The rain hammered against the window as Naruto waited for the teapot to boil, his instant ramen just minutes away from becoming edible. Winter was arriving in Konoha, bringing with it cold winds and grey skies. Naruto absentmindedly tapped the wood of his kitchen table, skimming the newspaper for something, anything, to distract him from the silence of his apartment. When the printed words failed to maintain his interest, he watched the rain strike the window, a chorus of inconsistent drumming outside, loudly contrasting the quiet within. The whistle of the teapot signalled that his dinner was one step closer to being finished; as he poured the water into the ramen cup, he couldn't help but think that of all the things that had changed since he was twelve, his eating habits wasn't one of them. He wondered whether that was a good or bad thing.
Naruto frowned as he heard someone knocking. He put his ramen down begrudgingly and headed to the front door as the knocking began again more adamantly than before.
"Okay, okay!" he mumbled, wondering who was crazy enough to be out in this weather. He expected it to be Shikamaru. Maybe Kakashi. Hell, maybe Granny Tsunade had a bone to pick with him which couldn't wait until morning.
He didn't expect to open the door to a drenched Sakura.
She was soaking wet, her light green cloak dyed dark by the rain. It took Naruto a few seconds to realise she wasn't a figment of his imagination, that she really was on his doorstep after having disappeared for months without saying a thing. Seconds ticked past in silence; words had temporarily escaped Naruto, and Sakura seemed to be waiting for him to speak. When he didn't say anything, Sakura broke the stillness.
"Hey," she said, brushing bangs that were plastered to her forehead out of her eyes as she looked up at him, smiling shyly. Naruto blinked, and was brought out of his reverie.
"Are you insane?" he said, his surprise evident. "You're going to catch your death of cold! Come in, you must be freezing." He stepped back to let her inside, watching as she hurried into the warmth of his home. He shut the door behind him, following her into the hallway where she had stopped. Pulling off her cloak, Sakura gathered it into her arms and looked at the puddle forming below her feet.
"I'm so sorry," she said, smiling slightly awkwardly. "I'm getting water everywhere! Could I borrow a towel?"
"Yeah, sure," Naruto replied. "Here, let me hang this up. I'll be back in a second!" He took her cloak from her, and placed it over his radiator. He hurried to the bathroom and gathered more towels than one person could possibly need, just to be on the safe side.
He paused, looking at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, unable to hold back his grin.
"She's back,"he whispered to himself happily.
He returned carrying the towels, and noticed that Sakura was hovering over the picture of young Team Seven he kept in the hallway. Standing in his hallway smiling, her pink hair dripping rainwater onto his carpet, Naruto thought he'd never seen Sakura look quite as beautiful as she did in that moment. She noticed him staring, and smiled up at him.
"We were so cute back then, weren't we?" she laughed.
"Yeah," he murmured. Then, remembering the towels in his arms, he thrust them at her "Oh, here!" he said. Sakura picked one up and slipped it over her shoulders, wrapping it around herself. "Thanks!" she said, grabbing another one to wrap over her hair.
"No problem."
Silence descended upon them; neither of them knew how, or where, to start. The initial delight at seeing his friend had begun to wear off as hurt welled up within Naruto. He wanted to ask Sakura everything – where she had gone, why she had left in the first place, why she hadn't told him she was leaving – but didn't know how to say it. Part of him wanted to pick up where they had left off, and ignore the time that had passed. Another part of him wanted to tell her everything she had missed, and another part of him wanted answers. Before he could decide which of the conflicting parts to act on, Sakura broke the silence.
"It's been a long six months," she said quietly. Naruto nodded, realizing there was no way of ignoring it.
"Yeah. Yeah, it has."
"How have you been?"
"I... I've been fine. Good. Great, even. How have you been? Actually, no. Scratch that. Where have you been?" he asked.
Patience had never been one of Naruto's strong points.
Sakura took a deep breath, steeling herself as she met Naruto's gaze, pulling the towel slightly tighter around her shoulders.
"I went to help a village which had a severe breakout of an infectious disease. All the shinobi medics went in shifts. You know that."
"Yeah, I do. I also know you were only meant to be gone two months," Naruto said. "What happened?"
