Sakura sat down on the couch and watched the screen flicker some more. Last night someone had kicked it, but no one felt like there had been any real damage done. She ran her hand through the yellow streaks that appeared to have sprouted overnight. But nothing surprised her like finding another girl in her bedroom that morning. Apparently she had passed out in the chair that no one used, luckily not her bed. Naruto had been there too, and my .. he looked good lately.
He had gotten back to Konoha after having been promoted to Chuunin on a mission. Instantly, he'd called Sakura to celebrate; but his apartment was apparently too small, hence the mess in her kitchen, bedroom and the dead t.v. She sighed quietly, turning over on her couch. It smelled of alcohol and beer, enough to make anyone nauseous, but Sakura was too tired to care. Her heart made little flips when she thought back to last night. Naruto had been the perfect gentleman, even though his hair was still as jumpy as ever, his clothes and attitude seemed to have changed for the better.
He had walked in with a sense of style, it wasn't his shoes, or the way that his t-shirt had floated freely behind him, as he made it through the crowd. He had looked for her first, while everyone else watched. Naruto gave her a friendly hug, but maintained it longer than normal friends would have done. Nearly instantly after that brief moment, Hinata had come in and grabbed his hand, claiming that he had promised to talk to her after he got back. She probably just wanted some time alone with the boy, and no one would be able to blame her for that.
He still looked young, but this last mission had aged him. Besides that, just his promotion alone was enough for a lot of women to turn their heads as he made it through the village. Naruto just didn't seem to appreciate all of the female attention, or the avances some women tried to make whenever he walked into a room. Sakura smiled quietly, as she hugged the pillow she'd found tightly. These past few weeks had been lonely. Sai accompanied her frequently on missions, but Sakura missed Naruto's stupidity, and his boldness. Even though the boldness seemed to have subsided for the time being. He was even polite to elders right now. She smiled and closed her eyes, what she wouldn't give right now to be by his side..
Quietly a tear formed in the corner of her eye, yet she didn't feel like she was sad. She had just let her chance pass; her obsession with Sasuke had ensured her of a pretty much Naruto-less future. Who would have known that Sasuke would end up leaving the village, then try to destroy it and get killed in the process.. 'Sorry sorry sorry.. neaga neaga neaga mucho mucho..~' her phone started to sing. That ringtone could only mean one thing. 'Good morning Sakura' he greeted politely.
'Oh.. uhm hi Naruto' she replied, nearly even blushing now. 'I'm sorry about Hinata last night' he said, sounding slightly disappointed in himself.
'It's fine honestly, I mean it's your time, your life.. nothing to worry about' she answered.
'Sakura, you're lying.' He replied, sighing. She imagined him just face- palming himself and then just staring at a random object.
'It's not like we're dating or anything-' she tried. 'We're not. Not.. yet? It bothers you, doesn't it?' he replied, sounding slightly confused himself. Usually she would have laughed this matter off. Him liking her? Wasn't that like.. ancient history? She looked at her hand, examining each and every one of her nails as if the answer was written there.
'What are you trying to say?' she said, attempting to sound uninterested. 'I think.. that we should get together. You're the only one that gets me, and you know what makes me tick' he said, sounding very mature suddenly. 'So do .. let me see, Shikamaru, Chouji and Sai' she replied, evading the statement. 'They are all guys, see a pattern here?..' he said, sounding mildly annoyed. 'Yes but.. but.. we're friends Naruto' Sakura said, obviously confused. She got up and walked over to examine the damage done to the kitchen. 'I know that, but wouldn't you wish at times that we could be more than that? More like a team, an united front with.. benefits?'
'Sounds good.. to me.. I suppose' she said, jumping up with her fist in the air. 'I'll be over in ten minutes'