Getting Naruko drunk was a terrible ide- I broke off in the middle of the thought, grabbing the blonde by her shoulder, and yanking her back from the busy street. "Naruko!" I said, shaking her. Her glazed blue eyes stared back, a floppy smile playing on her lips.

I stare back, my own sea-green eyes narrowed slightly.

At least the blond looks happier now. Sasuki was off getting Naruko some coffee, to sober her up.

Ino had invited us to go drinking, along with study groups that we met up with sometimes.

Naruko, of course, had gone away over board. I pulled the blond back to me, walking backwards into the mouth of an alley.

"Naruko. Naruko!" I snapped my fingers, waving my other hand in front of her blue eyes.

She gave a slooooow blink, then smiled. "Saku-kuuuun~?"

I sighed, ruffling her long blond hair with a hand. "Yeah, it's me, moron. Why'd you drink so much?"

She hiccuped slightly. "Izz makes me haaaappy." She slurred. "Or kindazzz…"

I put a hand to my forehead. "Okay. When you get sober enough to stand on your own, we'll find you something else makes you happy. A plant, perhaps? Some ramain?"

Naruko grinned. "Sureee…."

I put an arm around the swaying blonde, and supported her. "There. Sasuki should be here soon with the coffee." I said.

Naruko swayed, then plopped to the ground, giggling. She was wearing a bright orange crop top, and a little pair of jean shorts, and her feet were bare. I sighed again. She must've lost them.

I sat down, crossing my legs, keeping a firm grip on the waist band of Naruko's shorts. She giggled, then sat back against the wall.

I closed my eyes, then snapped them back open, feeling a warm weight settling against my chest.

"S-Saku-kun, I'm sad."

She sniffled. I internally groaned, looking down at the top of the small blond girl's head.

She had crawled into my lap, curling herself against my chest, and settling her rear into the space that my crossed legs created.

"Why?" I decided to humor the girl.

"'Cause no one likes me. Ever since I got in that fight last year… No has like me ever since. But n-now," she raised her swimming blue eyes to mine. "I have you and Sasuki."

I arched my brows. "I thought you hated Sasuki?"

She shook her head, blond hair falling over her shoulders and tickling my face. "No… She's family now. She's… There. And so are you." She paused. Naruko seemed sober now, at least more than she had been, a moment ago.

"But before… There was no one." She shivered. "I was so alone, so scared. Then Iruka-sensei, and Kakasha-sensei and you two… You made me not alone. I was so happy. I'm still happy." She snuggled against me, closing her eyes.

"Baka." I looked up at Sasuki's voice. The tall, black-haired, unusually scarlet-eyed girl was standing in front of us, a cup of coffee in one hand, and a muffin in the other. "Why didn't you tell us?" She walked forward, kneeling beside Naruko and I. She edged closer, then sat down, her white dress, elegant and form fitting, right against her skin. Sasuki tugged at it, growling, then looked up, "Naruko, I am in orphan too. Saku is estranged from his parents. We both know who it is to be lonely."

A rush of admiration made my cheeks heat the tiniest bit, then I looked down at Naruko. She was studying Sasuki, her eyes thoughtful, which was something I had never seen the blond teen look before.

"Thanks, Sasuki." I said quietly.

Naruko reached out, and grabbed her wrist, dragging Sasuki closer.

The Uchiha looked impassively back at Naruko, then cautiously edged closer, til she and I were sitting hip to hip.

Naruko closed her eyes, breathing gently, her breath warm through my shirt.

"Thank you."