Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I am just a fan who would love to see the story end this way.
Author's Note: This is my first ever fan fic for Naruto. My favourite pair is Naruto and Sakura and that is what I have based this one shot on. I have based this after the war…Please review and give me feedback. I am trying to develop and practice my writing skills so always keen to see what people think.
Epilogue
"How are our patients today?" Tsunade asked her apprentice as she entered the room. She looked over at the two beds. Sasuke was sitting up with a red head attached to his side, a bead of sweat poured from his brow. He still had bandages covering his eyes, but Tsunade suspected he could guess what was happening. The other bed remained empty.
Turning her attention to Sakura, Tsunade looked from the flustered face of the pink haired girl to her feet. Sakura had Naruto by his ears and by the lump on his head she had just scolded him for something. Upon seeing her master Sakura's expression changed immediately from one of irritation to innocence and she let go of him, leaving him to drop to the floor. Naruto sat nursing his head. Tsunade could not help but smile at the scene.
"Sakura-chan, I…" Naruto whined but Sakura cut him up.
"I don't care if you heal faster than normal people. You both have to rest and that is final!" Sakura spat.
Naruto looked from Sakura to Tsunade and his face lit up like a ray of light, "Granny Tsunade, please tell her it's ok for me to go outside"
Tsunade raised an eyebrow and a vein twitched slightly. She really could not get used to being called 'granny'. Crossing her arms she said, "You should listen to your nurse"
Naruto looked at her for a second and repeated her last word thoughtfully, "nurse?" a smile appeared on his face and Tsunade recognised it immediately. He really did take after his master Jirayia. Luckily for him Sakura had not noticed at that point the perverted thought the boy had about her being in a uniform.
"Tsunade-sama, I followed your instructions. Would you mind checking for me?" Sakura asked her teacher. Tsunade turned to look at her student who now stood next to Sasuke's bed. She approached and raised a hand to place near his head. Channelling a little chakra she inspected his injury.
"Will he be okay? Will he be able to see again?" Karin asked from beside him.
"Sakura! Madam Hokage" a voice shouted from behind them, causing them all to move in shock.
Ino burst through the doorway and was breathing heavily.
"…baby…now…" she breathed out as she tried to gasp for air.
Sakura looked dazed and then looked to her master. Tsunade shared a smile with her student as they both realised what this was about. "How about it Sakura…Ready for your first delivery unsupervised?"
Naruto looked from one woman to another and back again. It took him longer to realise what was going on than everyone else but as it dawned on him his facial expression changed from one of confusion to one of shock. He jumped up from the floor and watched as Sakura and Ino ran out of the room.
Tsunade stood and looked at the blonde man standing next to her, "what are you waiting for Naruto? They may need your help".
Naruto looked at her, "What can I do?" he asked.
"We are short on medical staff since the war and have a high number of patients. There is only so much we can do. If Sakura run's low on chakra it could be a problem…" Tsunade explained.
Naruto studied her for a second and understood. He had the nine tails chakra after all. He of all people should be able to ensure the girls had enough energy to see things through. He nodded in understanding and left the room.
"Aren't you going to go with them?" Karin asked.
Tsunade turned to look at the remaining pair in the room and shook her head, "Sakura is far beyond needing my help anymore. Isn't that right Sasuke?"
Her comment gained a smile from the man. Karin looked from the Hokage of the leaf village to the man she had fallen for at first sight. She was not sure of what to make of his smile and could not help feel jealous of the pink haired girl at that moment in time.
"Why don't you give it a try?" the older woman asked.
Sasuke reached up and started to remove the bandages from his eyes.
"What are you doing?" Karin asked with a hint of panic in her tone.
"Well?" Tsunade asked as Sasuke took of the last of his bandages and blinked a couple of times. He raised his head to look at the woman in front of him and smiled. "You haven't changed a bit" he said.
….
Naruto stood at the end of the room and watched in awe as Sakura barked orders and took charge of the situation. "Naruto!" She called over to him, "We will need blankets and hot water"
Naruto blinked a couple of times and nodded. Using his shadow clones he managed to collect the necessary materials quickly. Ino took them off him and he remained standing awkwardly, not knowing what to do.
