A/N: I inspired the idea from swagosaurus and Toasty Warrior. But this is one-shot story as well.

no angst though.

fluffy tragedy. is that a thing?

The End and Back in Time - One-Shot

The thick stench of sulfur filled his nose as he breathed in and out harshly. It was choking him; a vile, evil, encompassing stench.

Shinju The Juubi or The God Tree had broken free of Madara and Obito Uchiha's control, and had fully revived, just as the Shinobi Alliance arrived.

The screams of anguish and pain filled Naruto's ears as he lay on the cold, hard earth, his lungs clawing at the air for oxygen.

He was down to his last sliver of chakra. Kurama was all but drained.

It was over... It's was all over... They had lost hope… They had lost everything…

A thick, long, deep wound adorned his abdomen. He was pretty sure it damaged some organs and bones, as well.

Using his low amount of energy. He glanced around, watching the 50,000 man army try to battle the creator of this world. It's large mouth roared as it created a beam of destructive energy, vaporizing a platoon of Katon-users.

His eyes traveled to the prone form of a medic trying to heal herself; his breath hitched in his throat when he recognized her pastel colored hair. Sakura-chan.

Desperately, he crawled towards her. She was panting harshly, drenched in blood, as she attempted to heal a rather large hold in her side.

Ten meters.

He pushed himself further, groaning in pain as tears left his eyes. He had to make it to her. He had to be with her. As he got closer, he grimaced; from the way her legs were awkwardly bent, he could see they were completely broken.

Five meters.

The green light of her healing jutsu flickered away, and he heard her cry out in frustration and pain.

He reached her.

She gasped when she felt a cold hand on her cheek. He rolled over so they lay side by side, both on their backs.

She looked over, and her eyes widened when she met the teary, cerulean gaze of her blonde teammate.

"N-naruto..." She croaked weakly, reaching a hand over to grasp his.

"W...we're going to die, aren't we?" Sakura asked sadly. They both had to stifle a gasp as the broken body of Neji Hyuuga blew apart, limps flying everywhere. As the rest of the Rookie 11 and Sasuke as well.

He chuckled, but he didn't know why. "Y-yup. We k-kicked so much ass, it t-took only the creator of t-the world to take us down, ne, S-sakura-chan?" He said cheekily, before erupting into a fit of coughs, blood splaying out of his mouth.

He gasped for air, wiping the crimson fluid from his lips.

She grimaced as she watched him in pain. She squeezed his hand, staring into his deep, blue eyes that were clouded in sadness and agony, mirrored only by her own.

She then realized something; something she should have known long ago. Even in the darkest of situations, he was her own personal sun. He had somehow made light of the end of the world.

She couldn't live without him. She wanted him, needed him, and now knew she reciprocated his long-held feelings. A whole slew of buried, ignored and repressed affection for the blonde invaded her senses, and a revelation hit her.

She didn't lie in the Land of Iron.

"N-naruto..." She called out, and he blinked in recognition. The thickness of the air only grew as the giant beast roamed past them, it's attention focused on a rather large group of Alliance Shinobi, attacking it fruitlessly with kunai and shuriken.

She cupped both of his cheeks. Even in a time such as this, the closeness and intimate gesture caused him to blush.

"I...m-meant what I said before. In the Tetsu no Kuni (Land of Iron). I...just realized it now. Y-you were right...I lied about not caring a-about Sasuke-kun. But...I do love you N-naruto." She desperately said, wheezing slightly at the pain in her legs and side.

His eyes widened when he saw only love and despair in her eyes. She was telling the truth.

Tears poured out of both of their eyes as they crushed their lips together clumsily, sharing their first and possibly only kiss. Their mouths moved in synch, their hot breaths mixing together as they gave each other their love.

They pulled back, clinging to one another as a group of ninja screamed, their flesh peeling from their bones as the Juubi's chakra poured out and washed over them.

"I love you..." Naruto whispered into his pink-haired teammates ear. He was slowly bleeding out, and judging by the paler complexion of Sakura's face, she was too.

