'I wish you happiness…Sakura-chan….'
That had been the last thing that he had said to her. Sakura Haruno sat on her bed with her knees pulled up against her chest contemplating the last words her former teammate had said to her.
'Naruto…'
She should feel happy. After all, Sasuke was back, and they had been dating for the last six months. He had returned about a month after defeating his brother Itachi. Despite Tsunade wanting to lock him up for life for abandoning the village and aiding Orochimaru, she had finally agreed to have him on house arrest for six months, and he was placed on a probationary period of one year.
Naruto had been the key to changing her mind. He had pleaded with her master to allow Sasuke to earn his place back as a Konoha shinobi. At first, Tsunade had said no, and Sakura had been devastated, but then Naruto requested to speak to the Hokage alone.
Ten minutes after she had left the office, Naruto had emerged with a smile on his face and told her that he had convinced Tsunade not to imprison their former teammate. She'd hugged him so tight that he'd nearly turned blue with lack of oxygen.
And so, Sasuke sweated out his six months of house arrest where he had an entire ANBU squad assigned to watch every movement that he made. Even after he was reinstated as a shinobi, he was still assigned an escort whether he was on a mission or in the village. He'd begun retraining as soon as he was allowed, and he joined Naruto and Sakura for their own workout each day.
It was just like old times, and Sakura had nearly jumped out of her sandals when Sasuke had asked her out to dinner one evening. She'd said yes without even thinking because she never saw the look of sad acceptance appear on Naruto's face from behind her. Their date wasn't all that romantic as Sasuke spent most of the time discussing his training or her skill level. She was glad that he appeared to be pleased with her acquired skills as a kunoichi. He'd walked her home that evening and left her at her front door. He hadn't kissed her goodnight or even said anything sweet or nice; he'd just turned and walked away. Sakura, though, was still happy because it was their first official date.
A week later, she'd received another surprise but this one made her quite upset. Naruto was being reassigned. He was being appointed as the Konoha representative to Suna and would have to relocate there permanently. When she'd asked or rather demanded the Hokage to tell her how she could have approved such a thing, she stated that it was because he was best friends with the Kazekage, and the town council had the final say in the assignment – not her. Since the town representatives were technically a political position, they were assigned and approved by the village council – despite the fact that it was usually a shinobi who was assigned to the position. Naruto did not appear happy either, but he said it was his job to obey the Hokage and what the council had decided. Sakura could not remember ever seeing Naruto just 'go along' with a decision like this, but as he said, there wasn't really a choice.
And so, Naruto was given a week to prepare himself for leaving. Sakura remembered how he'd spent each day with a different group of his friends. One day, it was Shikamaru, Chouji, and Ino; next day was Hinata and Kiba – who had been become quite the item themselves; next day was Rock Lee, Iruka, and Kakashi and so on. It was as if the entire week took ten times longer to pass by until it was Naruto's last day. He'd eaten lunch at Ichiraku just like always and quietly made his way to the main gates of Konoha. He didn't look back until a familiar voice made him stop.
'Naruto!'
Turning his head, the blond young man smiled slightly as a familiar pink-haired kunoichi appeared in front of him.
'Why didn't you ask any of us to see you off?' Sakura nearly demanded.
'I didn't see why it was necessary; I'm only going on a long-term mission,' he replied.
Sakura wasn't sure why she'd raced here herself; she hadn't even asked Sasuke to come with her. Staring into cerulean blue eyes, she began to feel a hole form in her chest. Without Naruto here, whom would she talk to; whom would she yell at; whom would she laugh with?
'What is it, Sakura-chan?' Naruto asked with a concerned smile. The young woman realized that might be a very long time before she heard herself called that again.
'Why didn't you say goodbye to any of us?' She wanted to add 'to me' at the end but kept her mouth shut.
'Sakura, I'm not disappearing off the face of the planet; I'm only traveling to Suna. I'm sure I'll see all of you again sometime.'
Naruto didn't want to drag this conversation on or he might reveal things that he did not want Sakura to know. His assignment to Suna had not been by chance, and only he and Tsunade truly knew why, and he intended it to stay that way.
'Why…' her voice began to crack slightly, '…why is this happening? We just got Sasuke back, and now…you're leaving!'
'It won't be that bad. I'm sure you'll forget about me in a week and everything will go back to normal – just a little quieter, ne?' Naruto said with a chuckle, but Sakura pinned him with her green eyes.
'Don't say that, you baka, don't say that I'll forget about you, dammit!'
'I didn't mean to upset you, Sakura-chan. I'm sure now that you and Sasuke are dating that you'll have plenty of things to do. You won't need me around to annoy you anymore,' he said with a cheeky grin.
Sakura's eyes began to tear up at his words, and Naruto set down the pack he was carrying. He put his hands on both of her shoulders and looked into her eyes.
'Hey…don't start crying or I'll never get out of here. Now, come on, where's my beautiful, feisty cherry blossom that I love so much,' he teased and drew a smile from his teammate.
'There's my Sakura-chan!'
'Baka,' she muttered and gave him a hug.
