Flaitheas: Good thing, since you're a writer.
CA: --so I finally wrote this. I've been meaning to, just never got around to it. Well, now
I have!
Shiva: We're jumping for utter joy.
CA: G'way! You're a bad influence! kicks Shiva out
Flaitheas: Well I'm disappearing, have all the fun you want. leaves
CA: Good, they're both gone! The song is "Real Good Man" by Tim McGraw. (Too bad I
couldn't fit "The Ride" part of it in... singing The whole world calls me Hank!) Sorry,
here's the story...
It had been strange, at first. Someone "adopting" Naruto? Well, it wasn't really an
adoption, Sakura supposed, but still, someone taking care of him? Iruka married and the
woman basically took Naruto in along with him. He even called her mom.
It didn't improve his behavior.
In the four years since they became teammates, Naruto still had a huge crush on Sakura,
and made it well-known to anyone who gave him the chance. He had also gotten a
perverted sense of humor, much like their sensei, Kakashi. True, they were all chuunins
now, and he didn't teach them any longer, but they had become like family, and hung out
often, all of them-- even Sasuke.
Until a month ago. Naruto vanished to the ocean, saying he needed to take a break and
"do some thinking". Thinking? Sakura hadn't even known that the word was his
vocabulary. But Iruka and Kazumi gave him permission to go alone and visit her brother
Samato, and indeed he went.
Now he was back.
She hadn't seen him yet; in fact, no one had. Naruto had gotten quite good at disappearing
and remaining unseen. Either it was his talent or years of being ignored, Sakura wasn't
sure, but she did admit it annoyed her at times.
She had received a note from him-- just a plain, simple note that simply read, "Come to
the club tonight." She immediately recognized his nearly illegible scrawl. Years of
practice made it easy to read, however. She thought about it, and thought about not going,
but she was curious, and this was a fight that Inner Sakura won. She would go.
In fact, that's where she was now. With a few of her friends, who were eagerly chatting
away about Sasuke's latest achievement. Sakura had pretty much gotten over him; after
being his teammate for so long, she thought of him more like a brother than a potential
lover. But she made sure no one knew that, especially Naruto and her friends. If either
found out, she'd have a lot of explaining to do and a lot of unwanted attention.
At the club, she sat lost in thought, drinking a Coke. Glancing around, she saw a poster
than declared tonight Kareoke Night. I wonder if that's what he's up to... If he was, she'd
better be duly impressed or greatly embarrassed, and it seemed that the latter would be
more likely to happen.
The announcer went on the little stage and introduced the first act-- Rock Lee. Sakura
ignored him, as she basically always had done. She liked him okay, but wasn't in the
mood to pay him any attention whatsoever. Besides, his heart went to some blonde girl
Sakura didn't even know the name of.
After him came a few other participants, including Konohamaru and his friends singing a
Sum 41 song. It was actually rather funny, since it seemed they only knew a few lyrics.
She smiled, despite herself.
Then the announcer came back and announced Naruto. Sakura gave the stage rapt
attention, despite the groans of her friends. Just what was he going to do... The lights
went out and the music began... A country song? I didn't know he liked country...
All thoughts went out the window as the lights went up and she saw Naruto...
MISSING WORDS
Sakura's jaw hit the floor, as well as for her friends. Naruto somehow had become... sexy.
He had on slightly baggy black jeans, a skin-tight white tank top, and an open
orange-flamed shirt. His hair had been gelled wildly, his headband wasn't in sight, and
apparently had pierced his ears several times in each ear. And best yet, he was looking
straight at her!
MISSING WORDS
Naruto made a few... ahem seductive moves, which slowly made his shirt slide down,
revealing dark-tanned and well toned arms. A few more, including some... thrusting... and
the shirt was off. Instead swinging it around like the old Naruto would do, he winked and
threw it out to the crowd.
MISSING WORDS
Naruto used his right hand the air-shape the curves of a woman. He winked at Sakura,
who was about ready to faint. She had never in her life thought of Naruto as handsome or
sexy, but damn was he ever now! Sakura at one point did think he was cute, but she was
still Sasuke-obsessed at the time. Now, she was thinking that maybe she was finding what
she had been looking for...
MISSING WORDS
Naruto started to... well, she could only describe it as teasingly rubbing himself while he
moved. Not there, but everywhere else. It had the desired effect-- it sent the girls wild,
even Sasuke's fans. And Sakura was seriously thinking about Naruto... And not just the
"new" one; the old one even seemed appealing as well.
MISSING WORDS
The song ended, and there was a moment of complete silence before the place erupted.
Sakura was on her feet and clapping hard, as well as her friends, though they not as
enthusiastically. Then he said something that about floored her.
"Hey Sakura-chan! Looking good... see you later," he said. Sakura sat down and could
have sworn her heartbeat stopped.
------------
Sure enough, as Sakura was walking home, she got gently pulled into the shadows. She
looked up into Naruto's sea blue eyes. She never had gotten over the fact that Naruto was
taller than both her and Sasuke now. Indeed, he was just a few inches shorter than
Kakashi.
"Told ya," he said. Sakura's heart fluttered. "I know you probably still don't like me, and
that I'm just a teammate, but--"
She cut him off and kissed him. It was chaste, but it stopped him dead. He spaced for a
moment, gone in the shock of it all, then looked at her and grinned his infamous fox grin.
She blushed at her boldness and tried to look away, but he tilted her head up.
"I stand corrected," he said, before kissing her this time, deeply and lovingly.
Sakura was lost in the moment, and in the many moments that followed. And she
wouldn't have had it any other way.
CA: Well that was kind of... okay, I guess. Seemed like she did an about-face on her
opinion of him.
Flaitheas: Isn't that the point?
CA: Yeah, I guess so, but... Hey, I thought you left!
Flaitheas: Eh. Got bored.
CA: And so you came to me. Thanks.
Flaitheas: It's not a compliment.
CA: I'll take it as such! R/R!