So I wrote a thing. A one shot about post 700 NaruSaku.


Its not something he wants to acknowledge. The implications are troubling but its too obvious to ignore. Here she is sitting across the table from him, many things at once a woman in her mid-thirties, a ninja, a wife, a medic, a mother

And beautiful to him, still, after all these years

"What's so funny?" She asks.

He collects himself. "I still can't believe you broke my computer."

She grins. "How else was I supposed to get you out of the office Naruto?"

"I think that's a misuse of your monstrous strength."

"You say that but I didn't really need that much strength to break it. It actually felt a bit cheap if I'm going to be honest."

"It was a gift from an ambassador Sakura-chan."

Sakura considers this for a moment. "Hmm I would reevaluate that relationship Naruto . The giving of cheap gifts doesn't bode well for diplomacy."

She glances down at her half eaten salad, it was a delectable mix of vegetables and fruit. Naruto's salad on the other hand is a mix of savory looking grilled chicken and greens that has barely been touched.

He makes note of her scrutiny.

"I'm not hungry" he says.

"Listen I know you saved the world like what twenty years ago? But you are an old man now Naruto and you need your vitamins."

He scoffs. "Okay who told you to be worried about me?'

"Everyone" she says raising a cup of tea to her lips.

"Everyone?"

"Everyone, and I'm not surprised since you don't eat."

"Of course I eat! If I didn't eat I would not be alive" Naruto grumbles.

She shrugs. "People are also saying that you've gotten quite cranky."

"Eh" he grunts.

"Oh and no one really needed to tell me to be worried Naruto. I was already worried anyway."

Wordlessly Naruto picks up his fork and starts to stab at his food.

"I liked that computer."

He shovels bits of chicken and spinach into his mouth while Sakura beams at him from across the table. She continues eating silently glancing up at the Hokage every now and then.

"Wait a second" he says when three quarters done with his meal. "If this lunch is for my benefit why are we are eating salads?"

"Because if someone didn't know you were the Hokage they would think you designed ramen containers by the look of your office. Hinata must be livid, she's such a great cook and there you are slurping away."

"My wife understands a man's needs."

Sakura's eyebrows quirk with amusement, "So ramen are part of a man's needs now?"

"Why wouldn't they be?" he counters.

"Well I have to congratulate Hinata for discovering something most women would never have considered"

"See Hinata would consider that because she is as sweet as Konoha honey. You though are closer to the killer Konoha Bee."

Beneath the table Sakura's left boot becomes acquainted with Naruto's right shin.

"Ouch!" Naruto cries as he grabs at his leg. "Ah was that your sting?"

"If that's what you want to call it. I say that's what you get for gloating about your fabulous marriage. No one likes a braggart Naruto."

Averting his gaze from Sakura Naruto takes in the immediate scenery of the intimate café they are in.

"I am a lucky man. She is a great mother."

"I heard about your son and the mountain, I suppose the apple doesn't fall from the tree does it?"

A half smile slowly crawls along Naruto's face. He speaks with unbridled pride in his voice. "He is a handful but he's a strong kid. He's going to be a better man than I am"

Sakura shakes her head. "Naruto don't put that kind of pressure of your son. I'm sure you already cast a long enough shadow."

Confusion reigns on the Hokage's face, 'What is that supposed to mean?"

"Naruto I've never met a better man than you in my entire life.I doubt i ever will."

She says it quickly confidently casually. But his reaction makes her wonder if there is a way to take it back. He wears guilt on his face as if it were an oni mask,

"I've got my flaws Sakura-chan."

She tries briefly to catch his gaze but to no avail.

'I'm just saying Naruto your children will have some big shoes to fill. That's just something to consider."

His sigh resembles a soft whisper.

"It's not like I am not aware I should spend more time with my family. But—keeping the peace is a lot harder than talking about peace. There is a village near the Land or Iron calling me a tyrant for trying to suggest some reforms-do these guys even remember what Nagato, Obito and Madara were trying to do? Do they even remember that-"

"You saved the world?"

"It's not even about that" Naruto says quickly.

"But you did though…you saved the world."

He blushes. "Well I had some help."

They exchange smiles.A light flickers in Naruto's eyes and he leans back in his seat.

"Have you gotten any word from Sasuke yet?"

Sakura shrugs. "I got a letter last week. Second one in three months…how many letters from him have you gotten?"

"A handful" he says after a moment's hesitation. "But obviously they are official reports related to his mission."

Sakura chuckles to herself. "You know maybe next time you can order him to spend some time at home."