"I l-love you too. God, why d-did this happen so late?" She said quietly, running her hands through his mud-caked hair. Blood pooled underneath the two newly-found lovers. Since the fact that they shouldn't became lovers since then before…the fact they didn't had to known each other and spend time together…the fact that Sakura didn't let her "crush" go…the fact that Naruto shouldn't obsessed to save Sasuke...the fact Naruto couldn't save many of his precious ones along with Sakura…and the fact they didn't date each other, walked together, holding hands, meeting Sakura's parents to Naruto, married together, spend honeymoon together and had a family and Naruto became Hokage to achieved his goal.

He felt his world fading gradually. He leaned over and placed one last, sad kiss on her pink lips. It grew more passionate as their tongues were added to the mix, dueling with one another as the world ended around them.

He pulled back once more, staring into the green eyes of Sakura Haruno. "I...think I'm about to die, S-sakura-chan." He breathed. He flinched at the hurt expression on her face.

"M-me too. At least we c-can die somewhat happy, ne?"

She heard him chuckle. "Y-yeah. What a journey. Shame i-it had to end this way." The blonde said, still staring at her face.

He got worried when she didn't blink. "Sakura-chan?" He asked. She made no movements, and her eyes were glazed over. Her body was limp in his arms, and she was unresponsive. Her pulse was missing.

She was dead. Pulled from the world without him.

The tears came freely. He embraced her body tightly. He wished he had died with her. He didn't want to live with this kind of pain.

He clenched his eyes closed as his own body began to feel numb, both with blood loss and emotion. The stench of the Shinju was overwhelmed by his fallen love's scent; a mix of vanilla and strawberries.

Somehow, he felt happy as the life began to leave him. It was irrational. Perhaps he would reunite with Sakura in a far off plane of existence, and share a bowl of ramen like they always did.

A vision of a date with Sakura was the last thing he thought before his wounds became his undoing.

In the end, the two lovers died in each others arms. Two soulmates, intertwined by a life-time's worth of hurt, were brought together at the worst hour, at the eve of the world's demise.

But…there is a flash of light engulfed the screen…

…As the images showing the flashback about in backwards from events: The Juubi's revived, Tobi's revealed Obito, Naruto's full transformation with Kurama, 6 edo tensei Jinchūriki Fight,5 Kages against Madara, Madara's Ressuraction, Fight against the army of Zetsus and Edo Tensei, 4th Shinobi War Starts, Meeting Kushina, Naruto tamed the Kyūbi, Sakura's confession, Kage's Summit, Naruto being a Hero, Meeting Minato to fix the seal, Invasion of Pain, Sage Training, Jiraiya's Death, Itachi died by flick Sasuke's forehead, Itachi and Sasuke Pursuit, Sanbi sealed to captured, Rasenshuriken training, Asuma's Death, Fire Temple, Sasuke Pursuit, New Teammate, Rescue Gaara, 2nd Bell Test, Three Years Training, Sakura became apprentice, Land of Rice, Sasuke Retrieval Squad, Land of Bird Race, Tsunade Retrieval, Sandaime's Funeral, Invasion of Sound and Sand, Chunin Exams, Wave Mission, 1st Bell Test and…the day of the Genin Team...

As the flash of light fades that pair of blue eyes blink several times. As he look around his surroundings that turns out that reveal to be he's at the Academy standing for stopped his movements. As he remember correctly is that the day of their Genin Team.

'This is…' Naruto thought in realized. '…This is the day were after the team announced…then that means…' Before Naruto was look himself that he was his 13 year old self with his old favorite orange jumpsuit/tracksuit since his height still 145cm was short for he didn't ate vegetables at the time when he was 166cm. As he turn his attention at bench that someone sitting there from the outside of the Academy which his eyes widen that he was a long pink hair and red sleeve qiapo in 148cm before she was 161cm became the Medic-nin that turns out that was his future girlfriend/lover Sakura sitting on a bench with a bento lunches besides her.

Since he knew it's lunch time already? He remember correctly that they still had some time before their Jounin Sensei would pick them up. He saw Sakura's face expression on her face that she was sad. He can tell that she had just had a not so friendly conversation with Sasuke. He remember that Sasuke had told her that he thought she was annoying. But during the time he ambushed Sasuke was a bad idea to get her to talked and during time he had a stomachache from the spoiled milk he drank during breakfast.