Sakura smiled. "I went travelling. Tsunade gave me permission to go around the villages and learn different healing techniques." The words sounded practised, like she'd been rehearsing for the question.
Naruto nodded.
"And you didn't feel the need to tell anyone that you were leaving because...?"
A small grin flickered onto Sakura's face. "It all happened pretty quickly. There wasn't a lot of time."
Her small smile dropped at the look on Naruto's face. She wasn't sure what she'd expected on her return –surprise, maybe a little anger - but the look of pure hurt etched on Naruto's features definitely wasn't on her list.
"Naruto, I'm sorry, but I couldn't- nobody except Tsunade and myself was meant to know where I was going-"
"Yeah, I figured as much when she wouldn't tell me where you were either."
Sakura paused. "You asked Tsunade where I was?"
"Well, yeah. We all did. One of our friends disappears without a word? We were worried, Sakura! And all Tsunade would say was that you were on a 'personal quest', and that if you hadn't told us where you were going, it wasn't her place to. She told us you were safe, and if we needed to know what was going on, we would." Naruto hesitated. "We weren't happy about that. The last time one of our friends disappeared, he kind of joined an evil organization."
Sakura frowned.
"You thought I'd joined the Akatsuki?"
"No!" Naruto replied in agitation, running a hand through his hair. "I didn't know what to think! You disappeared!"
"I know, and I'm sorry! But... I thought you'd be a little happier to see me, after all this time."
Naruto didn't realise how tense he had become until his shoulders relaxed at Sakura's words. He sighed in slight frustration. "Of course I'm happy to see you!" He began. "I... I really missed you. But damn it Sakura, I'm mad at you! You just... left. For six months. I woke up one morning to find out you were gone. You didn't say a word. I thought - I don't know what I thought. But I thought we were close enough that you wouldn't just go off with Sasuke without telling me. And you come back and expect everything to be the same?"
Sakura looked like she'd been slapped.
"That's what you thought I was doing?" she folded her arms, the towel sliding off her neck onto the floor as she straightened up. "You honestly thought, after everything, I was off with Sasuke?"
Naruto looked down at the floor, refusing to meet her gaze.
"It was a fair assumption," Naruto protested, his hand rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "You two were seeing each other before he left again. And then you did, too. Most people put two and two together."
Sakura stepped towards Naruto, resting a hand cautiously on his arm. She felt him tense at the contact, and then relax as her other hand cupped his chin, trying to lift his gaze from the floor.
"Naruto, I need to make this very, very clear. I went away to clear my head and learn healing techniques. It had nothing to do with Sasuke. I promise. I just... needed to leave Konoha to figure some things out. Just for a while."
Naruto's eyes met hers as he frowned.
"What did you need to figure out?" he asked. Sakura moved away quickly, as if she'd just been burned.
"It's kind of complicated," she murmured, looking down as she rubbed her arm. She heard Naruto sigh.
"Shinobi complicated, or Sasuke complicated?" he asked.
Sakura could feel heat rising to her cheeks. "Sasuke complicated," she said softly.
She swiftly looked up as she heard Naruto chuckle lightly.
He leant against the wall of the hallway, hands shoved in the pockets of his pyjama bottoms, shaking his head slightly.
"So you weren't with Sasuke, but you were sorting out Sasuke-related things? Sakura, will you two just get together already?"
"No," she growled at him.
A look of confusion formed on Naruto's face, and Sakura wasn't sure if she imagined the hopeful look that appeared for a split second.
"No? But... weren't you sorting out your feelings towards him?" Naruto asked.
"Yeah, I was. Turns out, I don't have any."
Naruto's jaw dropped.
"But... you've always loved Sasuke! For as long as I've known you, it's always been Sasuke!"
Sakura was blushing furiously, arms wrapped around herself.
"Well, some things change, okay? I realised it wasn't Sasuke I was in love with, and I needed to some space to figure out what I wanted before I went on another wild goose chase after a guy who didn't want me!"
Silence fell between them as Naruto processed her words. Sakura could practically see the thoughts going through his head; confusion was evident on his face as he tried to figure out who had brought about her change in heart regarding her long-term crush.
