DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO!

HIYA! This si gonna be me and Akiko's first one on this site. Jace Helped a lot, in fact he made the plot.

"What are you saying, Sakura?" Naruto's voice was low but even, his expression dead and impassive, a mask hiding the hot anger and envy boiling in his stomach and throat.

"Naruto...Sauske asked me..." She trailed off, dropping her great green eyes to examine her feet.

"Did…Did he propose?"

The air in his lungs empty of oxygen filled with her wonderous aroma, clogging his lungs. He held his breath for answer, but her expression was telling him all he needed to know.

"…Sakura?"

It took every ounce of strength not to scream, not to turn around and blow a hole in the wall. Her 'quality' time with Sasuke should have triggered his suspicion, but he was so busy being blissfully ignorant that he did not notice. He assumed her to be catching up with Sasuke or bonding or some bullshit like that. She still did not reply to his question.

The door clicked quietly shut.

She always loved the black-haired bastard with a passion, but somehow, when he left, Naruto found a way to get into her heart. Some might call it wrong, to try to make her forget about Sasuke… But it was much worse to not be with her.

He scuffled into his room, looking in his dresser mirror. What made Sasuke any better then him? Everyone respects (AND likes) him. He's always been their 'golden boy' or 'The last Uchiwa of the great clan'…

He shoved his right arm into the mirror, shattering the glass as the anger built inside him. He didn't feel the glass go into his skin, but he saw it rapidly heal seconds afterward…

He had always protected the village with his life, and so what if he was the vessel of the Kyuubi? Thick and thin, he pulled this village out of any mess, but the still gave him the icy glare, he was still rejected. Perhaps even more now because he was a Jounin. Look at the bastard's reputation. Betrayed the village, tried to destroy it on several accounts, killed countless Konoha ninja, and what does he get when he tries to return? Forgiveness, open arms, respect,…love. Things Nartuo never had… But he managed to put it to the back of his head then, he kept his cool. In the 7 year period of his betrayal, Naruto grew close to Sakura. He loved her, he knew her, he felt her, he…he was there! The bastard's been here 1 year and he has stolen the only thing that binds him to the village? "ITS NOT FAIR!" he roared \\ CALM THE FUCK DOWN, CANT A FUCKIN DEMON GET SOME SLEEP// He jumped out his window landing on the concrete softly, as if landing on clouds.

It was past midnight now, whiling away into the morning hours. The bars would be closed now or closing soon. Liquor stores closed at 9 PM… He had to do something about this. His feet were in control, leading him through the winding roads and back alleys and eventually up unfamiliar stairs.

Into the bastard's territory.

So wrong. It was all so wrong. The 'fiance' was on a mission, he knew this for a fact. ANBU commanders rarely had breaks, especially if they were a certain Uchiwa Sasuke. Naruto could offer her the things he could, time being the most prominent. He would convince her of this. She had to know. She had to be with him.

Technically, he was hers first. He loved her first. He had cared first. He had met her first.The only things he had not done first was ask her to be with him and marry him. Three outweighted two. This train of thought made it easier to ignore his anger. Perfect Logic…

"Sakura."

"Naruto?" Her voice trembled as did her hands, which were desperately clutching a tissue. Her green eyes were bloodshot.

He never wanted to make her cry.

"We have to talk." This was how she opened up their previous conversation.

Sakura moved to the side and he entered without wiping his feet. It gave him a dull satisfaction to be tracking mud into this idiot's house until he realized belatedly that she would be the one to clean. Mumbling an apology under his breath, he removed his boots.

"Do you want some tea? I was just about to--"

"No… I want you…I…need you…"

He never wanted to scare her. He never wanted to hurt her. But he was doing both as he approached her, so tall, so dark. Sakura was easily intimidated and nothing seemed to do that better than a dominating presence.

With each step Naruto took, Sakura matched it with 2 steps back, her eyes focused on his muscular chest barely hidden by thin black mesh. A week of sexual frustration was taking its toll, evident as he backed her against the wall. Wide eyes met his, fraught with fear and what he thought to be love. She was always so expressive. He supposed he loved that best about her.

"We shouldn't..."

"I can't stop thinking, Sakura. I can't stand it. I didn't see you for weeks. I missed you. I miss you now."

He crushed his lips to hers, only vaguely aware of her frantic pushes. Her will broke suprisingly easily. Besides, he couldn't pull away now, not when he could taste her lips, sweet and pure like her soul, not when he could feel her slowly easing into him, yielding to his overbearing need. The pushes became pulls, her tiny hands digging into mesh, the brushes of her skin against his electric. He pulled away.

Her cheeks were tinged a lovely shade of pink, as were her parted lips. Pink looked so good on her, especially now, with her long flowing hair and great green eyes. Naruto nuzzled his nose against hers and she responded in the same way, their gazes locked until she initiated another kiss. This was slower than the last, apology, reassurance, and passion mingled in one.

The urgency melted down into something more desperate as Naruto slowly unzipped her light pink coat, pulling away to watch as each inch of flawless skin was revealed, amused by the lack of covering beneath. He wanted to convince her with more than just words that he was the one for her.

