A/N: This is almost certainly a one-shot. I don't dislike Naru/Hina, I just can't see how it works. And I've never seen a situation where Sakura acts this way or makes this choice (without having done something goddamned appalling first).
Interested in seeing responses.
Don't own the Naruto series or any characters, if I did, there would be Icha Icha Anko Ino Mud Fight Edition in the omake.
Naruto felt his heart sink as he gazed on the scene.
The victory the Allied Shinobi forces had finally achieved was complete. Obito was gone. The undead Madara had been crushed, and the horrific thing called forth that called itself the Rabbit Princess had been rendered back to the dust.
The world was safe. He'd battled alongside his father, Sarutobi-jiji, and the first two Hokages – his heroes. He'd united the Allied Shinobi, been their sword and shield, and he had won.
He'd even stopped Sasuke's stupid last minute attempt at derailing their peace and ending their victory. It had cost him an arm, but he had, at the time, considered that a minor price to pay to shake Sasuke out of his woe-is-me bullshit.
Seriously, I got fucked over way harder than he did and you didn't see me emo out. Stupid teme.
The rebuilding and rehabilitation had gone on for weeks, and it was only now that Sasuke had been released from the hospital, cleared to go around Kohona without a guard. He'd sauntered up to them, cool as he had been back in the day, and told them that he needed time to get his mind right, to figure out how to live his life.
Naruto had protested, but oddly enough Kakashi and Tsunade had agreed. Naruto had grumpily complied, watching as Sakura wondered if he had to go alone or if they should go with him.
That was the first knife in his heart. After all he'd done…after all the stupid, hateful shit Sasuke had put Sakura through … certainly…
At the time, though, he'd let it go, especially when Sasuke basically blew her off, albeit more gently than back when they were kids. He'd said the journey was for himself to redeem himself and that he'd be back soon. He'd had the oddest look on his face, one that Naruto didn't care for very much.
Still…he couldn't argue that when Sasuke had walked up to him and embraced him, it was a shock. The words he said were even more shocking. "Thank you … for never believing in my way of looking at the world, and making me see my mistakes. "
He'd been acknowledged.
Months had passed. He was more often tapped, alongside Sakura, to assist Tsunade with dealing with village events and the reconstruction as the five Kages carefully tried to figure out a way to reorder the ninja world to prevent additional war. It wasn't easy.
New mission types – medical aid, using jutsu for construction or demolition, imbuing chakra into devices to aid with construction, or even carving the very landscape to alter the courses of rivers – these aided in transitioning the ninja. The war had destroyed so many ninja, but it had obliterated the vast samurai armies that were the main stability in the Elemental Lands. Ninja were rapidly redeployed to keep peace, to act as police, as bounty hunters, and patrol duty on a scale unlike anything before. It was a heady, hopeful time. A time of peace and of interacting with other villages without worry or fear.
All during this time Sakura was by his side. At times, it was painful for him. He would watch her, healing the sick and injured, gracefully calming a small child, putting a stop to plagues. She was healing and life, and all he was, it seemed, was power and death. She was wise and managed to figure out a lot of things, but she never spoke of Sasuke. Or of her own feelings.
He often wondered to himself if he should keep tearing himself up over her. Her fake confession had hurt him a lot, even years later it still hurt to think about. No matter how much he loved Sakura – and if he was honest with himself, he was beyond obsessed with her – he had always known he would lose.
He always lost to Sasuke. The fact that he hadn't in their final fight didn't change the fact that Sakura had loved Sasuke since he could remember. That she had never given up on him even when he'd tried to kill her. Of course, he hadn't either… but he was still a damned kid back then, and Sasuke was one of three people in his life who'd acknowledged him.
He sighed, flinching when he remembered the conversation he'd finally found the strength and nerve to start with Sakura, asking her what she thought of Sasuke. Her answer had crushed him.
"He'll come back to me. I've gone through too much suffering and pain for him not to."
That had been the second knife in his heart.
And standing before him now, his two closest friends. Sasuke, back from his trip, clad in night-black silk hakama pants and a haori, his hair longer, his blade slung over one shoulder. His even, perfect features were slanted into an almost happy smile, as he gently traced a finger along Sakura's jawline.