Naruto enfolded her in his arms and hugged her goodbye. They stepped back from each other, but Naruto did one final thing that surprised both of them. He slid his left hand up from her shoulder and cupped her cheek. Sakura felt him caress her face, and his eyes held the greatest expression of tenderness in them that she'd ever seen. A full smile broke out on his face, and he brushed her soft skin with the pad of his thumb.
'I wish you happiness, Sakura-chan.'
He removed his hands, picked up his pack, and turned to walk away. Sakura was frozen in place, but her hand came up to the cheek that Naruto caressed. She didn't know why, but she suddenly felt like she'd just lost a part of herself.
So, here she was sitting on her bed six months after Naruto had been reassigned feeling utterly miserable. She shouldn't be unhappy; she'd been dating Sasuke for the last half year. In fact, he discussed even possibly proposing to her in the near future. Sakura hugged her knees tighter to her chest and sulked until her best friend and roommate interrupted her.
"Hey forehead, why are in here brooding?"
"Just shut-up and leave me alone, Ino-pig!"
Ino looked at her best friend with a compassionate eye and sat down on the bed next her. Something had been off with Sakura lately, but she wouldn't tell anybody about it.
"All right, what's the problem? Sasuke forget about a date of yours or something."
"No, everything's fine with us, I just…I don't know how to explain…I just feel…off…"
Ino had become very good at reading Sakura – actually reading people in general as she was one of the best interrogators ANBU had.
"Hmm…could it possibly be that you feel like you're missing something…or someone?"
"What do you mean, Ino?" the pink-haired young woman asked.
"Oh, I don't know Sakura-chaaaannnn, why don't you tell me?" she replied and exaggerated the suffix on her name deliberately.
"Don't call me that!" her friend suddenly yelled, "I hate when people call me that!"
"Oh really, then how come you let a certain blonde-haired teammate of yours called you that for years, hmm," she teased.
"That's different! Naruto…he…well…he…he never listened when I told him not to…and…well…I guess…I guess I got used to it over time."
"Know what I think, forehead?"
"What?" Sakura replied, and Ino grinned at her.
"I think that you don't like anyone calling you that…except Naruto."
"That's ridiculous!"
"Yeah, then how come you don't let Sasuke call you that? Isn't he your boyfriend?"
Sakura stretched her legs out in front of her and stared at her hands in her lap. Sasuke had called her that once about a month ago just as a tryout, and she'd nearly screamed his ears off. She didn't want him calling her that! When he said it, it just felt…wrong.
"Want me to tell you something else?" Ino continued.
"What is it, oh mistress of relationships?"
"I think you miss that loudmouth knucklehead a lot more than you ever thought you could. I've watched you since he left, Sakura. It's like a part of you has shut down. Even when you're with Sasuke, you look content – not happy. There's a difference, Sakura; I should know."
"Oh yeah, explain that one to me."
"I've had boyfriends that make me content. I smile when I'm with them, and I have a good time. I laugh and grin and enjoy myself but don't see myself wanting to spend everyday with them. Now, someone who makes you happy is a lot different. They live in your thoughts all the time – just thinking about them makes you smile. They can make you laugh – truly laugh and make your day better just by being with you."
"Sounds like you're in love, Ino-pig," Sakura teased, but her grin disappeared at the serious expression in her friend's eyes.
"Oh my gosh, you are!"
The blond blushed prettily and put her hands to her flaming cheeks but nodded her head.
"You're right, I am in love, and the best part is…he loves me too. He's the last person in the world that I would've thought I'd want to end up with, but now, I couldn't want anyone else. I don't care what anybody would say about us; I want to be with him."
"He sounds like a great guy. I hope you told him that you have two overprotective surrogate brothers that go by the names of Shikamaru and Chouji who will disembowel him if he hurts you right?"
"That won't be necessary. Because…well…you see…"
Then, it clicked in Sakura's brain.
"It's one of them isn't it? Wait a minute, didn't Shikamaru get engaged to Temari a little over a month ago, and she'd castrate him for cheating on her…so that leaves…"
Sakura's eyes nearly bulged out of her head, and Ino's blush only deepened.
"Chouji! You're in love with Chouji!"
"Would you calm down before the neighbors here you," Ino hissed, but Sakura just gawked at her best friend.
"Yes, you're correct, Sakura. I know that it's surprising considering we both used to chase after Sasuke like bitches in heat!"
"Hey!" Sakura protested, and Ino grinned at her.
"I have to tell you though; I've never been happier than I am now. Even though he may not be the most physically attractive guy in the world, but he's still the most wonderful guy I know. He treats me like a queen. He's the sweetest guy sometimes – even when he doesn't realize it. Plus, he makes some of the best food I've ever tasted."
"Chouji can cook?" Sakura asked with a shocked look on her face.
"Like a gourmet chef. I really am a lucky woman. He treats me like a queen…he feeds me like a queen…and…my personal favorite…"
Ino stopped and waited for Sakura to lean closer.
"…damn, if the man isn't the best fuck I've ever had!" Sakura proceeded to fall off the bed.