"Are you still in here?!" Sakura shouted at him, "wait outside!" she ordered. Naruto did not hesitate with this and was relieved to be allowed to leave the room. What he had just seen was not something he ever expected and he was a little shell shocked.
"Naruto-kun?" the soft voice of Hinata spoke, causing him to lift his head and look up from his seated position. "Are you okay?"
Naruto lifted a hand up and scratched the back of his head. He was a little flushed in the face but still managed to give one of his best grins. A grin which immediately turned into a worried frown as they both heard the woman screaming in pain from behind the door.
"Do you think she will be alright?" Naruto asked, now standing and staring at the door before him, too agitated to remain still.
"She will be fine. Sakura is with her" Hinata reassured him.
"Yeah…she really is amazing huh" he said softly.
Hinata looked at him and the thoughtful expression he had on his face. She gave him a soft smile and said, "Naruto-kun, you should tell her how you feel"
Naruto froze where he stood. Suddenly he realised what he had said and how that could have hurt her. "Hinata I'm sorry"
Hinata returned his saddened gaze with a happy one, "I have always watched you Naruto-kun. You helped me find confidence within myself and grow stronger. I wanted to be someone who you could rely on. I am not the only one" she looked through the window of the door and he followed her gaze. He saw Sakura holding a small bundle in her arms.
Hinata opened the door to the room and announced, "I have brought some fresh sheets". Naruto remained behind her and hovered in the doorway.
"Isn't she beautiful" Ino chirped, taking the baby to clean her and returning her to her mother. The woman smiled and thanked them. Naruto could not he but feel that watching a mother with her new born at that moment was one of the mot beautiful things he had seen. He lifted his gaze and watched as Sakura smiled down at the child and stroked a cheek with her finger. The women in the room laughed together in relief. For Naruto it seemed to go in slow motion as his thoughts began to wonder what it would be like to be a parent, and how beautiful Sakura would be as a mother. Sakura caught his gaze and smiled, she was a little flushed in the face but he didn't care. At that moment he realised that Hinata was right. He had to tell her, even if she rejected him, he needed to let his feelings out before they swallowed him whole.
"Sakura…" his voice came out softer than he expected, but he gained her attention but a figure suddenly burst past him and broke his thoughts.
"Am I too late?" the voice of a man asked. When he caught the site of a healthy little baby he was amazed and slowly walked over to his wife and child. Ino, Sakura and Hinata shared a smile and started to tidy up, eventually leaving the room to give the couple some space.
"I will come and check on you soon" Sakura reassured them before closing the door behind her. She let out a heavy sigh once it was shut. With it her adrenaline began to rush out of her in one fowl swoop.
"Sakura!" Naruto's voice sounded like a distant call. She felt a pair of arms catch her as she fell. "Sakura!"
"She has been so busy seeing to everyone. She must be exhausted" Ino highlighted, she paused, "hey what are you doing?" she asked as Naruto lifted Sakura in his arms and headed down the corridor.
"Taking her home" he stated.
….
Sakura felt like she was moving on some kind of transport. She could smell fresh grass and felt a breeze brushing past her face. She tried to move but her limbs felt heavy and were secured to something. It was warm and rhythmic.
Naruto could feel Sakura stir as he carried her on his back so he adjusted her position and held her more firmly. He knew he was at risk of being scolded by her if she woke up, but at that point in time he didn't care. If she was not going to take care of herself then he would have to do it for her.
Sakura could hear the murmur of voices and foot steps. The smells of food and building materials made her realise she was outside. Slowly opening her eyes she became aware that she was being held. Turning her head slightly she noticed the blonde hair of her friend. The realisation of the fact that Naruto Uzumaki, the hero and saviour of all ninja countries, was carrying her piggy back along the street for everyone to see. She thought about hitting him around the head and giving her a piece of her mind, but thought against it. Instead she blushed and tried to hide her face against his back, pretending to be oblivious to what was happening to her. If anyone asked she had the excuse that she was unconscious. Yet before she knew it she had fallen asleep once more. He was surprisingly comfortable.
