Disclaimer : I do not own Naruto.

Naruto lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.

The fan rotated in slow motions, the center reflected an overview of the room.

Clothes hurled off everywhere, cup of Ramen and an empty used glass on the table. His jumpsuit over a chair, headband placed over the desk next to the Team 7 photo frame. The ticking of the table top clock, next to the frame, engulfed the silence in the room.

Naruto slowly turned his head towards the clock.

'One hour more.' He thought to himself.

Suddenly he heard a knock on the door. 'Who could it be at this time?'

He seated himself on the bed. Slowly placed his feet on the floor and dragged his weight towards the door. As he passed by the mirror he stopped. He looked at the image dressed in boxers and a plain tee with an emotionless face. He paid no heed to his attire and walked towards the door.

He slowly turned the knob around and slightly opened the door and looked at the figure between the space.

"What took you so long! I've been waiting here forever!"

"Sakura–chan?" Naruto said.

Sakura widened the space between the door and the frame as she pushed the door. "Aii what's with your look? Aren't you happy to see me?" Sakura asked as she tried to let herself in. But Naruto restricted the movement and made his way out standing in between the door and Sakura.

Sakura narrowed her eyes.

"What are you doing here Sakura–chan. Is something wrong?" Naruto asked seeming very disinterested at the moment.

Sakura frowned at the behavior.

"Get dressed. We are going out." She said and turned around making her way down the stairs.

"I'm too tired Sakura-chan. I think I will just take a nap."

Sakura stopped mid way and turned around eyebrows frowning. "I am taking you out on a date. Don't you dare refuse."

Naruto who would usually be ecstatic over such an invitation, but tonight he just blankly looked at Sakura. As much as he wanted to decline the offer he turned around and made his way inside the room to change.

Naruto changed his boxers to a pair of shorts and made his way out.

"So where are you taking me?" Sakura said and looked at Naruto.

"I thought.." Naruto looked back.

Sakura sensed the discomfort in his voice and smiled "I am kidding. I will treat you to Ichiraku."

Naruto looked at Sakura and looked down "hnn" clearly not amused.

They reached Ichiraku and made themselves comfortable on the stools as Sakura ordered for Naruto's favorite, Miso Ramen with extra char siu.

Naruto was zoned out all the while.

"Naruto! I ordered for your favorite is that okay?"

"aa" Naruto snapped out of his daze and responded to Sakura's question "hai hai"

"Naruto! Is this how you treat a girl on a date!" Sakura said frowning.

"aa Sorry Sakura-chan. I am just sleepy you know."

Sakura could easily see through the lie but didn't say anything. She looked away with as worry crossed her face. Naruto looked at Sakura. She had been trying to cheer him up ever since they left from his apartment. He couldn't stand being the cause of her worry. He quickly brushed off his mood and drew a fake smile on his face.

"But to hell with all that! It's not every day Sakura–chan pays for my Ramen!"

Sakura looked at him, saw through the fake smile as well she decided to play along.

"Who said I am paying!"

"huh! You asked me out!"

"Only cause you didn't!"

Naruto was about to respond but he chose to give up. A genuine smile crossed his face.

"What are you smiling about?" Sakura enquired.

"Nai this is okay too. This long overdue date, it's worth the pay." Naruto beamed at Sakura.

Sakura eyes widened in surprise and it soon turned into a smile. "Hai!" she agreed with Naruto.

Just then their bowl of Ramen appeared.

"Itadakimasu!" They both said in unison and separated their chopsticks in two.

Naruto charged at his ramen and Sakura giggled at the enthusiasm.

Naruto slowed down his pace and looked at Sakura, "Sakura–chan?"

"hmm?" Sakura looked over at Naruto as she slurped in some noodles from the chopsticks in her mouth.

"What is this? All of a sudden?"

Sakura chewed on her food and gulped it before answering. "Cant a girl go out with a guy for dinner?"

Naruto looked at Sakura, "Yeah she can, but..." Naruto didn't know how to put his thoughts in words.

They continued their meal in silence for a while followed by some small talk. They finished their bowl of Ramen, Naruto didn't order for a repeat, much to Teuchi's surprise, but Sakura didn't question it.

Sakura drew out her purse to pay but Naruto beat her to it.

"Maybe next time Sakura–chan." He smiled. Before Sakura could protest he continued, "Now I can hold this against you and we can have another date."

Sakura looked at him blankly for a moment before smiling " You will just have to keep paying then." She said and turned away to exit the drapes, a smile forming on her lips.

Naruto thanked the old man and followed Sakura. Like their usual routine, Naruto would always drop Sakura home if they were ever late from a mission or a meeting. Needless to say, this night was no different.

After a few moments of silence, Sakura finally spoke. "Naruto…"

Naruto turned his gaze at her.

She continued. "What do you think we are?"

"huh? What do you mean Sakura–chan?"

" This. We. What do you think this is?"

"Well , I am not sure how to answer that."

"We were first teammates then we became friends…"

"Hmm.." Naruto said. His eyes stayed on the ground, kicking stones as they passed by, avoiding eye contact. He was clearly getting uncomfortable with the topic.

"Right?"

"Right right!", Naruto nodded hoping that was the end of it.

"But..we are not just friends either right?"

Naruto looked at Sakura with a straight face, "Sakura–chan is this conversation like the one you had with me at the Land of Iron."