"Ino! Jeez, how did I know you were going to add something about sex in here somewhere."
"I'm not lying, Sakura. Chouji is a gift to womankind, and I was lucky enough to snag him. It's the best of both worlds. He can make long, slow love to me until I beg him for more, or he can bend me over the nearest piece of furniture, hike up my skirt, and fuck me senseless. And just so we're clear on this part, forehead, the man is hung like a damn horse!"
"Wait a minute, Ino, those times you came home early in the morning, and you said that your legs were sore from training, it was…" Sakura began to pale as Ino smirked.
"All night endurance training with my plump loverboy," she replied cheekily. Sakura couldn't help but laugh at her comment.
"So, how long has this been going on?"
"About a year now."
"A year!" Sakura gasped, "and you haven't told me."
"We didn't want everyone putting in their two cents about us alright. As I said, what would people say if they knew we were together? I won't put Chouji through that."
"This coming from the gossip mistress of Konoha."
"Which is exactly why I haven't told anybody. The only other people who know are Shikamaru and Naruto."
"How did Naruto find out if I didn't?"
Ino blushed again and laughed nervously.
"Well…he came into my flower shop about nine months ago to buy some flowers – I'm guessing for you – and he kind of caught us having a quickie in the backroom."
Sakura's jaw dropped, and she stared at her best friend. Ino just shrugged her shoulders as she remembered the look on Naruto's face when he saw Chouji laid out on the floor with her bouncing up and down on his cock while his face was buried between her breasts. It had been an awkward few days, but Naruto had been happy that the two of them had found each other, and Ino had thanked him for his discretion about not telling anyone.
"Okay, beside the fact that I may have nightmares for a week from this, is there a point to this conversation?" Sakura asked.
"The point, forehead, is that you don't always look for happiness or love in the obvious place. For example, when Sasuke came back, you jumped at the chance when he asked you out. Now, tell me, when he kisses you, does it feel like magic? When he holds you, does it feel like you don't need anything else but that? Or better still, can a single look from him make you so hot that all you want to is drag him home and have your way with him?"
Sakura didn't chastise her friend for being crude but actually thought about what she was saying. Dating Sasuke had stopped feeling like a relationship and almost felt like a business contract. He never did anything really romantic and when they kissed, he always seemed indifferent with the way it made her feel. She could definitely say that he'd never made her hot under the collar before.
"So, what you're saying is that Sasuke isn't the one I should be with?"
"I'm not saying that one way or the other; you have to make that choice. What I see Sakura is that a part of you has disappeared since Naruto left Konoha. You didn't know that it was gone, but you couldn't be yourself without the idiot around."
Sakura couldn't deny what Ino was saying but did that mean she had feelings for Naruto? That was utterly ridiculous! I mean, sure he treated her better than anybody else she'd ever met, and he always made sure that she was smiling, and he always tried to protect her or encourage her. Plus, he never berated her skills or talents as a shinobi unlike a certain Uchiha did rather frequently; in fact, he loved training with her and seeing how they complimented each other.
They were best friends…teammates…partners…plus Naruto always used to say how much he loved her. Did his feelings change because she always rejected him…always hit him?
'No, he was always so sweet and gentle with me. He hated himself when he found that I was injured when he transformed into the Kyuubi. The baka wanted to kill himself for hurting me!'
"Hey Ino?"
"Yes?"
Sakura looked up at her lifelong friend with a bright smile on her face.
"Do you think that…well…Naruto…would he have me…if I asked him?"
"Uh…we are talking about Naruto Uzumaki right; the guy who worships the ground you walk on!"
"Yeah, that was a stupid question," Sakura chuckled.
"So, why the hell are you sitting here? Go get him!"
"What? I can't just…"
"Drag him back here! The hell you can't! You march your ass to Suna and tell Naruto exactly what you feel. And if necessary, you could just tie him down…" Ino trailed off with a grin.
"…and have my wicked way with him," Sakura finished a seductive wink. The idea suddenly had excellent merit. She may still be a virgin, but she could definitely think of a few things to do with that hard body Naruto had acquired.
"Sakura, you slut!" Ino teased but laughed as she saw her friend's face light up for the first time in months. The pink-haired kunoichi suddenly propelled herself off her bed and landed by her bedroom door.
"Thanks Ino, I owe you one. Although, considering who I'm going after…" Sakura waited until Ino looked in her eyes, and she grinned widely.
"I'd prefer being called a vixen!" and she ducked out of her door to avoid a pillow being thrown at her.
Sakura arrived a short time later at the top of the Hokage tower. Shizune was seated at her desk outside the door and smiled at Sakura as she approached.
"Hello Shizune, I'd like to see my shishou."
"Go ahead, Sakura, I'm sure Lady Tsunade would enjoy a visit from you – if only to stop doing her paperwork." The two women chuckled as Sakura knocked on the door.
"Enter!" a grumbled voice came from inside and Sakura entered the Hokage's office.
Tsunade hated paperwork with a passion. How in the hell did all of this accumulate anyway? She was relieved when she looked up to see her apprentice enter her office. She was also surprised to see Sakura practically glowing.
