In Tune

NaruSaku, fluff

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Sakura was well aware of the stares. She was aware of the whispers, of the pointing, of the gossip. But she was also aware neither she nor Naruto cared enough to do anything about them, and that's probably what made her the most happy: that they could be open with each other and not care what others said.

When she walked down the street, dragging her best friend by the hand and smiling, people quieted. They only saw it from the romantic point of view; they only saw a girl flirting unabashedly with the soon-to-be Hokage.

But when Naruto or Sakura looked at it, or when Sai looked at it, or Kakashi, or Tsunade, they saw it for what it truly was. They saw firsthand how broken either teen was when their best friend up and left. They saw how when they were hurting, the only thing that could help as each other's company. And they knew.

They knew that their relationship, though not romantic, was closer than you could get.

So they said I love you to each other, so they kissed each other's cheeks, so they held hands and hugged and laughed. And for all the world they did look like a happy couple, but it was so much more than that. They did love each other. More than anything.

But not in the romance way.

Some people would like that, and some people would hate her for it.

But Sakura was not in love with Naruto. She loved him, but she wasn't in love with him. And that was enough for both of them, because that's all they needed.

Or so she thought.

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"Naruto!" Sakura laughed, letting her smiling blond friend drag her away, "Where in the world are we going?"

She'd just been walking down the street aimlessly when she was suddenly yanked away by Naruto, who laughed for five straight minutes at her bewildered expression. Now she was being led to god-knows-where in the middle of the forest with a grinning Naruto attached to her wrist and a smile on her face.

"Almost there, Sakura-chan!"

Sakura laughed as Naruto stopped, putting his hands on her eyes and leading her forward. "Naruto, really. Is all this necessary?"

"Yes, Sakura, it is."

Wait. Did he just call her Sakura? Not Sakura-chan? What in the world? "Naruto? Something wrong?" she asked hesitantly when the hands on her eyes pushed her backward gently until her back came in contact with the rough bark of a tree. She winced, bringing her hands up to close around Naruto's wrists as she began to panic. "Naruto, what's going-?"

Suddenly she stopped, gasping as hesitant lips pressed against hers, silencing her question. In a knee-jerk reaction, her fist instantly balled to hit something, but Naruto caught it easily in his own, holding it above her head. After a long moment of their lips pressed together, he pulled away and stepped back.

She stared at him, eyes wide. "W-what was that?!" she sputtered, causing him to flinch. "Naruto, tell me what's going on, or you're head's going to go through this tree!"

Naruto backed up quickly, eyes wide. "Okay, okay! Please, just relax, Sakura-chan!"

At the affectionate suffix, she immediately deflated, but crossed her arms anyway in a sign of anger. "Explain."

Naruto nodded, wringing his hands. "Well, I was just thinking the other day…we're really close. And we've always been really close. And I know you remember how I used to have a huge crush on you, but I 'gave it up'. The thing is, though, I didn't, Sakura-chan! I saw how much you were in love with…with him, so I backed off. I just wanted you to be happy, and I pretended I didn't anymore! But I was thinking about it the other day, and I just thought that…you know, since he's gone…maybe I could have a chance. And since you and I are already…well, yeah…I was just…" he paused, helpless, "Sakura-chan, I brought you out here to tell you that I love you. I'm in love with you. I like it when people see us together, and I want us to stay that way. I know there's a chance that you don't like me like that, but I just wanted you to know before you moved on and…" he swallowed nervously, "…and that's it."

"Naruto," she growled, making him wince, "I still can't believe you kissed me." His shoulders slumped as his eyes dropped, and she cracked a grin, walking over to him. "But I'm glad you did."

And to both their surprise, she pulled him down (god, he was tall now) and pressed her lips to his quickly. She felt him smile into the kiss, wrapping his arms around her, and she sighed inwardly.

I can't believe we didn't do this before…, Inner Sakura cackled, pumping a fist into the air as they separated to breathe. Sakura grinned up at Naruto, tracing the whiskers on his cheeks with gentle fingertips.

As he stared at her, blue eyes sparkling, she finally realized it: it seemed regular villagers, commoners, were more in tuned to love that she was. Or…well…

It could be that she was just oblivious.

...it is.

Shut up.

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Yeah, random. Live with it.

Haha, yeah. That '...it is' at the end is Inner Sakura, and the 'shut up' is regular Sakura.

I hope you guys liked it, reviews are love. :)

(NaruSaku = HEARTS!)