"Sakura-chan…" Naruto muttered, with replace with a smile for he seeing her again...alive. Before he'll approaches her.

With Sakura on the bench. She had just had a not so friendly conversation with her "crush" Sasuke. He had told her that he thought she was annoying. '"You're annoying", huh? I see… Naruto must've felt the same way. Maybe I can be nicer starting now. I could give him a chance. I never really have gotten to know him; I always brush him off as a pest…'

She was brought out of her thoughts when she saw Naruto coming her way with his hands on his pockets. It didn't seem like he had seen her with a smile. 'Is he… Alright, this is my chance to be nicer to him. Remember to smile, not scowl, smile.' With that, she had a really strained smile on her face. "Hey Naruto, let's go back to the classroom."

Naruto looked up at her. "Sakura-Chan? I thought you would be with Sasuke?" he said the last part a bit sad on his smile. Sakura didn't miss that.

"Yeah, but he had to go do something else. Come on, let's go back to class." she said. This brought a big smile to Naruto's face.

"Sure." Naruto replied, before he called. "Um…Sakura-chan?"

"Yeah." Sakura respond before turn around with her off-guard she felt a kissed on her forehead. As she looked at him in confusion and her face was deep red.

"I always wanted to do that," Naruto chuckled feeling if he was going to get clobbered in a few seconds knowing that was the most likely reaction, he might as well get one of his dreams accomplished soon in his second chance.

Sakura's eyes widen as something in her mind clicked to lately and her meeting with "Sasuke" how his words mirrored her thoughts and how out of place they sounded. The only time "Sasuke" ever showed any remote interest was that moment lately and even then all he asked was what she thought of Naruto. She played that memory over in her head she closed her eyes and mentally cursed herself for not spotting the henge. "I had such a large and charming forehead. It makes you want to kiss it?" she stated numbly.

Naruto not realizing the sudden change in tone rubbed the back of his head. "Um, yeah. I've always thought that, it's one of your best features."

As he turn his face at her and stated. "Sakura-chan, like I said: "you have such a large and charming forehead. It makes me want to kiss it.""

Sakura shocked more surprising about how he said before lower her head on the ground, she didn't knew Naruto maybe an idiot but the first person for never insult her forehead like the bullies during they're 7 or less. Sakura was ashamed herself and betrayed her friendship with Ino before that for obsessed Sasuke all this time.

Which made Sakura cry of how his words registered in her mind she couldn't stand of how her heart aches. Sakura held her head down as a few tears escaped her eyes. She slowly stood looking at Naruto with a smile on his face. It would be considered funny if she didn't feel so ashamed of herself. She lunged at Naruto but instead of throwing a punch, she threw her arms around his waist burying her face into his shoulder and cried.

Naruto looked to Sakura with a long waterfall of pink, he felt her shoulder shaking against him and something warm and wet on his shoulder. "Sakura-chan?"

"I'm sorry for everything I ever did to you," Sakura cried into his shoulder which only Naruto's keen hearing could hear. He usually never liked seeing Sakura cry like this, return embracing her in a hug, in hopes of calming her down, but yet as he hugged her, it reminded him so much of when he first met his mother and hugged her in his past life, she was so much like Sakura in a lot of ways and then it reminded him of what Kushina had said to him about finding a girl. -"make sure you find a girl that's like your mother"- Naruto cracked another smile as he kept embracing Sakura and thought it was as good as anytime to tell her of his mother.

"Shh, it's okay Sakura-chan…you don't have to cry…"

Sakura looked up at Naruto's face and saw his smile, for some reason it always made her feel better and calmed her down. She finally stopped crying, but yet Naruto wouldn't let go of the hug they were in, not that she didn't mind. Naruto took note of this and broke the hug while taking a few steps back and blushing a bright red while Sakura did the same. There was an air of silence for a moment as Naruto decided to break it.

"Hey Sakura-chan, did I ever tell you that I met my mother…" Which made Sakura shocked then turn attention to Naruto.

"What? What do you mean Naruto? I thought you never knew your parents?"

Naruto just grinned as he spoke up to her.