The pain that registers on his face makes her cringe.

"Sakura Sasuke's skills are vital to certain delicate and discreet missions so I have to make a judgment calls and…"

She interrupts him. "Naruto I'm just kidding you. I know he volunteers for these missions."

Naruto runs his tongue across his lips. "No, no its actually more like this see I am the Hokage so I assign him to these missions and he technically can say yes or no but for the good of the village Sasuke always says yes."

Sakura rolls her eyes. "Naruto he told me himself that he mostly volunteers."

She watches as his throat bobs up and down.

"Sakura-chan you've got to understand he still feels like he has to make amends."

"I understand why he does it Naruto. I get it and it's perfectly admirable and noble and virtuous. Maybe I'm being selfish but It's just that you know it gets a little lonely sometimes."

With her eyes misting over Sakura turns away from him. He reaches over the table for her hand but he stops himself short planting his right hand firmly against the table.

"If you get lonely you can always stop by the house or my office."

Sakura closes her eyes for a moment before turning back to Naruto. With her composure regained she smiles brightly.

"Look at me a grown woman talking about being lonely. Sometimes I think my daughter is more mature than I am."

Naruto nods. "I know she's definitely more mature than we were at her age."

Sakura nods back. "Oh that's for sure. Although she does have her father's razor sharp tongue. Oh if I had her wit when I was younger…well my fights with Ino would have been a lot uglier."

Her eyes are shining with pride now. "There are days where I am certain she would have handled some things a lot better than I did."

Naruto fidgets his seat. "What things?"

A tinge of red colors Sakura's face. "All sorts of things."

Her eyes fall on Naruto's hand on the table it rests a scat few inches away from her own. She smiles as he pulls his hand back.

"The more things change the more they stay same. Why does it always turn out like this? I come to help you and then it becomes all about me. Naruto I know you are the consummate fixer and rescuer but how do you always pull this off-?

He stares at her, as she speaks somehow the sunlight seems to be nestling in her hair.

"I just wanted you to be happy" He blurts out. "That's all I needed."

"You and Sasuke" he adds quickly before she can respond. "Both of you, I just wanted you to be happy. Do you know that?"

Their eyes meet. She holds his gaze,

"I do Naruto, and I am happy."

"And so am I" His voice cracks and it startles them both.

He glances up at the sky for no particular reason she can discern. "Well I think it's time for me to go."

"OK" she agrees.

He stands up and reaches into his pocket.

Sakura holds her hand up. "Stop, it's on me."

Naruto nods in acquiesce. "Thanks this was fun."

He makes a move to leave but she grabs him by the hand,

"Try to relax every now and then Hokage-sama. You saved the world once. That's more than enough for one lifetime."

He looks down at her hand. She gives his fingers a tight squeeze.

He laughs to himself, feeling defeated. "I think you are amazing Sakura-chan. I still do after all these years."

Sakura draws in a sharp breath and lets his hand drop. His words lay there somehow weighing down the very air around them.

She is the first to break the silence, "Why would you say that?"

He grimaces "I'm sorry I hadn't slept in like three days-"

She shakes her head. "No you don't just say something like that and apologize. A married man does not just blurt that out to a married woman."

"I didn't mean to upset you."

Sakura runs a hand through her hair. "Idiot, it didn't upset me at all. It had the opposite effect. That's the problem."

"Is it?" he asks his lip quirking into a smile.

"It is, it is Naruto."

Naruto bends over as if intending to kiss her on the top of the head. He stops short and whispers. "If I invited you to lunch….if I invited you to have a very private lunch. What would you think about that?"

"I think that would be a bad idea" she whispers back.

"You are right, it would be a really, really bad idea. But what if I did?"

"Naruto, I've always loved Sasuke."

He smiles.

"I know and I love my wife."

"I know that." She smiles.

"But if I invited you would you come?" he asks again.

She trembles slightly. "You wouldn't ever ask me to do that."

"Of course I would never ever ask. But what if I did?"

He studies her, reading her features, sifting through their past via her eyes.

"I would say no" she answers.

He pulls away and quietly straightens out his Hokage garb.

"Sakura-chan you are a bad liar."

"Some might say it takes a bad liar to know a bad liar" she says soft and somber.

"There might be some truth to that. Thanks again for lunch."

Smiling tenderly Naruto turns and for the second time in his life he walks away from Sakura Haruno. He finds it's no less painful now than it had been all those years ago.

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Thanks for reading let me now what you think