Naruto blinked, running his hand through his hair again, causing it to stick up more than it already did.
"Wow. Okay. Wow." He hesitated. "I just... can't quite believe it. I thought you and Sasuke would end up together. He's what you wanted. I can't figure out what changed your mind – no, who changed your mind." He looked up at her. "You always wanted Sasuke," he repeated.
Sakura let out a huff of air.
"No, I used to want Sasuke. Now I want y-" she stopped herself. "Well, now I don't want him. I realised I had feelings for someone else, for longer than I even knew."
There was a pause.
"So... what happened?" Naruto asked, figuring that subtlety wasn't going to be of any use in the situation.
Sakura's arms tightened around herself, her fingernails digging crescent grooves into the skin.
She bit her lip, moving away from the wall slightly. Naruto titled his head as Sakura took a deep breath, bracing herself. Naruto waited, letting her form the words that she was clearly framing in her head.
"Look, have you... have you ever wanted something so much, for so long, that you trick yourself into thinking it's what you always wanted? That it's perfect, and once you get it, life will fix itself? That's what I did. I thought Sasuke was everything I ever wanted. I convinced myself that my twelve-year-old crush was true love. When he left Konoha, I hoped that I could get him back, and we would fall in love and be together. I deluded myself, and then had the wonderful realisation that I wasn't in love with Sasuke when I finally got him. I wasted years on him, and missed out on what was in front of me." Sakura chuckled humourlessly, recalling the amount of time spent chasing after Sasuke Uchiha, and the pain she had endured in the name of 'love'.
"I was talking to Ino, about Sasuke. It was after we went on a date. She, ah, made me re-evaluate some things. Ino's good at that. You know, I think she understands me better than I do sometimes..." She trailed off, realising she was rambling. She glanced at Naruto, who gave her a small smile.
"I know the feeling," he said dryly. "Ino's certainly something special."
A grin grew on Sakura's face as she nodded.
"Definitely. Anyway, yeah. So, um, we talked about Sasuke, and how I was still looking at him from the same perspective of my twelve-year-old self, and how that really wasn't healthy. I hadn't forgiven him for any of the awful things he did, because I just brushed them off. Which, considering everything that happened, really wasn't good. And Ino kind of started to talk about, well... you."
Naruto's jaw, only just recovering from its last expedition downwards, dropped again.
"Ino made me realise that I was looking at everyone like I was still twelve, even though I wasn't at the same time. Does that make sense?"
"Me?"
"And she kind of pointed out that I was so insistent on liking Sasuke that I wasn't paying attention to what I was really feeling, and I didn't-"
"Me?"
"-believe her, but then I was thinking about how safe and happy you made me feel, and I never felt like that with Sasuke, and I realised that I wasn't letting myself feel how I actually felt, you know, and-"
"Me?"
"-I realised that I really, really care about you, and I had to go away because suddenly everything was confusing because I figured out how little Sasuke meant to me, and how much you did, and I left and realised-"
"Me?"
"Naruto, will you just shut up and listen? I'm trying to tell you I love you, you idiot!"
Silence fell between them immediately. Sakura clapped a hand over her mouth and Naruto gawked at her. Sakura took a step forward, gently taking Naruto's hands and squeezing them comfortingly; whether this was to reassure Naruto or herself, she didn't know.
She took a deep breath, and continued.
"I love you. I want to be with you; Not Sasuke, not anyone else. You. I needed some time to get my head straight. Years of thinking you're in love, and then realising you're wrong... it takes a lot out of you. Especially when you realise what you've missed by being so blind. Look, I... I hurt you when I left without saying goodbye. And I'm sorry, Naruto, I really am. I don't expect you to be okay with me basically running away for half a year, but it was something I needed to do. And if there's even a small chance you still want me, even after everything, then I'll wait. God knows you waited long enough for me." She paused for a moment, her words ringing in the silence.
"But if you don't... if you don't want us to be together, I understand," she continued. "And that's fine too. But I realised what you mean to me. How I feel about you – it's so different. It's... easy. It's terrifying. I spent six months missing you more than I thought I could miss anyone, and it was awful. But it had to happen. I had to be sure, and now I am. I love you, Naruto. I'm sorry it took me so long to realise it. I think I've loved you for a long time, but was so used to the idea that I was in love with Sasuke that I didn't let myself realise it. Saying that out loud sounds so stupid. I sound so stupid. But I don't mind sounding stupid to you. Does that even make sense?"