When Naruto reached their destination he knocked on the door to Sakura's new home and was welcomed in by her mother. "What happened?" she asked in a panicked state.
"She is just tired" Naruto reassured her. The older woman pointed Naruto in the direction of her daughter's bedroom and laid her on her bed.
There was a knock at the door.
"Will you be okay if I go and get that?" the older woman asked, Naruto nodded and picked up a blanket to draw over Sakura's sleeping form. Her mother left the room and he hovered over her for a second longer than he should. It wasn't like he hadn't seen her sleep before. After all they had been on numerous missions together for years. It's just that she seemed so peaceful and he could not resist the temptation to touch her. He leant over and brushed a strand of her hair away from her face. He recalled a conversation he had with someone once and his vow to always be by her side and watch over her. He would never give up hope that one day she would choose him, but at the same time he feared she never would. He worried that with the war being over and Sasuke being back that things would be different. He shook his head…who was he kidding…things already were different. They had lost so many friends. Neji's loss was still hard to bear.
It would never be the same again. The war changed them all. He knew he had matured a little, as had so many others. It had also made him realise something. If things in his life had been different, he could have turned out like Obito. Obito became twisted because of his love for Rin. Losing Rin was hard to bear. Naruto looked down at Sakura. The thought of losing her was something he to had tried to lock inside him. When Sasuke had tried to kill her and when Madara almost succeeded, the fear and anger that had surged through him was undeniably scary. As much as he put his faith in his friends, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if she was gone. That realisation made him realise that his love for her was stronger than before and protecting her was not enough. He needed her…no, he wanted her. Sakura stirred beneath. His touch and he retracted his hand. Knowing Sakura, if she woke up with him hovering over her in her bedroom she might get the wrong idea. Smiling sadly to himself he left the room and gently closed the door behind him.
Sakura opened her eyes and turned over to see the door had closed. She let out the breathe she had been holding. She had turned to avoid him seeing her face turning a beetroot red. He seemed lost in thought and at the same time she found herself not wanting him to go away, but her heart was racing and she was not prepared enough. Looking over at her picture of team 7 she felt guilt on seeing Sasuke's image. She sat up in her bed and hugged a pillow to her chest. Looking out of the window at the darkening sky she sighed. What is wrong with me? She wondered.
"Thank you for bringing her home safely" Sakura's mother said as Naruto started to leave with Sai, who had come to collect him.
"Any time!" Naruto grinned.
…..
"How are you feeling Kurenai?" Sakura asked one of her former teachers and current patient. She had managed to rest a couple of hours but her head and heart would not allow her to sleep. Instead she chose to take a walk and found herself at her teacher's door. Kurenai had spent some time training Sakura on the use of genjutsu before the war and she had come to find the woman someone she could relate to.
"Fine, thank you for asking" the dark haired woman replied, her eyes a beautiful dark red colour. Having a baby had been a challenge and taken more of a toll on her body than she had anticipated, but she was healthy thanks to Sakura, Ino and Hinata who had taken it in turn to support her and her baby. She watched Sakura sitting at the table playing with a doll and engaging her child.
"Is everything ok Sakura?" Kurenai asked, "it's just, you seem a little distracted lately" she pointed out.
Sakura paused in her movements and allowed a small hand to grasp one of her fingers. She let out a sigh but did not look at the woman who sat across the table from her. "Kurenai sensei may I ask you a personal question?"
Kurenai put her cup gently down on the table but continued to hold it with both hands, "Yes" she replied, sensing that this was probably boy trouble.
Sakura looked up at her and met the gentle gaze of red, "how did you know you loved Asuma sensei?" she asked. Sakura noticed that the mention of the man's name caused those red eyes to become warmer.
Kurenai studied the girl and smiled. She looked down at her hands and the cup that sat snug between them. She recalled that when Sakura was younger, like many of the others, she focused her attention on the most popular boy in school. Yet since the chunnin exams and her becoming Tsunade's apprentice, she did not show or express her feelings in the same way. So for her to suddenly come out with such a question made it clear to Kurenai that she was torn and needed a way to help her make a decision.