"Hello Sakura, what can I do for you?"
Sakura bowed to her teacher and put on a serious face.
"Hokage-sama, I request permission to travel to Suna."
'Well…well…well…this is interesting…'
"And for what reason would you have to go there, Sakura," Tsunade replied fighting to keep a straight face.
"I would like to…no…I need to bring back something that I didn't even know that I lost until today," Sakura answered.
"Hmm, something…or someone…" Tsunade couldn't resist teasing her apprentice. She knew all about the feelings that Naruto had for Sakura, and she hoped that they had started to be returned. Sakura blushed to the roots of her hair but did not look away.
"Shishou, I've recently learned that regardless of how crazy Naruto acts or how loud he is, he's the best thing that has ever happened to me. I need him to be myself. I'm asking you to allow me to bring that knuckleheaded baka back where he belongs!" she said firmly.
Tsunade almost fell out of her chair laughing. She'd never have thought that Sakura would say that with a straight face. She folded her hands in front of her face and tried not to grin.
"Very well, Sakura, you may go…on one condition…"
Tsunade moved her hands and grinned at her apprentice.
"You bring him home by any means necessary…and I do mean any," she said with an evil grin. Sakura's face broke out into a matching grin.
"Don't worry, if he doesn't listen to me, I'll just knock him out and drag him back here by his hair if I have to!"
"Excellent. Now, stop talking to me, and go get your man, Sakura!"
"Hai!" her apprentice replied with a brilliant smile.
Three days later, Sakura Haruno entered the gates of the sand village. She was met by two sand-nin, and she showed them her identification as a leaf-nin. Not knowing where Naruto's new residence was, Sakura figured the quickest way was to ask Gaara himself. So, assuming that the sand village's layout was similar to Konoha's, she head for the tallest tower in the center of town.
As she headed for her destination, she caught several young men – both shinobi and civilian –admiring her as she passed by. Sakura chuckled inwardly as she saw their eyes follow her figure. She was no snob when it came to her looks, but she definitely liked how she'd filled out over the years. Having grown several inches gave her a set of long, lean legs that she used to catch Naruto staring at on missions sometimes. Her hips flared out slightly which accentuated her taut buttocks, and she remembered how Naruto had once told her he liked the way she walked. Not knowing what he'd been talking about, she asked for an explanation, and he'd turned as red as a radish. After promising not to hit him, he'd gone on to explain that her butt had a slight wiggle when she walked so it made it sway back and forth almost like a ripe piece of fruit that you wanted to sink your teeth into. She'd punched him into a tree anyway while blushing hotly. However, Sakura's best kept secret happened to be her most drastic bodily change – her breasts. Even though she knew that Ino was larger than she was, Sakura was still very happy with her bust. She normally wore bindings under her shirt because, to be honest, they could be a hindrance during a fight so she wore the bindings to slim down her figure. She was certain that no one, except Ino, knew that her athletic body was capped off by two perky c-cup breasts.
'Naruto would probably be drooling like crazy if he knew how well endowed I was,' Sakura laughed to herself. However, considering that Naruto knew everything else about her, she wouldn't put it past him to know her real bust size. If he did, she'd have to interrogate him to find out how he knew.
Finally reaching her destination, Sakura was about to head up the stairs, when she spotted a familiar head of blond hair.
"Temari!" she called, and the sand-nin turned to face her fellow kunoichi.
"Sakura, this a surprise. Has something happened in Konoha? I thought Shikamaru would've been sent to tell us."
"No, nothing is wrong at all; I just came to see Naruto."
The older woman grinned slightly and observed the pinkette.
"Really…and why may I ask do you wish to see him, hmm?" she asked with a chesire smirk.
"I…I…he's my best friend and teammate, and I came to see how he was doing. I had some free time, and I haven't seen him in six months. Could you please tell me where he lives?" Sakura let out the breath she'd been holding as she managed to ask the question with a straight face.
"Of course, Sakura, why didn't you say so?" Temari replied not buying her answer for a minute.
After receiving directions from the older sand-nin, Sakura headed down the street that Naruto's house was on. She was a little upset because Temari told her that he was out of town on a mission right now and would not be back until tomorrow.
Reaching her destination, it didn't take much for Sakura to pick the lock and enter his apartment. Naruto didn't have very many possessions and nothing was valuable so he didn't really care about securing his residence very well.
Sakura looked around at his living quarters. It was slightly larger that his apartment in Konoha, but she was pleasantly surprised to see that he actually kept this one very clean. Everything was in its place, and it looked like you could eat off the counters. She removed the small pouch from around her waist and set it on his kitchen table and began meandering through the rest of his place.
Feeling a little nosy, she entered his bedroom and saw that he had a small desk in there and on top of it was a rather thick hardcover book. Her curiosity getting the better of her, she took a seat at the desk and opened the book. She noticed that the back half of it was blank pages so she leafed through it until she found the last written page. She gasped as she saw a date and year at the top of the page and Naruto's handwriting.