She stopped as her voice broke, wiping away the tears forming in her eyes whilst Naruto stood silently. "Damn it, I love you. And I want... I want to be with you." She looked at Naruto, who was wearing a look of shock on his face, not saying anything.
"Naruto?" She asked. Naruto remained silent, his facial expression unmoving. She dropped his hands and stepped back, tears springing to her eyes as her cheeks burned.
"I guess I left it too late, huh?" she said quietly. Naruto only blinked, his mouth an 'o' of shock.
"I... I'll see myself out," Sakura whispered, mortified at the fact she had rendered the loudest person in Konoha silent.
She turned and walked out of the hallway, grabbing her still damp cloak from the radiator. She sped-walked out of Naruto's house with as much dignity as she could muster. The rain hadn't died down, and she quickly felt herself become soaked again as she ran from the door, her tears mixing with the rain lashing against her face.
***
Tsunade raised an eyebrow at her protégée standing in the doorway, water dripping down her body.
"Why do I get the feeling I wasn't the first person you saw, Sakura?" the older kunoichi asked, her chin resting on the back of her entwined hands. Sakura shrugged.
"Your all-powerful Hokage knowledge?" Sakura replied, her voice quiet and hoarse. Tsunade raised an eyebrow.
"Sarcasm already, and you've only been back five minutes. I've taught you well," Tsunade smirked. When Sakura didn't respond, the Hokage's brows furrowed slightly. She sat straight up in her chair, assessing the girl in front of her. Anybody could tell Sakura was tired, but she wore her weariness as easily as she did her cloak; tiredness was nothing new to the shinobi of Konoha. The Hokage could tell something else was bothering her protégée, and Tsunade could recognise the look of heartbreak any day. She had seen it in the mirror often enough, after all.
Tsunade tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, and leant back in her chair.
"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked. Tsunade threw the offer at Sakura as she would a shuriken; quickly but clearly to be either caught or brushed aside by the girl in question at will.
When Sakura shook her head, Tsunade wasn't surprised; Sakura only wore her heart on her sleeve until something broke it; afterwards, the younger kunoichi would keep it to herself it so it could heal.
Tsunade closed her eyes, placing her arms on her desk as she leant forwards toward the younger girl.
"Okay. Then go home, Sakura," Tsunade said. The words, which could so easily have been sharp and harsh, had a softness to them.
"But my reports on the techniques I learned!" Sakura said in surprise, "You said you wanted them as soon as I got back-"
Tsunade stopped her with a wave of her hand.
"They can wait until tomorrow. You need sleep. And, by the looks of it, some time with Ino. I have no doubt she'll be over the moon to see you." Tsunade grinned. "That girl's been a pain in the ass without you around. I never noticed how, ah, confident Ino could be."
A giggle slipped through Sakura's lips, and Tsunade felt a sense of pride wash over her. After all Sakura was her friend, not only her protégée, and seeing her upset wasn't particularly fun for the Hokage.
"You should try living with her," Sakura grinned in response.
"I can only imagine," Tsunade replied in a monotone, the edges of her lips quirking upwards. "In all seriousness Sakura, go home. I expect those reports first thing in the morning, no matter how late you stay up chatting to Ino."
Sakura nodded.
"Thanks." She turned to leave, walking away as Tsunade called out to her. Sakura looked back to see the older woman smiling fondly at her.
"It's good to have you back, Sakura," Tsunade said. Sakura smiled at her mentor, and left the room.
***
The walk to Sakura and Ino's apartment wasn't long; they had chosen it specifically for its closeness to both the hospital and the Hokage's office, in case of any emergencies. Sakura was grateful for their decision, even as the rain began to ease off. She could already picture the chicken broth she was going to make as soon as she got inside.
She wondered if she could convince Ino to make it for her; she didn't hold out much hope.
Sakura headed up the stairway, part of her praying that Ino had gone to bed already so she could stave off the interrogation that was undoubtedly coming her way. The other part of her, however, desperately wanted a hug from her friend.