"…Asuma was always a comical character, reckless, stubborn, too smart for his own good. He would often play pranks in school and seemed to not take things seriously, but he was more observant than people gave him credit for. He always teased me and looked out for me, but I rejected him on more than one occasion" she said.
Sakura was surprised, "So what made you change your mind?" she asked.
Kurenai leant back in her chair and looked out of the window, "I guess for me it was gradual. Although thinking back I think I liked him earlier than I realised. You see I was scared. Scared of what other people would think. Scared of him leaving my side. Scared of ruining what we had as friends…We had been friends for a long time. It was not until after you genin were put under our care that I began to realise there was something more there". She turned to look back at her student.
"When you talk about him your face lights up" Sakura noted.
"Does it?" Kurenai lifted a hand to her cheek. She knew she was a little red.
Sakura turned away from the child and reached out to pick up the drink her teacher had placed in front of her earlier. She seemed a little lost in thought.
"Sakura, may I ask you a question?" Kurenai asked. Sakura looked up and nodded, though her facial expression hinted that she was not looking forward to it.
"How do you feel about Naruto?"
Sakura's expression went from one of worry to surprise. She immediately lowered her gaze and focussed on her hands. She hesitated before speaking, "I don't know" she answered honestly.
"You know Sakura. There was a time you would scold Naruto and reject his every move. If someone had asked you that question 3 years ago you would have immediately denied any feelings for him other than admiration…" Kurenai took a sip of her drink.
Sakura looked at the woman in front of her and was shell shocked. She knew she was right. She knew her feelings for Naruto had changed. He had a way about him that changed everyone's view of him. She had been one of the first to realise his worth. She recalled the time he and Sasuke helped fight Zabuza and how surprised she had been that the idiot actually had balls. She remembered feeling disappointment that he was stronger and at times wiser than her. Her feelings gradually changed over time as they worked together. He made her laugh and feel safe. He was far from the village idiot now. He was a hero.
"You know Sakura, when you think about Naruto your facial expression changes to" Kurenai pointed out. Sakura's face immediately went bright red and Kurenai laughed. She leant forward in her seat and her tone became serious. "You know how Naruto feels for you don't you?" she asked.
Sakura nodded her head slowly, "Yes, Sai told me."
"Really? I have to say I am surprised it was him."
"I already knew though, I just didn't want to accept it." Sakura continued.
"Because your heart is so conflicted?" Kurenai asked.
"Am I a terrible person?" Sakura asked, tears mow forming in her eyes.
Kurenai changed her position and moved to sit next to the girl. She gave her a side ways hug and tried to reassure her, "What makes you think that?" she asked.
"When Sai told me that Naruto has been in pain all these years because of his feelings for me I felt so guilty. I couldn't help but think he would be better off without me…I even tried to kill Sasuke. I couldn't believe in him anymore and gave up hope. I wanted Naruto to be free from his promise to me and free from Sasuke" she sniffed.
"But you couldn't go through with it?" Kurenai noted.
"I couldn't kill Sasuke. Not after everything we had been through. Finding him was the reason Naruto and I grew stronger, together."
"I see…Sakura, what are your feelings for Sasuke?"
Sakura wiped her tears from her face, "I'm not sure."
"Ok…Sakura I am going to help you figure out something…I want you to close your eyes"
Sakura looked up at the woman's soft gaze with a hint of confusion, but did as she was told. She felt hands on her face and when she opened her eyes again she was standing in the middle of the school playground. She immediately recognised it as a genjutsu. She noticed her teacher standing next to her.
"Sakura, I want you to think about your future and what you want from it." Kurenai ordered. She watched as the girls facial expression changed from being tense to relaxed as she tried to focus.
"Relax your mind Sakura. Do not think about anything but your dream."
"I am trying, but it is difficult"
"Let's try this another way" Kurenai said. Sakura opened her eyes when she heard a child's laughter. In front of her she was running around the playground with Ino and some of the other girls.
