a place to cry

xXx

face down – the red jumpsuit apparatus

guilt - hurts

Warning: domestic abuse

Naruto didn't understand why.

He didn't think he would ever be able to understand.

Even when he would ask her why- "Why do you stay with him?" and she would answer the same thing every time- "Because I love him." He still didn't understand. How could she love him? Just… how?

Naruto hated him. He hated Sasuke with all of his life. How could he do what he did and not feel any shame? Any remorse? How could Sasuke live with himself? It made Naruto sick just thinking about it. Sasuke had such a precious, beautiful woman in his life, a woman who truly cared for Sasuke and his well-being. But did he care about her? No. Did he love her? No. All he did was take her for granted and use her as a punching bag.

It made Naruto sick.

Sakura assured Naruto time after time that Sasuke did love her. He did care. She wasn't just a punching bag. She wasn't just a rag doll, a plaything.

Sometimes Naruto would believe her. Sometimes. Like the time when she hurt her arm and Sasuke bandaged it for her. Or the time when she was having an unusually bad day and Sasuke brought her a bouquet of flowers. Or even that time when she was fatally wounded, and Sasuke stopped at nothing until she was safe at the hospital with medical-nin doing everything they could to heal her.

Those were the times when Naruto would believe her. Those were the times Naruto believe Sasuke cared. He would start to believe… maybe, just maybe, things would be okay. Sakura would live without pain. She would be happy. She would be safe.

He was wrong.

Because when Sasuke wasn't bandaging Sakura or bringing her flowers or saving her life- he was killing her. Slowly but surely. Killing her spirit. Destroying her happiness. Beating the life right out of her.

She would run to Naruto's house when she could get away. There was nowhere else to go, and Naruto was always there for her. However, despite his pleas to help her, she would always insist she was completely fine. Don't worry. I'm okay. He's just in a bad mood. He just had a bit too much to drink. He's just this or just that. Don't tell Kakashi-sensei. Don't tell my parents. I'm fine, Naruto. I know I can trust you, Naruto. You won't tell anyone, right Naruto?

He hated it. He hated the promises she would make him keep. He hated seeing the bruises and scars, and then seeing the cover-up on her face the next day, accompanied with a smile. Hiding the truth. Faking a smile. Nothing seemed wrong. Nothing bad was happening.

What a lie.

Naruto couldn't do a thing about it, though. And sometimes he almost hated that more then he hated Sasuke.

Almost.

He cared for Sakura so much. So much. She never did see how much he cared for her. All she ever did see was Sasuke. Even now, that's all she ever sees. Naruto would give her everything. He would never lay a finger on her. He would love her to the end of time, but she would never know.

She cries in his arms at night, when it finally becomes too much. Too much for her to handle. When she finally accepts what's happening to her, she tells Naruto and cries in his arms. Naruto holds her and let's her cry against his shoulder all night. He let's her sleep in his bed while he takes the floor. He lets her eat his favorite Ramen. He watches as she applies makeup carefully to her face, and then he watches as she goes back to Sasuke.

One day, she tells him; one day I'll stand up to Sasuke. I'll tell him I've had enough.

This would happen every single time. She would come to Naruto, she would cry, he would comfort her as best he could. And then she would go back to Sasuke in the morning, telling Naruto this will be the day. I'll finally tell him I've had enough. No more bruises. No more pain. No more Sasuke.

But she never does, and so she'll continue to be with Sasuke. She'll continue to take the beatings until it becomes too much for her to handle by herself. She'll go to Naruto for refuge. He'll hold her as she cries, and he will ask her, time and time again,

"Why do you stay with him?"

And she will say, "Because I love him."

And Naruto will never understand why.

And he doesn't think he will ever be able to.

A/N: Well this was shorter than I thought it would be. ANYWAY. This is my first ever Naruto fanfic. Based off the song Face Down by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. I used to watch Naruto as a kid and now I'm rewatching it and experiencing all sorts of feels. I don't really ship NaruSaku, but I love how much Naruto cares about her. I ship SasuSaku and and NaruHina all the way! Anywho I was just listening to this song a couple of days ago and I was thinking about Naruto/Sakura/Sasuke and BOOM inspiration hit me like rasengan! Or something like that...

ALSO to those of you who read my other fics and are wondering why the heck I haven't updated them, I'M SORREH. I've been super busy trying to finish school. And I haven't exactly had the will to finish or work on any of my unfished fics. I really want to, eventually, tho.

I hope you enjoyed this even tho it was super short and super sad!

-Lurky