?.."

"If you think you can lay low while looking like that, Sakura, you're blind." His voice was much softer this time. It sent chills down her spine and a red tint to her cheeks. Sakura..he had called her by her real name, not her alias. Was this the real Sasuke? Was he really doing this?

His right hand slowly lifted from his grasp on her arm to her neck, and then lightly pulled her chin back.

"Your necklace is twisted" He slowly untwisted the chain around her neck and let his fingers linger on her collar bone for much longer than he anticipated. Sasuke lost himself when he was this close to Sakura. Her scent suffocated him and clouded all of his senses without his consent. Before he could stop himself, he had his lips pressed to her throat. Sakura gasped, and closed her eyes.

"Sasuke.."

"Princess!"

The couple froze, Sasuke's eyes narrowed with his lips still locked to Sakura's neck. Slowly, he backed away leaving Sakura in a complete daze. Koga busted into the room to find a red faced and sweaty Sakura.

"Princess! Are you that embarrassed to have me see you in that?" Koga grinned a perverted smile.

Sakura jumped back into reality and glanced around her, Sasuke was gone.

"I uh.."

"You look incredible my flower." Koga walked slowly towards her and picked up a strand of her hair that had fallen out of the bun during Sasuke's sudden advance. Koga leaned his lips next to her ear.

"You look good enough to eat, I just might have to later."

Sakura's blush was not one like what Sasuke had given her. He had put her in complete bliss. But this man, this man made her want to vomit.

"Come on we're already late!" Koga grabbed Sakura's wrist and drug her out of the room. But not before she caught a glance of narrowed red sharingan eyes in a dark corner of the bedroom before the door closed behind them.