I really wanted to make a NaruSaku oneshot, so this is what I came up with. Just to let you know, I put it so Sasuke has betrayed Konoha twice. (He came back when Team 7 was about 14 years old) He came back simply to spy for Orochimaru, and has left again. Now they are about 17. Confusing I know, but I think this one is pretty good. This is my first oneshot ever, and my first NaruSaku, so please be gentle. I'd love you forever. But, constructive criticism is welcomed! So R&R, people!
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Wish I did, but I don't. Something I have to live with.
Rain.
That was her entire world. The sparkling pearl drops swam down her face, masking her tears from all who could see. It was what she knew. It was what she felt like. It was what she was.
She knew he was gone forever. This time, he would never think twice about coming back to Konoha. He was gone and wasn't coming back. She had experienced death before. And this just hurt even worse. The one she loved more than anything had turned his back on her. Again and again. Pain she thought she would never experience again washed through her, like a flash flood gone out of control. Betrayal was so much like death, but yet so different. He was gone forever, like death. But unlike death, he was still alive. And he was cruelly tearing her apart. And worst of all, he was doing it with no remorse. Even if it was her involved. Even if it was him.
They acted like brothers. Always bickering, but protecting each other. Protecting her. They were always there... She couldn't take it anymore. She tried to stiffle the sob she was trying so hard to hold back, but its hands had taken hold of her, ravaging her body and going to her soul and spirit. The rain fell harder, the drops big and they splashed when they hit the soft, green grass. Her cotton candy locks were now a deeper color, and her bangs were stringy and matted against her forehead.
Her sobs took over, engulfing her in a furious wave. The ocean of her feelings' tide was rising, rising and rising until she couldn't take it anymore. Her tears stung her cheeks, the pearls of liquid blending with the relentless rain. Her outfit was soaking wet, but she didn't care if she caught the death of a cold. She couldn't care. Her life simply wasn't worth living anymore. Why was she still trying?
Her flawless hands clenched into fists, and she bowed her head. Her hair peeled itself from her forehead and went into her face. She made no effort to move it, content to just stay in her own unreleased misery. The bench she was sitting on was dark gray from wetness. What was going on with her? She was frozen in place, like a fish in a frozen lake. The water around her was horribly cold, but the birdcage holding her heart was locked, and she would not move. She could not move. She would not move.
She was killing herself. She was stable enough on the outside, but her grief, anger, and sadness was tearing apart her very being. It was sneaking inside the birdcage that held her heart prisoner, and it had no escape. Everything was tearing at it, mauling it, killing it. This is what a broken heart felt like, she knew it now. Would the pain ever stop? She was tainted by his colors, the flashes of him roaring through her mind. Would it ever go away?
She flicked out a kunai knife. There was still a pink strand of hair on it, and she was immediately taken all the way back to when she cut her hair to save them both. She clenched the sharp blade until her hands turned ghostly white and cut into her hand. Glossy, crimson blood leaked from the onyx blade and onto the forest floor. She released the knife, and it hit the stone bench with a clang. The agony of the knife was soothing, almost. She looked up at her tainted, bloody hand and stared at it. The crimson droplets ran down her wrist, to her elbow, and back onto the bench. The red looked so familiar... his eyes! She began to shake hard, but not because of the cold.
Her face was twisting up, trying hard to delay the inevitable. Her throat felt like she had something stuck in it, and she lost it. She burst out crying, trying to make the sobs as quiet and tranquil as possible. Her shoulders racked with sobs, and she put her drenched face in her hands. She couldn't stop. It scared her more than anything. She had to be strong for the village's sake, but what was the point when she was so weak inside?
She didn't notice a shadowy figure walk up to her. She felt a hand on her shoulder and she nearly jumped a mile. Her face jerked up, and she was thankful it was raining. It disguised her weakness. If she had things her way it would rain forever. Her emerald orbs squinted, and she instantly recognized the shock of blonde hair and the deep, ice blue eyes. Their eyes locked. The sea in his blue eyes was almost still, no where near as lively as it once was. She noticed massive circles underneath them. Her teammate looked dead on his feet. But the sea in his eyes slowly began to move and became more alive as they looked her over.
The first two sentences he spoke were her lifeline. She stopped crying when he said them, and was washed over by a feeling that she thought she had never felt before.