The door to the apartment swung open before she could decide which she wanted more. Ino was practically skipping out of the entrance, nearly knocking into her best friend in her glee. When she noticed the girl standing on the steps, Ino's grin grew even wider.
"You're home!" the blonde squealed as she threw her arms around Sakura, who returned the hug instantly. The force of Ino's hug knocked the breath from Sakura as she squeezed her tightly.
"I missed you!" Ino said into Sakura's hair, before pushing her away slightly to look at her. Her eyes scanned Sakura inquisitively, her smile faltering as their eyes met. Ino tilted her head, and Sakura became acutely aware that her eyes were probably slightly red. She pulled Ino back into a hug in an attempt to reassure them both.
"I missed you, too," Sakura said as she released her friend, giving her a genuine smile. "What are your plans for tonight? Because I don't know about you, but I would love to catch up."
Ino's eyes lit up.
"I would love to, but I'm actually meeting Chouji and Shikamaru for dinner. Maybe in the morning?" Ino's voice was laced with innocence. Sakura was immediately suspicious.
"At this time of night?" Sakura asked sceptically. Ino placed a hand on her hip as she swung her ponytail over her shoulder.
"Well, you know my boys. They love their ramen, and who am I to refuse them the joy of my presence?" Ino winked. "Besides, I think you're going to want some privacy tonight." Her smile turned into a grin as Sakura blinked in confusion.
"Wait, what?"
Ino chuckled, blowing Sakura a kiss as she stepped past her.
"Just don't stay up too late, okay? I know it'll probably be tempting, but I bet Tsunade will want you at the hospital bright and early tomorrow." She wiggled her fingers at Sakura as she gracefully sashayed down the steps, leaving her friend confused and alone on the stairway.
Sakura shook her head in bewilderment, too tired to attempt to understand what Ino was talking about. She pushed open the door Ino had left unlocked, dragging herself into the kitchen as exhaustion overtook her. She flopped into one of the chairs, shrugging off her cloak onto the floor. I'll pick it up later, she thought as she rested her head on the cool wood of the table, releasing a sigh.
The gentle patter of the rain was the only sound in the room, echoing around the room as raindrops beat the rooftop softly, covering the footsteps behind Sakura. She didn't hear him approach her, but when he said "Hey" quietly, her reaction was instantaneous; she was forming the hand motions for a genjutsu technique when Sakura heard a yelp, and she realised who her home invader was.
"Naruto?" She all but shrieked. Naruto stood in the doorway, eyes wide open, hands raised in a gesture of surrender.
"Yeah! Hi! Please don't attack me!" he said, lowering his hands cautiously. "Sorry, I thought you heard me come in, I didn't mean to scare you."
"What are you doing here? How did you get in?" Sakura demanded, adrenaline adding a sharpness to her words. Naruto blushed, scratching the back of his head as he grinned nervously. Sakura's heart rate sped up, and she cursed herself for noticing the unintentional flexing of his muscles beneath his t-shirt as his arm stretched behind him.
"Ino let me in about fifteen minutes ago! I thought you would head home immediately after... yeah. So I ran after you. I mean, I thought I was running after you. Turns out I wasn't, but it's the thought that counts, right?" Naruto said, nervousness radiating from him.
Sakura nodded slowly, leaning against the table to provide support as the rush that had sprung into her system seeped away, tiredness taking over once again. She had already had her heart broken once tonight; did she really have to do it all again? Silently berating Ino for letting Naruto into their home, (she couldn't have known, the reasonable part of Sakura thought, but that line of thought was quashed immediately by the less logical, sleep deprived Inner Sakura)she braced herself for the conversation that was surely going to deepen her newly acquired wounds.
"Naruto, it's okay. Look, you don't have to say anything. I don't expect you to feel the same way you did when you were twelve – I sure as hell don't – but I just... I wanted to see you, and I wanted to tell you how I feel. I'm not sorry for my feelings, but you don't have to explain yourself. Honestly, I want to go to bed and pretend tonight didn't happen, and if you want to do the same, that's great. We can... I don't know start again in the morning, and forget this whole thing."