"This is Naruto's journal!" she said out loud and immediately slammed the book shut.
She couldn't read his journal; it wasn't right. But still…something in her made her hands reopen the book to the beginning this time. It started six months ago which is when Naruto first arrived here. Sakura moved to situate her legs more comfortably when her feet kicked something under the desk. Sliding back, she looked underneath to see several similar books underneath the desk pushed against the wall. She pulled them all out and found an additional eight volumes. She also found that they were labeled by numbers from 10-17; it was then that everything clicked.
"He's been keeping a journal since he was ten years old!" Sakura gawked. Her hands twitched as she thought about what secrets might be hidden in these books and things that Naruto never told her.
"I shouldn't do this; these are his private journals. What would he think of me for invading his privacy?" she said out loud again.
'Are you nuts?' her inner self suddenly shouted, 'This is the perfect opportunity to know more about Naruto. You said that you wanted to be better to him so start learning about him. After all, this is Naruto we're talking about; half his entries are probably about ramen!'
Her decision made, Sakura took the lowest volume and opened to the first page. It was dated the day that Naruto turned ten years old. Sakura had thought that she would find childish notations in there about ramen or other food, but she was surprised at seeing a series of questions written out over and over again. It kept asking about why the villagers hated him so much and why no one wanted to talk to him. He'd tried to make friends but parents wouldn't let their children anywhere near him.
As Sakura read on, the entries became more and more heart-wrenching as she relived the hell that was Naruto's childhood. He'd asked why people had thrown rocks at him or beaten him with sticks or refused to let him eat in their restaurant. The only answer he ever got was an angry glare and a smack across the face.
Sakura felt sick to her stomach as she read about the horrors of what the villagers had done to him. The only people who actually let Naruto eat at their place was at Ichiraku; that was why he ate there everyday; he had nowhere else to go!
The day passed by with Sakura going from one volume to the next and slowly sorting her way through the intricate mind of Naruto Uzumaki. She smiled as she read the accounts of her, Sasuke, and himself as Team 7 along with Kakashi and their escapades when they were younger. She was given a shocking realization when Naruto wrote how he would always try to take her mind off her rejection when Sasuke would refuse her by immediately antagonizing her and making her focus her attention on hitting him instead.
'That stupid, wonderful baka. He took all that punishment just so I wouldn't feel bad. Dammit, why was I so blind?'
Sakura continued on until she reached that fateful day when they were standing at Konoha's gates. She had begged for Naruto to bring Sasuke back, and she felt tears fill her eyes as she read about his conflicting emotions. He'd wanted to walk right up to her, wrap his arms around her, and tell her that everything would be all right. He wanted to tell her that he was still there for her, but he realized that it wasn't what she wanted. Or more specifically, he wasn't the one she wanted comfort from; she wanted Sasuke.
"Naruto…you loved me so much…even back then…"
Sakura sniffled as she continued on, and she found something that she never truly knew about – the fight between Naruto and Sasuke. Naruto had never been specific about what had happened between him and Sasuke but here it was in every detail. Sakura's eyes widened in shock as she read the harsh and sad recounting of probably the darkest moment in Naruto's life.
Later, when he was recovering in the hospital, she remembered hearing that Sasuke hadn't returned, and she hadn't wanted to see him after that. What kind of friend was she? Was she really that selfish? He never berated her though or got angry with her. He'd merely smiled that toothy grin and swore that he would keep his promise no matter what.
'That was the first time I think I smiled at him sincerely,' Sakura sighed.
Sakura continued through the other volumes as the day wore on until she reached the more recent ones – particularly the one involving his fight against Orochimaru at the bridge. Apparently, Yamato had informed Naruto that he was the one responsible for hurting her, and it nearly killed him right there. Sakura's eyes widened in horror as she read the end of Naruto's passage.
'The villagers were right; I am a monster. I've hurt the one person I swore I would never harm – my Sakura-chan. I don't deserve to be around her; I don't deserve to be her friend. I should be put down for the vile creature that I have become, but I can't until I've brought Sasuke back. I must fulfill my promise to her before I rid her of my miserable existence.'
Now, the tears did fall as Sakura cried for the pain she read in Naruto's words, and the pain she knew had wrenched his heart. She'd never spoken to him about what happened or said that she wasn't angry at him because it wasn't his fault. Instead, she'd said nothing, and that memory remained a festering, open wound on Naruto's heart until it became a deep, burning scar.
Sakura reached the end of the eight volumes, and she happened upon something that nearly crushed her heart with guilt. It was Naruto's recount of the meeting in Tsunade's office regarding what would happen to Sasuke. Sakura remembered that day when he'd asked to speak to the Hokage alone, and she grudgingly complied. He'd only been about ten minutes before emerging with a smile and great news for her…but there was a price.
Naruto had offered himself as the scapegoat to allow Sasuke to remain in the village. He'd put it to Tsunade very simply. Which would the council rather have in the village…the last sharingan user…or the nine-tailed demon child that everybody hated. If Sasuke earned his way back into the Konoha shinobi, people would give him their trust again, but he knew that he was cursed with a very different case. So…with a heavy heart, Tsunade offered the proposal to the council and within minutes had their answer; she was angry over how fast they were willing to just dump Naruto like a piece of trash. As he walked towards her door to leave, Tsunade stopped him with a simple but powerful question.