"You're soaking wet. You need to get back inside."
She burst out crying again, this time making no effort to quiet the storm inside her and releasing the ocean's tide that was inside her.
"I'm sorry," she hiccuped. "Naruto, I..."
"Sakura-chan, don't." Naruto looked at her with a deep sadness in his eyes that Sakura had never seen there before. "It's not your fault. No one could have stopped him. It was his choice. I'm the one who should be sorry. I promised you I'd bring him back and I didn't. Please get out of the rain, you can't get sick on us now."
Sakura only cried harder. She knew he was right, but she found no blame inside her at all. She put her hand on the bench and her feet scrambled underneath her. It was like they didn't have the strength to hold her up. She wavered, and she felt her teammate's hand on her back, catching her. He leaned over and picked Sakura up underneath the knees, so he was holding her bridal style. Sakura looked up at him to see that Naruto's eyes changed. They now had a light of determination, and his mouth was set stubbornly. Not arguing, Sakura leaned her head onto his chest. The muscles there comforted her immensely, and she leaned against him even more, finding comfort in his warmth.
When they arrived at Naruto's house, which was closer, Naruto put Sakura down gently. She still couldn't find the strength to stand, so she leaned against Naruto's free arm, which was still on her straight and frail back. He opened the door, then picked her up again. He kicked the door closed, and Sakura's skin and bones welcomed the heat immediately. He set her gently on the couch, and slowly got up.
"No! Don't leave me!" her mind screamed, not really knowing why. Her heart was still being attacked by guilt, shame, and loss, she couldn't take it. She started crying again, hating every second of it. She was so weak... why did that traitor have such a large effect on her?
Naruto came back in a second with a towel and a spare set of clothes. "Here, they're mine, but you can wear them until your clothes are dry." He tossed a baggy black shirt and some khaki shorts her way. They were boy clothes, but she didn't care. She looked up to see Naruto gone again, and she smiled faintly. Even though Naruto was a goofball and did stupid things, he always knew where the line was drawn. Especially when she was in such an emotional mess like this. She wrestled off the soaking wet red dress she always wore, and the green cycling shorts underneath. She dropped the damp clothes on the floor, not thinking. She used the towel to dry herself off, and then got herself into the black shirt and the shorts.
"I'm done changing," she called tentatively, and the blonde haired teammate slowly went down the stairs. He had changed too, he was in another black shirt with the orange baggy pants she had always known. He had taken the jacket off, and his forehead protector. He picked up her wet clothes without complaint, and disappeared again. She looked down at her still bleeding hand, and to her horror she noticed she got blood all over Naruto's clothes.
"I'm sorry, I got blood on your clothes," she began, and without thinking.
"It's all right, they're old," he replied, and stared curiously at her hand. "How did you get that wound?"
Sakura began to make up a lie, but she cut herself off. "I clutched my kunai too hard," she muttered. "I did it to myself."
She expected her loudmouth teammate to shout, "What did you do that for!" but he didn't say anything. He opened a cabinet to get out a white cloth. He walked over to Sakura and took her hand. Despite her protests that she was fine, he wrapped it until it stopped bleeding. Sakura scooted over at the other side of the small couch to make room for him. Naruto sat down.
"What happened to the oh-so-hyper Naruto I know?" she asked quietly.
"He's asleep, he'll be back in a little bit," Naruto replied jokingly, but there was no humor in his eyes.
Sakura let out a half-laugh, half-sob. Her eyes flashed open wide as Naruto embraced her, and for once she made no move to get away. She let herself stay there for a long time, and her arms shakingly rose until they were around his well muscled back. He just held her tighter, and finally he said something.
"All I wanted... was to bring him back. I just wanted to make you happy again," he whispered, pain echoing into his voice.
It finally hit Sakura like a wave. He cared for her. Most likely, he even loved her. Her heart was now fighting against the birdcage that was there, and against the guilt and sorrow and everything else that was threatening to destroy her. It was trying so hard to break free. She buried her head in his chest, trying to pull herself together. She finally pushed herself away, just a little, so she could look into his eyes. They were now defeated looking, and her own eyes softened.
She looked down briefly, trying to think of what to say. She looked back up, and stared into his eyes again.