"Sakura-"
"It's fine, you really don't have to say-"
"Can you stop assuming you know how I feel? Damn it Sakura, just because you got over your crush doesn't mean I ever got over mine!" Naruto said in exasperation, cutting Sakura off.
Sakura's head snapped up. Naruto took a breath, and their surroundings dissolved around them, the world consisting only of the space between them.
"Look," Naruto began, his voice faltering as he considered his next few words. Sakura's breath hitched as Naruto bit his lip slightly before continuing. "You can't tell me that you love me and expect me to react immediately. It was a shock, to say the least. A good one, don't get me wrong, but you have to at least let me absorb the information before running away. Especially when you yell it at me. It kind of sent mixed signals." The corners of his lips twitched into a grin as Sakura's face reddened.
Sakura covered her face with her hands, moaning in embarrassment.
"Oh God," she whispered. She heard footsteps move towards her, and Naruto's hands wrapped around hers, moving them away from her cheeks. He held her hands tenderly, lightly, giving her the chance to remove them if she wanted. Ice blue eyes met green, and Sakura could see Naruto gulp uncertainly. He straightened his shoulders, and determination was written in his face. Sakura squeezed his hands, hope blossoming within her. They were on the precipice of change, and both of them knew that Naruto's next words would decide the fate of their future.
And, in true Naruto fashion, he got straight to the point.
"I love you," he said bluntly. "Always have, always will. And I'm sorry for giving you the wrong message earlier. Because of course I want to be with you, Sakura." He paused for a second, fidgeting slightly as he smiled shyly. "And just to clarify, I love you as you are now. Not because I liked you when we were kids."
Sakura wasted no time; she pulled Naruto into a hug, arms winding around his shoulders as she absorbed his words.
"I love you, too," she said, moving onto her tiptoes so she could whisper into Naruto's ear before burrowing her head into his shoulder. "But I guess you already know that."
Naruto chuckled as he slid his arms around Sakura's waist, the two of them holding on to each other tightly.
They stayed like that for a while, unable to focus on anything other than this pivotal moment in their relationship; the world had altered irrevocably, and they both knew that the other was both the cause and the cure, the tidal wave crashing over them and the anchor keeping them secure.
Sakura relaxed into Naruto, the warmth of his body providing a comfort she'd craved for months. She felt weariness overtake her again, but didn't care; she couldn't quite believe what was happening, and refused to let go of Naruto in case she'd fallen asleep at the kitchen table, and it was all a beautiful dream.
The silence was broken by Naruto.
"I'm still kind of mad at you for running away, you know," he whispered softly into her hair, the severity of the words contradicted by the happiness laced in his voice.
"Mmhmm," she murmured, nuzzling her head slightly in the space between Naruto's neck and shoulder. She felt his arms tighten around her, his voice getting slightly higher.
"And... and six months is a long time, Sakura." He coughed. "We should probably, you know, hang out a bit before we rush into anything. Half a year can change things."
"Mmhmm."
"Can we go on a date? Like, an actual one, not just ramen in Konoha? I'd really love to know about your travels. I really, really missed you."
"Mmhmm."
"...You're not listening, are you?"
"Mmhmm."
"I'm pregnant."
"Mmhmm."
"How much sleep have you been getting, Sakura?"
"Mmhmm."
Naruto chuckled as he loosened his arms around Sakura's waist, pulling back slightly so that she wasn't resting on his shoulder anymore. She looked up at him happily, tiredness evident in the bags under her eyes. Naruto placed his fingers under Sakura's chin, tilting her head slightly towards him. He smiled gently and placed a soft kiss against her forehead.
"I think you should go to bed. We can figure things out in the morning," he said, tucking a strand of cherry blossom hair behind her ear. "We have all the time in the world."
Sakura's hands moved to grip the front of his shirt, pulling Naruto close to her again, pressing his forehead against hers. She sighed contentedly and nodded.
"Love you," she mumbled groggily.
"I still can't believe it, you know. That's going to take some getting used to," Naruto replied.
Sakura frowned.
"Well, you better get used to it," she said sternly, poking Naruto in the chest. "I don't go around declaring my love for just anyone."