"When you were younger what did you often think about?" her teacher asked.
"I was always so self conscious of the way I looked. Ino helped me to get over my negative image of myself…I guess that back then all I wanted was to fit in and grow up to be beautiful like the other girls, become a respected shinobi and have a family of my own."
"You have gained the respect of the village. Along with Naruto you are one of the heroes of this town and will forever be remembered as such…has your dream changed?" Kurenai asked.
Sakura watched the image of her childhood flitter away in front of her, "No. I still want a family of my own one day" she said.
"Back then, did you have an idea of the type of man you wanted to be with in the future?"
Sakura had to think hard on this one. Kurenai could see the girl's expression change slightly as she tried to concentrate. Sakura remained silent for a minute or two and cocked her head to one side, "um…okay…well I guess I have always seen him as being strong, someone who will protect our family." She paused.
"Ok…anything else?" Kurenai asked,
"Well he needs to be taller than me and be true to what he believes in. He would need to make me laugh and be able to keep me grounded"
Kurenai smiled at the last comment. The whole village was aware of Sakura's short temper.
"He needs to put his friends first and not be the kind to go back on his word. I need to be able to trust him" Sakura continued.
"So based on what you have just said can you think of someone you know that fits that description?" her teacher asked.
Sakura opened her eyes quickly, her expression appeared shocked. Kurenai smiled.
"Sakura…I want you to visualise your future children and show them to me"
Sakura looked confused for a second but did as she was asked. Before them ran around a group of boys and girls. Kurenai noticed their hair colour and smiled, although she didn't think there would be so many of them. A man's voice called from behind them and approached two of the children who were fighting. He moaned and picked them up, putting one under each arm. He took a step forward and slipped on something, landing on the ground on his butt. The remainder children laughed and climbed all over him.
Kurenai noticed Sakura smiling down on the scene.
"I think you have your answer" the raven head spoke up, breaking their thoughts and ending the genjutsu. They both returned to her kitchen.
"You should tell him" Kurenai informed the younger woman before her.
"But…" Sakura hesitated.
"Sakura, he needs to know…sooner rather than later"
Sakura studied her teacher carefully and sat for a moment in silence as she plucked up her courage and processed her thoughts.
"When would be the right time?" she asked, worried.
Kurenai stood and took her baby in her arms and looked to her student. "Sakura…there is never a right time. Don't over think it…you need to do it at your own pace but trust in your instincts. When you see him again you will know."
…
"Hey Sakura, are you going to join us?" Lee called out as he caught her heading their way. She barely noticed him and seemed to be thinking about something else. "Um Sakura?" he waved a hand in front of her and she lifted her gaze.
"Sorry Lee, what did you say?"
Lee raised an eyebrow at the expression on her face, but decided it best not to intrude on her thoughts. "We are all meeting up for BBQ to celebrate us all being promoted to Jounin!"
"Huh?" Sakura was surprised by the news.
"Didn't you know?" Lee asked, after all she was the apprentice of the Hokage. She shook her head and followed him into the restaurant.
Upon entering the whole group was there, laughing amongst each other.
"Hey Lee and Sakura are here!" Choji called out, causing them all to cheer as the two approached them.
"Did you hear the news?" Ino asked Sakura.
"Lee just told me…to be honest I am still a little shocked" Sakura replied with a smile. She scanned the group and saw Naruto beaming back at her.
"You to?" she asked him.
"Yep!" he grinned, happy with himself.
"Yeah I didn't think it was fair either…If anything he should have been made Chunin" Kiba moaned.
"Stop being a sour puss!" Ino snapped at their wolf like friend, "Naruto risked everything for this village and more than once. We couldn't have won the war without him!" To hear Ino speak about Naruto with so much respect made Sakura smile.
Naruto scratched the back of his head and looked sheepish, "Ino-chan, I couldn't have done it without everyone's help" he pointed out.
"Don't be so modest Naruto, you should take credit where it is due" Choji pitched in as he helped himself to more meat.
"Hey, leave some for the rest of us!" Tenten yelled.