'Naruto, is this for Sasuke…or because of Sakura?'
He turned to face the woman who'd been like a mother to him and gave her a sad smile.
'Sasuke is who she wants. This is the only way I can make her happy.'
'You really love her, don't you?' Tsunade said with awe in her voice. Naruto looked her straight in the eyes.
'With everything that I am. No matter what I have to endure, if I can make her happy – just a little – then that's enough for me. I am what I am, Baa-chan. I'm a man that loves Sakura more than life itself…even more than being Hokage…but I also understand that all I will ever be to her is her friend and teammate.'
Naruto had then plastered a smile on his face and walked out of the office to meet her.
Sakura collapsed with her head in her hands and balled her eyes out. She wanted to throw up; she wanted to scream; she wanted to beat her head against a wall. She wanted to do anything to get rid of the gut-wrenching pain in her heart.
"Naruto…all this time…you've never left my side…you've always been my strength… You gave me everything you had, and I gave you nothing. I swear, I will never hurt you ever again; I will be the one to make you happy this time."
Sakura dried her tears and lifted her head from her hands. She sniffled for a few seconds before her face became a mask of determination, and she spoke from her heart.
"I love you, Naruto Uzumaki."
The words sounded so natural she didn't even have to think them. She then saw sunlight blaze through the far window and looked at the nearby clock. She was amazed to realize that she had spent all night reading. Naruto would be returning this evening, and she wanted to be ready. But first, she needed some sleep; she didn't want to face him looking like a zombie.
Sakura buried herself into his king-size bed and sighed as she found that the pillows smelled like him. She snuggled under the covers as her mind began to come up with ideas on how to confess her feelings to her beloved baka. She couldn't figure out the best way to do it until suddenly it all made sense. Naruto didn't need fancy or eloquent words; he merely wanted honest words and honest actions.
"Naruto…you've given me all of yourself time and time again, and tonight, I will give you myself in return."
Sakura smiled as she closed her eyes dreaming of being wrapped in Naruto's loving arms.
Naruto yawned loudly as he and Gaara entered the gates of Suna that evening. This mission was supposed to be an A Class ranking, but it turned out to be boring as hell. The supposed criminal faction that the neighboring feudal lord had reported to be terrorizing his lands had been nothing more than a group of rowdy teenagers who had too much sake and not enough discipline. It took all of five minutes for Naruto and Gaara to beat some sense into their heads and make them swear never to do anything illegal again.
"Man, that mission was pathetic; I'm so bored," groaned the hyperactive ninja.
"You are correct. This mission should be given to a training squad of genin ninjas – not us. However, the feudal lord had requested myself and the best ninja we had for the job so there's not much we could do to refuse it. Besides, you were still paid for an A rank mission Naruto, and you barely had to lift a finger," the kazekage stated flatly.
"I know, Gaara, but I'd prefer to earn the money I make. Beating up stupid punks is no work for a ninja; it's not honorable. That idiot of a lord just didn't want to get his hands dirty cleaning them out himself."
"You are probably correct, but again, he is in charge of a neighboring land, and we must respond to his requests."
"Man Gaara, I don't know how you deal with all these stupid idiots all day long; it would drive me nuts having to talk to fat, slobbery old men about nothing at all."
Naruto was treated at seeing his friend give a small smile or maybe even a grin.
"Well…what usually happens is that Temari accompanies me since her social skills in communication are quite better than mine. However, when the unsuspecting fool decides to flirt with or attempt to grope my sister…"
"I see where you're going with this," Naruto said with laugh.
"…they quickly learn the error of their ways," Gaara finished with a quiet chuckle.
"Damn right!" said a voice in front of them.
Both ninja looked to see a familiar, fiery blond sand-nin coming towards them with a smirk on her face.
"Hey Temari, what's up?" Naruto said happily, and the older ninja shook her head at the stupid grin on his face.
"Welcome home, brother, I trust everything went well."
"As Naruto said, it wasn't worth our effort of going there but it is over and done with so it doesn't really matter."
"It's a good thing you didn't come along, Temari-chan," Naruto teased, and the blonde immediately glared at him.
"What the hell's that supposed to mean, you idiot, and I've told you not to call me that!"
"Oh nothing, but we ran into several randy, young men who would've loved to meet you, right Gaara?" His friend nodded his head silently.
"I can just imagine them if they saw you…"
Naruto closed his eyes then snapped them open with a dopey look on his face and leered at Temari.
"…well…didn't know ninja were so cute…plus she's got a nice ass and a great rack too. Hey honey, want to come home with me?"
Gaara couldn't help it as the corners of his mouth turned up as he saw his elder sister ready to blow her top, but her cheeks still flushed a bright red.
"Uzumaki, I swear, if you weren't my brother's friend, I would spend the next three days slowly killing you," she hissed.