"I hope not. That'd be kinda awkward."
Sakura snorted, pulling back to look at the boy in front of her. She was slightly taken aback to see how happy he looked, the feeling of sheer contentedness reflecting in his eyes as much as it was echoing through Sakura's entire being.
Sakura eye's slid down to Naruto's lips for a split second, and looked back up at him. He was staring at her, and she knew he'd seen the movement. Sakura's hand moved around Naruto's neck, using it to pull herself up so she could move her head slowly towards his, giving him the opportunity to pull away.
He didn't.
Naruto's lips met Sakura's tenderly, sweetly. He cupped her face in his hands, holding her to him as if she were the most precious thing in the world. And for a moment, that was enough. They pulled away, tiny grins etched onto their faces as Sakura bit her lip. They breathed deeply, knowing that there was no turning back; their friendship could never be the same, and neither of them would ever want it to be.
Then, all at once, the floodgates opened and Sakura pulled Naruto's lips back to hers, a movement which he was all too willing to comply with. Years of pent up emotions released themselves in a moment of hey I like you, you like me, we both want this let's get on with it already.
Their first kiss was innocent; their second one was quite the opposite.
A small part of her brain was urgently trying to remind Sakura that oxygen was important as they kissed desperately, but it was quickly silenced when Naruto's fingers trailed through her hair down to her neck and collarbone, sending tiny jolts throughout her body with every touch. Sakura moved onto her tiptoes, Naruto's arm instinctively winding around her waist so she didn't lose balance, pressing their bodies as close together as possible, one hand twined into Naruto's already-ruffled hair, the other firmly around his neck for leverage.
Naruto trailed his fingers along Sakura's spine, slight pressure burning sweetly over her skin as they brushed over the fabric of her shirt, his lips moving towards her neck as he peppered kisses down her face. She arched her neck as he trailed his lips upwards again, and she pulled his head back to hers almost fiercely, emotions held back for years because of the barrier she created letting loose as she crushed her mouth to his, nibbling softly on Naruto's bottom lip. He gasped, his grip on Sakura tightening, and afterwards Sakura would swear that she felt fireworks as Naruto's fingers found the exposed sliver of skin on her waist from her top, his finger drawing slow, languid, burning circles on her hip as they kissed-
"I HOPE YOU'RE USING PROTECTION, KIDS!"
Ino's voice cut through the room, the door slamming behind her suggestive trill. Naruto and Sakura jumped away from each other, both breathing deeply as they let oxygen back into their lungs. Sakura's eyes skidded over Naruto, who looked as flustered as she felt; his hair was spiked from where her fingers had run through it, and his cheeks were flushed crimson. He grinned at her as she ran her hands over her shirt to flatten it down before Ino walked in. Naruto and Sakura turned to look at the ponytailed blonde leaning against the doorframe, smirking as she folded her arms whilst surveying the pair. Ino's gaze raked over both of them, and she winked at Sakura.
"I guess you guys have been busy, then," she said, wiggling her eyebrows. "So letting you in the house was a good idea, huh?" She said, turning to smirk at Naruto. The boy in question rubbed his elbow as he looked steadily at the floor. Sakura, meanwhile, sat back down at the kitchen table, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Hello to you too, Ino," Sakura said dryly. "You're back early."
"The ramen place closed up for the night," Ino shrugged, "and the boys had to head home. So here I am! Interrupting a moment, apparently."
Neither Naruto nor Sakura denied it, causing Ino's smirk to soften. She shook her head at them.
"About time, too," she said to herself. She looked over Sakura, who smiled bashfully, and took note of the dark bags under her friend's eyes. Ino's stance became sterner, her hands unfolding onto her hips as her eyes flicked back and forth between the blushing pair in front of her.
"Okay, as glad as I am that you two have finally gotten your act together, Sakura looks like she may drop dead any second. Naruto – go away." Ino said bluntly.
"Ino!"
"Just telling it like it is, Sakura. I'm sure the two of you could spend the whole night talking, but I saw Shizune at the restaurant who told me that Tsunade had told you that you needed to see her first thing in the morning, which is Tsunade terms is in around eight hours. So, you're going to go to bed, and I'm sure Naruto will be taking you for a lovely dinner tomorrow night." Ino glanced at Naruto and winked. "You can pick her up at seven, okay?"