"I know," she whispered quietly. "And all I ever wanted was him to love me back. But I know now that will never happen. But..." She leaned her forehead against his, her green eyes meeting blue. Her uninjured hand found its way to his face and molded her hand against his cheek. "I found someone who will make me whole again. And he's right in front of me."
Naruto let out a small choking sound, and Sakura's arm slid up to his neck. She swung her other arm around his neck, and she felt Naruto's arms sliding down to her waist. The blonde hesitated, then leaned down his head. Sakura met him halfway and their lips brushed. He pressed himself against her more, and both their eyes closed. Their kisses were blazing like fire, and it wasn't long before Sakura felt his tongue brushing her mouth, begging for entry. She opened her mouth, and she drowned in a flood of desire. His tongue lashed in her mouth, and his embrace was getting tighter and tighter. She couldn't get enough of him. His weight on her was increasing more and more, until Sakura fell over under his weight, her head landing on the arm of the couch. Naruto released his hold on his precious treasure underneath him, and he put his arms on either side of Sakura to hold him up. But unfortunately, humans need to breathe.
They broke apart, gasping for breath. Naruto didn't move, and neither did Sakura. They stared up at each other. Sakura moved a porcelain hand on his cheek again, and Naruto half closed his eyes. He leaned against it slightly, and Sakura smiled faintly. He leaned down to her again, and as they kissed once more, Sakura's heart broke free of the cage it was held in. It was no longer a slave to the darkness he had given her, and her open wounds healed under Naruto's gentle touch.
Naruto's kisses moved down the side of her neck and to the contours of her throat. She let out a soft moan, and he continued down until he reached collarbone. He kissed every bump, every bone, every scar. Sakura shivered, despite the warmth in the house.
"Naruto-kun..."
Naruto was caught by surprise. It was the first time Sakura had ever called him that. He looked down at her to see love in her emerald eyes. He leaned down until his head was next to her ear.
"I love you, Sakura-chan," he whispered, and it was like a song to Sakura's ears. She gasped as he nibbled her ear, not enough for it to hurt.
"I love you too," she whispered happily. "You made me whole again..."
The words were all Naruto needed. He rose up and kissed her again, their tongues declaring war. Sakura's uninjured hand had made its way up to his hair, burying it in the soft strands and her fingers tracing his scalp. Her injured hand creeped over to Naruto's, and he immediately grasped it gently, careful not to hurt her. She smiled through his kiss. Finally Naruto pulled back. Sakura gazed at him, confused, and she let out a large yawn despite herself.
"You need sleep," Naruto murmured. He picked her up again, and she didn't complain. She closed her eyes once she was in Naruto's hold, and buried her head in his chest. He carried her upstairs, and put her gently on his bed. He hesitated again, this time for a long time. He placed himself next to her and fell asleep, his arm over her waist. She smiled briefly, then fell asleep as well.
Nothing happened. They slept peacefully, the rain pouring heavily outside.
The next morning, Sakura woke up. She turned to see Naruto looking at her. His eyes were gentle. She leaned over and kissed him. "Good morning," she whispered, her voice no longer scratchy from her sobs.
"Morning," he said loudly, and Sakura smiled. Naruto was back to his crazy old self. She got up, and called back, "You need to get up."
"Liar."
"I'll make you breakfast..." she bribed in a singsong voice.
"Fine." He got up, lightly rubbing his eyes.
Their meal was delicious, as always with Sakura's cooking, and they ate peacefully at the table. They talked, and of course, Naruto couldn't shut up. She smiled, and took her plate to the filled sink. She sighed. Naruto had no idea what he was doing when it came to housekeeping. She sighed again, and walked over to the window. The rain had stopped, and Sakura almost wished it didn't. She felt a sudden pressure on her waist and shoulder, and slightly turned her head to see that Naruto had wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face into her neck. She smiled widely, showing no signs she was such an emotional mess the day before.
"The rain stopped," he murmured against her skin.
"No. Really?" Sakura asked with playful sarcasm, and she felt him smile against her skin. "I wish it hadn't," she admitted. "If it wasn't raining last night..." she shrugged. "I don't think last night would have happened, and..." she trailed off.
Naruto turned himself so he could kiss her gently. "Then let the rain fall," he whispered softly, his voice quiet like it was the previous night. He put his head on top of Sakura's, and they both stared out into the clear skies of the outside.
Let the rain fall.
All right, was it good? Lemme know! R&R, please!