Sakura was caught off guard by that comment. Her gaze went down, feeling guilty about that time.

"You are not going to tell me you are in love with me again are you?"

Sakura looked away, regret evident on her face. Naruto noticed how hard his comment hit her, it wasn't said to have that effect.

He quickly changed the tone "Because you know I will believe you this time!" he said placing both his hands laid back on his neck as he gave out a fake laugh. He stole a glance of her from the space between his arm, she still looked upset. He slowly withdrew his hands down and was about to apologize when Sakura interrupted.

" I do love you Naruto."

Naruto's eyes widened.

"Like how you love me." She said, her eyes finally meeting his.

She continued "But it's not the usual kind of love is it? We are not just friends, but we are not more than friends either are we?"

Naruto looked down. It's true. He thought to himself. He had always loved Sakura, ever since their academy days. She, however, never reciprocated the feelings back then. He made it quite evident to her time and again, and she made it quite evident that his antics were annoying and embarrassing.

It was only after they ended up in Team 7 did they finally acknowledge each other as friends. Naruto overcame the childish fetish towards Sakura. It was only then Naruto saw her more than just a pretty face he had a crush on, and Sakura finally saw that Naruto was not the attention seeking deadlast everyone considered him to be. They were friends.

Just when team 7 was getting closer than ever, Sasuke decided to leave. From there everything went downhill, everything but Naruto and Sakura's relationship. Their bond, the unspoken support they needed from each other, they never asked each other for it but they were always watching each other's back.

When Naruto left the village to train, he didn't show it but he left with a heavy heart. He didn't want to leave Sakura in that situation, in her fragile vulnerable condition. But he needed to go, they never said it, but they both understood it.

When Naruto returned after three years, the village had changed, so had he, and so had Sakura but their bond remained the same. They took off from right where they left it, no awkwardness, and no need for reconciliation.

As time passed by, one would misconstrue their relationship to be of best friends or probably lovers. They could never put a label to it. What were they exactly? They weren't just friends, but they weren't more than friends either. What label could they give this platonic relationship?

They both knew that, but never spoke about it, until the incident at Land of Iron where Sakura confessed a false declaration of love towards Naruto. He didn't buy one bit of the act. He rather felt insulted. She should know he knew her better than that. Why would she put up such a façade and demean their relationship. They never spoke about that incident after, they never felt the need to as they both knew it meant nothing. The act was just another one of their unspoken way of protecting the other.

But why talk about this all of a sudden, they have never needed words to understand each other's feelings, they just always knew.

"You must be wondering why this all of a sudden? Since when did we start needing words to express our feelings ne?"

Naruto looked at Sakura. She took the thoughts right out of his mind.

She continued, "It's true we have never needed words, we just always understood each other. Like for instance, I am not sure why your wasted energy throughout dinner putting on a fake smile when you know I can see through it. Or blame your lack of enthusiasm because you are tired, which is also not true."

Naruto shifted his gaze to the ground giving out a smile.

She smiled at his response. "You think I can't read you inside out Naruto? You think I don't know when or why you are upset? Or do you really think I would want to go out with a moron like you who wears shorts on a date?" she said mockingly.

"Sakura–chan!" Naruto protested in good humor.

Sakura gave out a laugh "After all these years, give me some credit will you?"

They almost reached Sakura's house.

"Because you see Naruto I have finally figured it out, what this is. What we are…"

They reached her house. Naruto would generally stop outside her stairways but seeing as Sakura continued talking as she walked towards her door, Naruto followed.

She looked at him, holding the doorknob and he looked at her waiting expectedly for her to finish.

"We are like family."

Naruto's eyes widened at her answer as she flung open the door.

"SURPRISE!"

Naruto's gaze shifted at the uproar from inside the room.

Sakura smiled at Naruto, while the crowd from inside the room walked towards them.

"Happy Birthday." Sakura said as she embraced him in a tight hug. Naruto's eyes still wide as he saw his fellow shinobi's gather around. All his friends were there. His eyes welled with tears as his lips formed a smile. He could feel a lump in his throat as he was at the verge of crying. He was not alone, he felt foolish to have been upset over the worry of having to spend yet another birthday alone. This is the first time he would celebrate it because he finally had friends, a family and most importantly Sakura.

He quickly wiped his eyes as he embraced Sakura in return.

"Thank you Sakura–chan." He whispered.

"This is home." Is all Sakura uttered.

Naruto faced Sakura and they both just smiled, as they never needed words to describe what they felt for each other, but even if they did, words wouldn't be enough.

A.N :

Firstly Land of Iron incident is when Sakura confesses to Naruto about her feelings for him. Chapter 469 : Sakura's confession.

Secondly, if you have finished with the manga, I know this fiction technically doesn't make sense, as the manga chapter 699 is shown as Naruto's Birthday and this fiction would apparently come between chapter 469 and 699. Obviously two years wouldn't have passed in that much time, so all I can say it ignore the technicality please.

So I wrote this fiction because I always felt not enough was spoken about Naruto and Sakura's friendship. They were always speculated to have a romantic inclination which I never sensed, atleast not in the shipudden. I always felt Naruto and Sakura shared a relationship much stronger than Naruto and Sasuke. And I felt it was never spoken of.

So this fiction is a dedication to Naruto and Sakura's beautiful unspoken platonic relationship.

Hope you liked it. Let me know through Reviews!

REVIEW PLEASE!