"I'm sorry, Sakura. For…everything. And it took me a long time … to see what I flung away. You never gave up on me, never stopped wanting to save me." His dark eyes softened. "I am not worth that sacrifice, but … I came back to thank you."
She had said nothing, and Naruto felt as if he was frozen, unable to speak. Sasuke's voice deepened. "I realized that I … kept thinking of you. No one explained love to me. I was terrified of Itachi taking away what I had…and after he died, I was so angry that I didn't think."
He paused. "I think…I made a mistake. One I could correct. With you."
Sakura gently took Sasuke's hand, her perfect lips curling into a smile. "And that means…?" Her voice was teasing.
Sasuke huffed. "Hn. Deserved that, I did."
Steeling himself against the agony, Naruto finally spoke, waving his arms in agitation. "Oi! This isn't an Icha Icha novel! Just ask her out, teme!"
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Typical, dobe. No wonder you aren't successful with the ladies."
Naruto squinted. He had to get through this with his fake smile and mask intact, and then he could cope. This was what he had fought for, after all.
To see Sakura happy. To save his best friend.
Sasuke began to respond, but with a gentle pressure from Sakura's hand, he found his face and gaze turned to meet hers. "Hey. You were about to say something to me."
Sasuke nodded. "Yeah." He looked down, then up. "You once…said you wanted to help me with my dream."
Sakura gave a gentle, happy laugh. It was one part disbelief, one part something else Naruto couldn't identify, but it sounded….clean. Pure. She hadn't laughed like that in a long time.
Sakura's voice was musing. "You know…ever since I was a little girl…I dreamed of this very moment." She smiled, the wind ruffling her long pink hair, her green eyes intense. "I told myself I was a fool to think it would ever happen. That I was immature. I put my best and closest friend through years of torture and horrible pain just to bring you back to me."
Naruto was surprised to see Sakura turn to look at him, and her eyes were filled with sorrow and guilt. "That you're standing here now, to ask me that , is only because he never gave up on you."
Naruto didn't say anything, only scratching the back of his head. She turned back to Sasuke, tilting her face up towards his. "To … date sounds silly after everything else, Sasuke."
His voice was a touch dry. "I was thinking I owe you a bit more than a date." He exhaled. "I would … ask if you would consider giving me your hand in marriage. I cannot promise I will be perfect, but I will at least try to be better than I was."
She laughed again. "It would be hard to be worse, Sasuke-kun."
Naruto closed his eyes. Kami, this hurt worse than having Kurama pulled out of him.
He was then shocked when he heard a stinging slap sound, and a bark of hard, Tsunade like laughter.
Sasuke was on his butt, looking up at Sakura and holding one reddening cheek. Sakura stood over him, amused anger on her face.
"I love you, Sasuke-kun. I've always loved you. I've never stopped. But I realized something not too long ago that made me really think what that meant. You're my friend, and I would have died to save you and bring you back. But … I'm not the stupid, silly girl who is blind to what is in front of her all the time."
Naruto looked at her in confusion, and she looked back at him, tilting her head, before grunting and helping Sasuke to his feet. "If I'm marrying or dating anybody it will be the baka." Her voice darkened, turning both sad and furious. "I don't trust anyone else not to hurt me."
In the back of Naruto's mind , Kurama roared with laughter. I knew she was stupid, but surely you aren't going to let her break your heart again, are you, monkey?
Sasuke looked at Sakura for a long moment, then at Naruto. "….hn. Deserved that too, I suppose." He looked at her. "I am sorry."
She nodded. "I know." She gave him a kiss on the cheek, a gentle brush of lips across skin. "And I think I would have been overjoyed to accept." She sighed and walked over to Naruto, putting her hands on her hips.
"I don't even know what I feel, except like maybe throwing up from my stomach and heart flip-flopping. So if you really want to get back at me for being a silly bitch all these years, Naruto-kun, shooting me down after I just turned down Sasuke-kun would be the best way." She exhaled. "If not…then I would like to ask you out, Naruto."
Naruto stared at her for a long second before speaking.
"…what in the actual fuck?"