Naruto's face returned to normal, and he put his hand on Temari's shoulder.
"Now, come on, you know I respect you as both a ninja and a woman – just I like a respect every kunoichi that I know," he said seriously and looked her in the eye.
The fiery blonde's temper simmered down slowly, but then she got an idea for revenge.
"Oh yeah, Naruto, what about Sakura? Well…she's a kunoichi, and you treat her differently than anybody else."
Now, it was the younger ninja's turn to blush as thoughts of the girl he loved entered his mind.
"By the way, blondie, your favorite pinkette is at your house right now."
"What?" Naruto gasped, "Sakura-chan is here!"
"Yup, she got here last night; she said that she came to see you," Temari replied trying not to laugh as the young man's face lit up.
"I'm sure that Sasuke came with her, right?" he inquired.
"Nope, she came by herself; she said that she missed you and wanted to see you."
Naruto blushed deeply at hearing the response, and Temari smiled at him. The poor guy really was hopeless when it came to women. He was a real sweetheart, but he was such a dope.
"Well…I guess I better not keep her waiting any longer; I'll see you both later," and Naruto leapt up onto the rooftops heading for his home.
Gaara watched his friend head off and turned to his elder sibling.
"Temari, what are you doing?"
"Just a little woman's intuition. The look on Sakura's face when I talked to her wasn't the look of someone missing a friend; it was the look of someone missing the person they love."
"Ah, I understand, so it is like the look you wear all the time when Shikamaru is not here, correct," Gaara stated bluntly, and his sister flushed.
"Hey, I don't…" Temari smiled as she saw a ghost of a smile on his face.
"…nice one, little brother, very nice."
Sakura didn't know how, but she could feel Naruto getting closer and closer to her. She didn't know exactly when he was arriving back, but Temari had told her this evening so she made sure that everything was ready. She would wait all night if she had to.
'All right, Sakura, this is your last chance to change your mind about this…' she told herself before inner-Sakura suddenly slapped her upside the head.
'Don't even think about it! We've put him off for way too long, and it's time we claim him before someone else does!'
The thought of Naruto being with someone else solidified Sakura's decision; Naruto was hers! Her heart pounded in chest from excitement, and she nearly shrieked as she heard the front door open.
'It's time.'
Naruto entered his house fully expecting to see Sakura sitting at the kitchen table but all he saw was a note. Recognizing her handwriting, he figured she had probably gone out for something to eat as he picked it up to read it:
Hello baka,
I hope everything went well with your mission, and I hope that you aren't too tired or worn out. I have a surprise for you, Naruto, and it is something I should have given you a long time ago. If you will accept me, I will gladly be yours tonight and every night for the rest of our lives. I want to be with you Naruto – not Sasuke and not anyone else – just you. If you still desire me…if you still love me…come to your bedroom and claim what is waiting for you."
Always and Forever,
Your Sakura-chan
Naruto's hand was shaking by the time he finished reading, and his heart was pounding in his chest. This…this couldn't be true! Sakura-chan…his Sakura-chan…wanted to be with him! All he had to do was go and claim her.
Naruto did not bolt down to his bedroom like a lunatic but took long, steady strides as his mind whirled with the possibilities of what he might find. However, nothing his imagination could dream up prepared him for the sight that took his breath away.
The lights were off and candles were lit all over his room. The windows and drapes were closed to shield the room from outsiders, but Naruto's attention was solely focused on the occupant of his bed.
Sakura lay stretched out across his bed like a big cat. She wore nothing save a thin bed sheet that was barely covering her modesty, and her eyes darkened at seeing her beloved enter the room.
"Hey loverboy, come to claim what's yours," she cooed and batted her lashes at him.
Naruto gulped, and he stared in shock at the sensuous vixen in front of him. He knew Sakura was a woman now, and he knew that she had an incredible figure, but his eyes still raked over her body hungrily and possessively.
"S-S-Sakura-chan…why…why are you here…and…like this…I thought that you and Sasuke…were…well…together…" he stuttered trying to slow down his pulse as well as a massive erection growing in his pants.
Sakura rose from the bed clutching the sheet to her body and sashayed over to her blond teammate. Her eyes were full of desire, but at the same time, they were soft with love.
"Naruto…listen to me very carefully. Sasuke and I are not together anymore; we never really were to be quite frank. I didn't realize it until it was too late, but when you left, part of me left with you. I lost my best friend, and the person who had become the most precious to me. I'm not myself without you by my side; I can't be Sakura without you, Naruto! I realized how much of a fool I've been by using you all these years just so I wouldn't feel bad or to vent my anger."
Sakura looked up into the cerulean blue eyes that she loved so much.
"I realized how much you mean to me. I realized that…that…I…I…I'm in love with you, Naruto! I love you so much, and I'm sorry for being such a bitch to you all these years. I beg you to forgive me."
Naruto made a move towards her, but she stopped him with her hand.
"Naruto…you've given me all of yourself for so long, and I haven't given you a damn thing. If you will have me, everything that I am is yours for the taking…"
With that, Sakura released the edges of the sheet, and it fell away from her. Naruto had a full view of her nude body, and she made no move to hide herself from him.