Her breath hitched as he slipped the coat from her milky shoulders, running his touch lightly over her arms, then resting his palms on her hips and from there, running them up her sides and back to unclasp her bra. It came off with little difficulty, sliding off at his fingers' guidance. Her breasts were wonderful, full and round, topped by beatiful pink nipples. He brushed his lips over them, marveling as they rose under his soft breath and careful caresses. She fisted her hands into his unruly yellow hair, tugging desperately as he captured the rosy nub in his mouth, sucking tenderly.

She whimpered his name and in turn, he glanced up at her, her skin leaving his mouth with a light pop. He mouthed three words and she turned away, eyes glinting with tears.

They laid together on the couch, bodies entangled in such a fashion that he couldn't quite tell where he ended and she began. What he did know, however, was that her tears were falling onto his chest, rolling over his abdomen and spotting the cushions, try as he might to soothe her. Naruto could not share in her torn sorrow and for that, he was remorseful. The only emotions he could muster at the moment were utter adoration and satisfaction.

"Come on...I'll take you to bed."

"No." Her voice was scarcely a whisper. "Naruto, you have to leave."

"So that's it? You pick him over me? He betrayed us! Yet I stayed for you and you choose him? "

She shook with sobs, shoulders heaving.

"I-I...don't...kn-know! I..." The rest was inaudible through her tears.

"Our...It means nothing to you?"

"Please, Naruto!"

"Please what?"

"Leave..."

"You love him this much? After what he did to you…what he did to us? Sakura, I… I…Love you"

She could not respond. He could practically feel her heart breaking with guilt. His heart was doing the same. Did he really think she would drop everything to be with him?

Sakura didn't move from on top of him and he didn't make her. He didn't caress her. He didn't hold her.

She was did not want to be his.

There was no doubt, however, that he was hers. She did not choose to claim him, but then again, he wasn't exactly one to be owned. He told her again, just to see, that he loved her.

"I…I know Naruto"

The morning surfaced pleasantly, the blinds filling with light. Naruto awoke with Sakura dozing in his arms, and for one brief, perfect moment, things were as they should have been.

Imagine his dismay as another name fell from her lips.

Slowly, he lifted her into his arms. Whether or not she was truly asleep didn't matter much to him; he couldn't find any words to say. So he took her to the bedroom, the only area in this home that would ever been truly off-limits to him. It was obvious why. It reeked of Sasuke's scent, a scent so powerful that it almost scared him. When he laid her on the bed, she immediately curled into a ball, wrapping herself around a pillow. She belonged here.

He left without a word or sound.

He did not ask to see her privately again. She had tried a few times but he avoid her, trying not to let his love and lust get the best of him. He knew that he if he did, hed breakdown.

It would be two months before she was on his doorstep again,knocking. He almost didn't answer the door, guilt took the better of him.

"Naruto..."

"Hi."

He did not invite her in. If she so much as touched him, it would break his restraint. Two months without her had been like living without air and he was surprised to be alive. For a few minutes, they were both silent.

"You want to talk, don't you?" He asked, trying to mask the exhaustion in his voice.

She nodded timidly. He wanted to say no, he really did, but the expression she wore... He let her in.

"We're going to be getting married next week."

He could have killed himself.

"Sasuke wants you to come..." she smiled weakly "Rival reasons or something…"

Or maybe Sasuke was gay. He hoped to good that was true.

"And what about you?" Naruto asked his voice steady.

"If it makes you...uncomfortable..."

It did make him uncomfortable. Because when that priest uttered those words, he knew his heart would explode. And then when the priest asked the crowd to speak or forever hold their peace, he knew he would speak.

"I'll come."

Dangerous ideas began to surface in his head as he reached out, slowly. She didn't stop him. He rested his hand on her shoulder. His heart stopped as she just as slowly raised her hand and covered it with his.

"I love you, Sakura. Don't marry him. Please. I really love you…please…"

She lifted his hand gently and laid it down on the couch.

Sakura rose and left him. That was closure. That was the end.

The rest of that week was spent in bars and bottles. He avoided the both of them and he avoided the gossip like plague, sitting in only the darkest areas and emerging in only the latest hours. After the wedding, he would have a mission. Even in heartbreak, he was still a shinobi. A Jounin at that.

For awhile, he considered intentionally dying during it. Not exactly suicide, not exactly a heroic death.

But that would be weak. And Naruto was not weak.

The ceremony was beautiful, of course. Konoha would have nothing less for their dream couple. It was easily the grandest event that the village had seen in years, decades, even. Naruto was glad to have gone. He was even glad to see Sakura, blushing and grinning as if nothing had ever happened. He did not speak out at the priest's prompting.

The day before the wedding, she had seen him again, broken. She didn't know what to do, she had said. She wasn't sure if she was ready. So he sat her down and with a tender kiss to the forehead, told her to just marry him.

She had put herself back together, and so would he.

After the wedding, he shook Sasuke's hand.

"Congratulations."

"…idiot…" Naruto punched him and Sasuke laughed.