"If it wasn't for Gaara and Sakura though Naruto would have been a gonner" Kiba spoke up like a dog with a bone.
"Give it a rest already" Ino snapped.
"It was Obito that saved Naruto's life, not me" Sakura pointed out, still a little frustrated that the things she did for him were so small.
"Sakura-chan you were amazing" Hinata spoke up. The rarity of this caused most of the group to stop what they were doing and listen. "When it seemed like all hope was lost you didn't give up. Even though you were running out of chakra you still managed to keep Naruto's heart beating."
This statement caused Naruto to look up at the pair, becoming distracted and losing the piece of meat from his chopsticks to Choji.
"Hinata…how did you..?" Sakura was about to ask how she knew what she did but realised that Hinata's biyuaka could see a lot.
"I have to say Sakura, it would never have dawned on me to do what you did. Cutting his chest open and wrapping your hand around his heart. I mean, that takes some guts" Ino agreed with Hinata.
"Eh?!" Naruto screeched. Sakura had a bead of sweat pour from her brow.
"Seriously Naruto…don't tell me you didn't know?" Shikimaru asked, the blank look of their friend answered his question. "What the hell did you think the scar on your chest came from?"
Naruto subconsciously placed a hand on his side.
"Yeah Naruto, Sakura here gave you this kiss of life" Ino teased, expecting an angry glare from her friend, but becoming surprised when Sakura didn't even look at her and her face turned bright red.
Naruto watched Sakura from across the table, "Sakura…is that true?" he asked. The room went silent. Even Choji stopped what he was eating.
Sakura avoided his gaze and nodded, "It is what any decent medical ninja would do" she answered, trying to shrug it off. She looked up at Naruto and their eyes met. His expression was serious and she froze on the spot as she watched him jump over the table and land in front of her.
"Sakura can I talk to you in private?" he asked seriously, not letting her look away from him. The rest of the group had become motionless and watched them carefully.
"Um…yes" she replied after a long moment of silence. Her heart was racing inside her chest. That one word was all Naruto needed to hear as he reached out a hand and took hold of one of hers. He pulled her close to him and picked her up in his arms, bridal style.
"Hey!" She protested, but in a flash they were gone.
"Did I miss something?" Sasuke's voice broke the silence as he entered the restaurant with his new group of friends, having just seen Naruto speed away with Sakura in tow.
"Sasuke-kun?!" Ino chirped, "You can see again?" she ran over to him. An irritated and jealous red head stepped in between them and the pair started to fight. Sasuke walked around them and sat down to join the others.
"They seemed to be in a rush" Juugo pointed out.
"That was a bit too intense" Tenten agreed.
"Do you think Naruto is finally going to confess?" Kiba asked.
"Kiba!" Tenten kicked him under the table and nodded over to Hinata.
"It is okay. I hope Naruto and Sakura can work it out" Hinata spoke up softly.
"It looks like Naruto will beat you to it" Shikimaru directed this point to Lee.
"I will not give up" Lee answered, his eyes burning with the will of fire.
"What do you think Sai? You have been with them longest" Shikimaru asked the newer member of team Kakashi.
Sai seemed thoughtful, "I have not seem Sakura wear such an expression before" he admitted.
"You don't think Sakura likes Naruto do you?" Ino spoke up as she sat at the table and ignored the glare from the red head on the other side.
"It is possible" Sasuke spoke up, gaining their attention.
"I didn't take you to be one to think about love and relationships" Suigetsu chided from his side.
"Well Sakura has changed" Sasuke acknowledged.
"Haven't we all" Shikimaru replied, still slightly apprehensive about the Uchiha being back. Especially now that team 'hebi' are part of the hokage's new Anbu black ops. Supposedly to make amends for all the damage caused. Like Sai they had also been given a curse mark, forcing them to swear loyalty. Yet for Shikimaru actions would speak louder than words. Helping them out in the war was not enough. They had a long way to go to prove themselves…at least to him.
"Doesn't it bother you?" Ino asked Sasuke, "Naruto and Sakura?"
