Interim Time
Naruto keeps his promises. Sasuke follows his vows. And Sakura Haruno pays the price.
"Thank you, Sakura."
She knew he was going to leave. She didn't need to look at the backpack on his to know the truth. Thoughts of revenge had clouded the memories of how happy they had been. The major of his many vows was the reason why he was leaving. And her hope and Naruto's promises were not going to change that.
And interrupting his exit from the Leaf Village that summer night was a fool's fight. But Sasuke Uchiha had a habit of making Sakura Haruno act like a fool, and her 'confession' of sorts was pretty thoughtless. But then he-
"Thank you, Sakura."
She sees Naruto start to work hard when she leaves her bedroom after days of denial. She sees him grinning with a determination in his eyes that is just so damn familiar. He makes his promises:
"I'm going to bring him back. I promise."
His enthusiasm shoots out like fireworks. Perhaps he is the only one that can bring Sasuke back. Her broken heart starts to blossom, thanks to that blond idiot's promise.
And then Naruto comes back. Without him. This time Naruto and Sakura both are defeated. But Naruto will not give up. He keeps his promise so Sakura has the courage to not fall deeper in her despair.
An interim time begins.
Sakura watches Naruto drink sour milk the next morning. He leaves. She starts wanting to get stronger too. She doesn't grow out her pink hair and she throws out that damn red dress for something more functional. Tsunade welcomes her.
She trains with that slug woman for what feels like ages without him. She damns herself for needing him to motivate her. She then tries to convince herself that this time, this interim time, she is fighting to find herself not to find some boy who has taken a vow for a revenge he will never have.
In all of those of those 820 nights, she barely sleeps and when she does it doesn't keep the worry from showing on her famous wide forehead. She tries to act normal. Tries to act like everything is okay. Hell, she goes out some times with Ino and a few girls she doesn't care to know that much about. They act like the young shinobi they are. They kiss boys they don't really like the young woman they've become. Sakura smiles now and then.
Sometimes during those months of training and dreamless nights she goes out on the roof of her tiny apartment building and recounts her memories of him. She usually is (magically) able to keep thoughts of that darned Uchiha boy from her mind some nights she can't help herself.
In this interim time when she lays on the roof surrounded by the smell of the trees and the sound of cicadas singing she remembers her days as a Genin. Those missions. The Antics. Sleeping on the ground with Kakashi and Naruto And him. How her young self could have just sworn how she had felt his gaze linger on her back longer than usual and the brush of his fingertips on hers. Her heart starts to sink.
She leaves the roof when she starts to feel a little bit too hopeless. However, some nights, she stays a bit too long and she thinks about how much he would've grown by then. He must be getting stronger she thinks. Twenty minutes go by and she starts to think about how his lips would feel against hers. If he would be impatient like one of those downtown Konoha boys. She doubts this . She is still talking about Sasuke Uchiha after all. He probably still has those dark eyes and strong arms- covered in that curse mark. Strong arms though. Curse mark, however.
She leaves the roof before her horror and hormones get to her.
"Thank you, Sakura."
What did he mean?, she thinks.
"I promise, Sakura."
2 years later he still keeps it. Four tails now and he still clings to it. In the end, his hope heals her better than Tsunade ever could.
"Revenge, Sakura."
2 years and 3 months later his vow is held higher than those eyes ever made her feel. But she still knows- she can still feel, something-
" Thank you, Sakura."
On that fateful day when she sees him again (after so long), the interim time ends- and her memories of him come back to her in a wave. She- like always- is left straddling both sides of her heart.
The memories echo in her brain as she really sees Sasuke (as if for the first time).
and like Naruto with his promises and Sasuke with his vows, she won't take them back.
AN: I hope you all enjoyed this. It is my first naruto oneshot so please be nice. Please Review if you want to me to improve I'd really be thankful.