"Well, you see I actually found out that I do know who my parents are now, before I went some research…"

Naruto then explained to Sakura how he was a great man that sacrificed himself to defeat the Kyūbi and how he knew about his mother during birth, as he decide to lied until he'll tell her real truth about his parents until the time comes, but what really caught Sakura's interest was the story Naruto told her of how Kushina fell in love with Minato and how she hated her hair…it almost sounded like how she hated her forehead when she was younger.

"I can't believe it Naruto…that's quite an amazing story how you knew who both of your parents, from the sounds of things, they were amazing people."

Naruto rubbed the back of his head in a sheepish manner as he spoke up to Sakura.

"I know it is, but you know something, you remind me a lot of my mother for some reason…"

Sakura as always let her anger get the better of her as she got mad at Naruto and cocked a fist at him.

"What's that supposed to mean Naruto no baka?"

Naruto didn't ask as he continued to laugh only for Sakura to stop short of hitting him wondering what was so funny.

"See! That's exactly what I mean…you're just like my mother in that way, it's like she punched me in gut for calling her a name, but yet what I find so strange is how my father fell in love with my mother…you remember right?"

"Of course I do! You said that your father fell in love with your mother because of her hair and how beautiful it looked and something about a "Red thread of Faith" that lead her to him…"

Sakura didn't finish her sentence as she realized what Naruto was getting at. The last time at the bench when they were sitting…before the way Sasuke had complemented her forehead and how charming it was, it made her realize that it wasn't Sasuke that said that because usually he would never say anything like that, the person that had complemented her forehead was none other than the man standing right in front of her.

"That time before when you talk to me on the bench…that wasn't Sasuke was it Naruto. It was you!"

Naruto just nodded his head as he let what Sakura had found out sink in and when she did, she did something unexpected and wrapped Naruto in an embrace, crying like she had done earlier, but Naruto could sense that these tears were not of sadness, but of happiness and he just smiled as he let Sakura continue to cry in his embrace.

"Naruto… I… I don't know what to say…"

Just as Sakura was about to finish her sentence, Naruto put a finger to her lips to silence her as he spoke up to her.

"It's all right Sakura-chan, you don't have to say anything… I think that story my mother told me about, how the red thread of fate brings two people together, but unfortunately as you can see we don't have anything that signifies we're tied by that red thread of fate…"

Just then Sakura got an idea as she took out a same red ribbon she had from Ino and to the surprise of Naruto tied it around his wrist making him blush as she finished tying it to his wrist.

"There! Consider my ribbon like our red thread of fate, one that invisibly ties us together no matter what, but do you think that thread could be severed too Naruto?"

Naruto thought for a moment about Sakura's question to him and just smiled when he spoke up to her with his answer.

"There's always the possibility of it being severed Sakura-chan, but I don't see it happening to us…"

"What do you mean Naruto?"

Naruto laughed a little before he answered Sakura.

"I'm saying as long as we stay together nothing can sever that thread…"

Sakura seemed happy with Naruto's answer as Naruto approaches her and grabs Sakura by her hand, and starts walking towards the Academy. (Sakura blushes for a short moment, when Naruto Grabbed her hand.)

"Come on Sakura-chan. We better head back at the classroom." Naruto said.

"Yeah." Sakura replied.

"And also…no matter happens... I will always be there for you and protect you for risking my life." Naruto declared.

"Naruto…" Sakura muttered disbelief which made her smile. "…thank you."

"No problem, Sakura. Dattebayo!"

Naruto which he gladly had Sakura besides her and except her feelings and they joined hands walking back towards the Academy, unsure of what they future would bring them, but Naruto and Sakura's thread would prove to be the most difficult to sever as it was fueled by one thing that would see them through all the tough times ahead, a strong devotion of love to each other.

'Don't worry mina (everyone). I will save you all and the Ninja world from destruction, and not letting my friends and comrades died. No matter what happens! I will always became Hokage for my Nindo (Ninja Way), dattebayo!'

A/N: Oh god. was that too cheesy? I didn't exactly know how to end it. 'they died.' doesn't seem too fitting. Also go back in time. And also Naruto is the first person that he was back in time.

It was that terrible? amazing? meh? let me know!

I figured I should get some one-shots up. This one came to mind when I had some particularly bad feels one day.

I hope you all to enjoyed and Review.