Sasuke shrugged, "Why should it?" Sasuke knew before anyone else how Naruto felt for Sakura. At first she was just another silly girl who claimed to like him and he had no time for her. After all she spent most of her time trying to gain his attention instead of becoming of use to their team. Yet part of his anger towards Naruto was not just how he was always ahead of him, but how he was able to change the minds and hearts of those around him. Sakura became stronger because of Naruto's influence. He remembered the look of surprise when he told her about Naruto saving her from Gaara. It was the thoughtful expression and blush on her face as she looked at Naruto that helped fuel the anger inside of him. The girl who had fawned over him the way Naruto fawned over her, was beginning to look at the fool, his rival.
"That's right, my Sasuke doesn't need a girl like that" Karin sung.
"Your Sasuke?" Ino started to blow some steam from her ears.
"Aren't you the popular one" Suigetsu jeered.
…..
"Here we are" Naruto announced, gently placing Sakura's feet on the ground.
"Where are we?" she asked as she turned around and saw the flickering of tiny lights spread out below her. They were on top of the cliff where the five hokage figures had been carved into the stone.
"I often come up here when I need to think" Naruto explained, standing next to her to take in the scene. "The sky can look pretty amazing from here to" he announced.
Sakura looked at him and followed his gaze at the stars above. You would not have known that the light from the village impacted on their view. "It is beautiful" she whispered.
Naruto looked to his left and watched her as she gazed at the scene before them. "Sakura, there is something I need to tell you"
Sakura turned her gaze on him, she had been smiling but as she looked at his serious expression her smile faded and her heart threatened to tear through her throat. He took a step closer to her and gulped. She could tell he was as nervous as she was.
"I love you"
Sakura stared at him. His words seemed to come easy to him. She knew how he felt about her but hearing it from his lips made it all more of a reality. She could not help the tears that came to her eyes as her emotions overwhelmed her. Naruto did not expect this reaction and grimaced.
"Sakura-chan, I know you love Sasuke. I am not expecting you to reply. I just needed you to know how I feel" he desperately tried to reassure her.
"How long?" Sakura asked. Her question surprised him. She wiped the water from her eyes and repeated it, "How long have you loved me?" she didn't know why but for some reason she needed to know.
"From the moment I met you" he said, lifting a hand to his chin thoughtfully, "I thought you were so cute. I couldn't understand why you were always so down. I remember seeing you crying to Ino about your forehead. I remember thinking that the other kids were stupid. You are so beautiful. I just wanted to kiss you on your forehead to show you as much…" he grinned sheepishly, his face was flushed and he looked to the ground. "I even tried to once…I disguised myself as Sasuke and approached you, around the time we were first teamed up."
Sakura placed a hand on her mouth as realisation set in, "that was you?" she asked.
Naruto looked at her and nodded, "Sorry" was all he could muster. If she wanted to kill him for it then he would not stop her.
Sakura stared at him for a moment. This idiot just said something that she had secretly hoped a guy would one day say to her. She was pleased to see that the man in front of her now was the one who said it first back then. Learning this information sent a warm feeling through her body. She smiled.
Naruto was surprised to see the smile form on Sakura's face. It was a radiant smile. Suddenly she started to laugh.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
"Nothing…I am just relieved" she replied.
"Relieved?" He was not sure what to make of her response.
"Naruto, do you know what I did today?" she asked. He shook his head in response. She took a step closer to him.
"I went to see Kurenai sensei" she explained, "she helped me realise something…for the first time in a long time my feelings are clear" she watched the expression on Naruto's face change to a frown.
"She asked me to visualise my future" she continued. He looked up at her, not sure if he wanted to hear what she was about to say.
"Naruto, you were in it" she added. He studied her for a second. She sighed as she realised he had not realised what she was getting at. She stepped closer to him and took his hand in hers.
He looked down at them, as did she. They were both shaking. When she continued to speak it was on an almost whisper as nerves got the better of her, "Naruto I visualised several children…they were yours"
It took a moment for Naruto to figure out what she was saying to him. "Sakura…" he said her name softly. She placed a finger on his lips to stop him from speaking and looked him in the eye.