Blue eyes blazed across her body taking in every detail – long, toned legs…a plump, taught buttocks…a cute patch of strawberry hair at the apex of her thighs…full, ripe breasts that were swollen with arousal…and a beautiful face with a welcoming yet hesitant expression.
"I'm yours, Naruto – mind, body, heart, and soul. The decision is now in your hands."
The young Uzumaki stared at his beloved for nearly five minutes, and Sakura began to worry that he no longer wanted her or was disgusted with her. Her heart began to tense when she saw Naruto unzip and remove his jacket.
'Is he going to claim me?' she thought silently.
Naruto stepped forward and wrapped his jacket around her shoulders, covering her body and hiding it from his eyes.
'He doesn't want me; he hates me!' she screamed to herself until his hand cupped her chin and lifted it towards him.
"Sakura-chan, do not ask me for forgiveness, for you have nothing to apologize for. I hold no grudge against you. You do not have to offer yourself to me to make me want you or desire you; I've always loved you Sakura-chan. That is something that will never change, so please don't think that you need to offer me your body to make me love you."
"No Naruto…" she gasped as he misunderstood her actions, "…I'm not trying to trick you or manipulate you. I want you to see me like this; I want you to be the only one to see me like this. I want you to be the only who can touch me, and the only one who can make love to me."
Naruto grinned at her words as he felt her sweet breath on his lips and finally fulfilled one of his longest desires – to kiss her.
Sakura nearly exploded with happiness as Naruto claimed her lips. It began as a chaste peck until nearly five seconds later when it exploded into an inferno. Sakura clawed at his back as Naruto swarmed into her mouth.
'This is incredible, and all he did was kiss me!'
"Sakura-chan…" he growled and nuzzled her neck, "I love you."
"I love you too, Naruto."
Pulling back slightly, he gazed down into those burning, emerald eyes and saw her longing for him.
"Sakura…know this…if I claim you here tonight, no one may ever touch you but me. I won't tolerate any man trying to take what is mine. I cherish what is mine, but I am also possessive of what is mine. I will love you always, Sakura, and I will never let you go."
"I won't allow anyone to take you from me either, Naruto. I will pound any woman who dares to touch my handsome fox. Now, if you're finished, I'd really like to get you out of these clothes," she growled and pushed her hands up under his black shirt.
Naruto chuckled as he pushed his jacket off her shoulders and bared her to his eyes once again.
"Do not worry, my beautiful vixen, I have waited a long time for this, and I plan on enjoying you all night long – if you will let me."
Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss that was raw fire and passion.
"I want you to take me over to your bed and make love to me; I want you to make me scream while you fuck me senseless; I want everything you have to give; and I want it now."
To prove her point, Sakura jumped up and wrapped her strong legs around his waist. She rubbed her crotch against the front of his pants and grinned at the hard bulge protruding through the cloth.
"Well…if my lady wishes it…then it shall be done…" Naruto sighed and carried his beloved over to his bed.
Some time later, Sakura woke up to feel powerful arms wrapped around her, and someone nuzzling her neck lovingly. Turning her head, she found her lover staring at her with soft eyes and waiting for her to awaken.
"Hey sleepyhead," he said lovingly.
"Hmm…hey yourself," and she turned around to face himself inadvertently dislodging his spent cock from inside her, and she suddenly felt very empty.
Naruto caressed her cheek, and his eyes glowed with utter happiness. Sakura knew that her eyes matched his, but they were suddenly drawn to something on his upper chest. The kanji letters for her name were spelled out across his heart, and she looked at him curiously.
"Naruto…where did this come from?"
He smiled slightly at her and pointed to her chest. Looking down, Sakura saw a similar kanji across her heart except it was his name instead.
"How did this happen?" she asked rather confused.
"I'm not sure, but I'm guessing it happened when I marked you earlier," and he caressed the tiny puncture marks on the left side of her neck.
"We've bonded, Sakura-chan. From what Kyuubi told me, since I'm infused with his chakra this has different effects on each couple. There's nothing bad about it, but we'll just have to see what happens," he explained.
He cuddled her closer against his large body to comfort her, and she snuggled into his chest. She felt some of his seed leaking out of her holes and grinned silently.
'He really did fill me tonight!'
"Are you ready for bed, Sakura-chan?" he asked while stroking her hair.
"We're already in bed, baka," she teased and poked his chest.
"I mean sleep, you minx," he growled playfully.
"That sounds like a wonderful idea," and she laid her head against his chest.
Naruto managed to reach one of the discarded blankets and covered the both of them with it. He tucked his cherry blossom into his arms and kissed her lips softly.
"I love you…wife," he said while looking into her eyes, and Sakura practically glowed with happiness.
"I love you too…husband," and she kissed him one last time before closing her eyes for the night.
Naruto laid one last kiss on her forehead before joining his lover a few moments later.
Author's Notes: Sorry guys, but I had to post the censored version here. You can see the full version at if you want to. Let me know if I should continue this or not.