Hey, my first fic, and it's somewhat cliché fluff I threw together in an attempt not to do my Econ paper. Anyway, any feed back is appreciated, so here you go.
I don't own Naruto, if it wasn't three in the morning, I'd add a sarcastic comment.
"It sure was nice of Yamato-sensei to treat us to ramen." said Naruto in his usually cheerful voice. Especially since the mission was such a failure. He added silently.
Sakura gave him a grateful smile, walking right next to him. "Ya, Kakashi-sensei was always so cheap." She said, moving one finger to her chin, as if in thought. "Always disappearing the second we got the bill."
Naruto laughed, remembering the days long before. Back when Sasuke was around. Sakura too, seemed lost in thought, remembering those silly childhood days. Even risking their lives against Zabuza seemed like a game now. An understanding silence filled the space between them, as they both remembered their team mate in the way they saw fit.
They got to the intersection where Naruto usually left her. He lived in the single man apartments off on the other side of town. Sakura still lived with her family, a nice two story house. The kind most kids grew up in. Naruto turned, as he always did, but was surprised by a soft tug on his arm.
"Naruto-kun." said Sakura in her soft voice. "Could you, could you please just walk me home?" she asked, an odd struggle in her voice, and a strange, almost pleading look on her face.
"Sakura-chan?" responded Naruto, in a strangely questioning voice. He'd imagined her asking so many times… but why now?
She had a light blush around her cheeks, as she tried to explain herself. "It's just, my parents are off on a mission, and, I feel really weird about going home and being alone." She said, her blush now becoming a deep crimson. Her mom was almost always home, and the past two and a half years, she'd stayed mostly with Tsunade.
"Sure." Naruto said with an air of understanding. He, like so many other people it seemed, knew what it was like to be alone.
The walk was quite, and nice, the moon coming down on the two. Sakura had never let go of his arm, and he wasn't about to complain. He looked at Sakura's large house, and realized, he'd never really been there before. He walked her up to the door, and she reluctantly relinquished his arm.
She looked at him in the door way, as if trying to think of what to say, before whispering a few soft words. "You can come in if you want."
The Haruno household was… different from what he had expected. A nice looking couch, a small kitchen, just an average house. He wasn't sure why, but for some reason, it seemed off. He wasn't even really sure why he was staying her. Because Sakura wanted him too. He reminded himself. He sat on the couch. It was comfortable enough.
She was in the kitchen, doing something, he wasn't sure what. Than, she came down, sitting next to him, breaking the awkward silence that had surrounded them all night. "Naruto-kun, you like me right." She stated, flat out. "And don't cop out; tell me as a friend, or a teammate." She said, making sure there was no easy way out for him.
"Sakura." He said, staring into his eyes. "I've been telling you that since we graduated." It was the truth, something she always seemed to ignore. It felt odd though, being on the spot like this.
"Sasuke, isn't coming back Naruto." She said simply.
"Sakura, don't talk like that!" he scolded, getting excited. Like Naruto did. "I promised…"
She threw a white bottle at him, silencing him. He looked it over, a single character near the top. It almost looked like a milk Bottle, but Naruto had spent his fair share of time with Tsunade as well.
"Sake?" he asked confused. Where would should get… oh right, Tsunade. "Why?" he asked, still confused.
"Naruto, Tsunade-senpai is always drinking that to forget. Forget all the losses of her past. I want you to forget… forget that stupid promise you made to me. Just this once, ignore your ninja rules. We were stupid kids… I was a greedy bitch who asked too much of you." She concluded, beginning to drabble. Tears began to form at her eyes, and Naruto quickly moved in, taking her in a deep embrace.
They sat there for what might have been a few seconds, or hours, or maybe just a few minutes. She cried onto his shoulder, and he just was there, letting her lean on him. This time, Naruto broke the silence.
"Sakura-chan, I need to complete that promise, for me if not for you." He said, putting one finger to her lips, hushing her. "If you never want to see him again, I'll respect your wish, but I cared about him too, and it's something I have to do. Sorry, Sakura."
She looked at him, staring into his deep blue eyes, her own eyes red and puffy with her tears. "You dumbass, don't apologize!" she yelled at him, tackling him down to the couch.
The two shared a strange kiss, completely on passion, passion neither of them understood. Eventually, she slowly climbed off of him. "Would you stay here tonight?" she asked.
"Ya." He replied flatly, after a moment of silence. He watched her get up, and slowly walk up the stairs. "Hey Sakura." He called out softly. She turned to him, expecting something. "Maybe, maybe for just one night, I could forget Sasuke."