"I love you" she paused, then added, "and this time I am certain". She removed her hand from his mouth and stood there for what seemed like an eternity. Naruto stared at her in shock. Sakura stood there awkwardly.
"Naruto I am not lying" she felt like she had to defend herself. After all, the last tome she confessed he didn't believe her. Why would he, at the time she was conflicted. She was in love with two men. Now she knew she only truly loved one of them and she had made her choice.
"Naruto please say something" she practically pleaded, growing uncomfortable.
"Fine if you aren't going to speak I am leaving!" she spat, growing angry she tried to storm off, but a pair of arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her back.
Naruto swung her around above his head as he laughed with joy. She had never seen him look so happy. Knowing that she was the reason made her feel good inside. She laughed with him…though hit him fondly when he almost threw the pair of them off the edge of the cliff. They stumbled and fell to the ground.
Naruto had landed on top of her but continued to laugh and smile, he went to stand up and reached out a hand to pull her up. As he did so he embraced her in a firm hug. She was surprised at first but wrapped her arms around him in return.
They slowly pulled away from each other, "Does this mean we get to go on a real date?" he asked her eagerly. Sakura smiled at him. She hadn't realised before how much taller than her he had grown. Reaching up on tip toes she placed her lips on his cheek. The action caused him to stop talking. He looked down at her and his smile was replaced by a nervous look and flushed cheeks.
Sakura shared a similar expression. The distance between them was not much and she could feel his heart racing as fast as hers. She closed her eyes and leant into him.
Naruto gulped and wet his lips with his tongue. He couldn't believe it. He was actually getting to kiss the girl of his dreams. He leant into her and closed his eyes.
Their lips met for the briefest of moments. They both pulled back and looked at each other, sharing a smile. That first small action seemed to give both of them more confidence.
Sakura reached her hands up to Naruto's face and placed them on his cheeks. She raised herself up on her toes and pulled his head down closer to her. She locked lips with him again, this time more forcefully. Naruto almost lost his balance and instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her in closer. This time when they parted their breathing was heavier.
They looked at each other and grinned, pulling in for a third round, but a gurgling sound interrupted them.
"What was that?" Sakura asked, stepping back. The sound came again. She felt Naruto remove a hand from her waist and place it on his stomach. He looked embarrassed and ashamed.
"Sorry Sakura-chan, I didn't get to eat anything before" he explained.
Sakura looked at him, an even louder noise came from her own stomach. She looked away just as embarrassed. "Maybe we should get something to eat" she offered.
"Will this be our first date?" Naruto asked.
"If you want" she replied, taking him by the hand and guiding him back into town, "but you are paying" she added.
She felt a pull on her arm and was forced to spin around, almost stumbling into him. "Wha…" she didn't have time to speak as he placed a hand under her chin and kissed her on her forehead. She blushed profusely, her face feeling hot. He grinned and pulled her arm, "I know just the place to go" he said eagerly, leading the way.
Sakura looked at his back and the trademark red circle on his jacket. She followed her gaze from his back to their hands. His hand was so big and warm. She picked up her pace and walked next to him. She knew that from then on she would always be his equal match and never have to follow in anyone's shadow again. She had never felt so happy and overwhelmed in her life. This warm feeling was so different from the painful one sided love she had felt once for Sasuke. Even as they walked through the town and past people they knew she didn't seem to care. She thought she would be embarrassed to show affection in public, but she didn't try to hide it once. In fact she felt proud to be the woman he chose.
"Here we are" he said.
Sakura looked up at the sign above her, a vein throbbed in her head slightly, seriously? Their first real date and he brings her here?! She sighed as her stomach growled again. Beggars couldn't be choosers…besides loving a person included all of their quirks…Ramen included. He still had a lot to learn about women, and she intended to educate him, even if it took her the rest of their lives.
….
A/N: wow that was a lot longer than I expected. The beginning sucked a bit but I am relatively happy with the end. Please let me know what you think and review! I hope fellow NaruSaku fans liked it!
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