"Ino!" Sakura hissed in mortification, too surprised to protest further.
"Can I at least ask her out myself?" Naruto asked sarcastically.
"It took you six years to get to this point. I'm not waiting another three for you two to arrange a date. Besides," Ino moved to pat Naruto on the shoulder, "as Sakura's best friend, I can tell you now that it's in her best interest to get some sleep before meeting with our darling Hokage, and I have a feeling she'll be up a lot later with you around."
"Ino, oh my God!" Sakura moaned in embarrassment at her housemate.
"So," Ino continued, ignoring her friend, "I'm going upstairs. You have five minutes to work out the details of your date tomorrow." She turned to face Sakura. "After which, you will get ready for bed, and you," she pointed at Naruto, "will have left my house. Don't make me come back down here. Goodnight!"
Ino practically strutted away, leaving the pair in the kitchen stunned in bewilderment.
"Well, that was slightly terrifying," Naruto said, slightly too casually for Sakura to believe his comfort.
"I am so sorry," Sakura said, eyes shut as she rubbed her temples. "Ino is, ah, protective of me. I mean, she knows I can look after myself, but she's just... a force of nature, sometimes."
Naruto chuckled.
"It's okay. I know it's just because she cares. Besides, she isn't wrong – if Tsunade wants to see you in the morning, you should get some sleep."
"I know," Sakura nodded, standing up from her chair to move into Naruto's open arms. Her hands wrapped around his waist, hugging him tightly. "Guess this is goodnight, then."
"I'll see you tomorrow. At seven, apparently."
"We don't have to do exactly as Ino said," Sakura laughed.
"I honestly think I'm too scared not to," Naruto replied wearily.
Sakura shook her head, rolling her eyes at the blonde. "Okay. Seven it is."
She leaned up to kiss his cheek, lips pressing lightly against the lines which marked the influence of the jinchuriki within him. She pulled away for a second, pausing before his lips met hers again, fingers sliding into her hair, her their lips parting slightly as Sakura tilted her head hand moving to the back of his head to pull him closer-
"YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS, UZUMAKI," Ino's voice called from the top of the stairs.
Naruto shot back, letting Sakura go as if she was on fire. His head whipped towards the staircase before looking back to Sakura, who grinned as she rolled her eyes.
"Better get going. I wouldn't test her, to be honest," Sakura said slightly jadedly.
"FIFTEEN SECONDS."
Naruto dipped down to kiss Sakura briefly, before sprinting to the front door.
"I'll see you tomorrow!" He called as she waved to him from the kitchen doorway.
"FIVE SECONDS."
"Bye!" he cried, the door shutting swiftly behind him.
Sakura leaned against the doorframe, pushing her hair off her face with both hands as she grinned. She released a contented sigh, looking at the ceiling as Ino descended the staircase.
"You alright there?" the blonde asked, satisfaction lacing her voice.
Sakura's smile only widened.
"I'm going to kill you in the morning, you know," Sakura said happily to Ino, who waved her hand airily at the threat.
"You'll thank me in the morning. Now go to bed, Sakura. You're going to need all the beauty sleep you can get for tomorrow."
Sakura raised an eyebrow as she began to walk up the stairs. "I highly doubt Tsunade will care if I look a bit tired," she said questioningly.
Ino turned to follow her upstairs, throwing her arm over her shoulder as she bumped her hip against Sakura's.
"Tsunade may not give a damn, but you will if you turn up to your first date with Naruto with bags the size of the moon under your eyes." They reached the landing, and Ino blew her friend a kiss. "Get some sleep. Night, Sakura!"
The pink haired girl blinked as the words hit her.
Date.
Naruto.
And, most importantly, sleep.
Sakura changed into her pyjamas immediately, flopping onto her bed when she finally reached it. She let out an almost indecent moan at how comfortable it was as she rolled onto her side, grabbing the nearest pillow and squeezing it to her. She curled up, and exhaustion crept up on her almost instantly.
She fell asleep with thoughts of the next day and Naruto's smile swirling through her mind.