Author's Note: Just a series of vignettes that I'm doing for a 50 themes contest. None of these stories are related to the other, so just read along and tell me what you think!

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1. Intro

As Sakura meets her genin team for the first time, she feels a rush of excitement and nostalgia at the same time.
They sit on the steps of the bridge, eyes hopeful, ignorant, and trusting all at once as they gaze up at her. She smiles as she remembers being in their spot 13 short years ago, back when she knew everything and had her life all planned out.
In retrospect, her life did not exactly turn out according to plan.
She was going definitely going to be the one to marry Sasuke. Instead she married Lee last spring and has never been happier.
She would beat that Ino-pig in love no matter what. Ino got married two years before her, and Sakura was the maid of honor at her wedding.
She would show the 'dead last' how stupid and pompous he was. Last week was Naruto's initiation ceremony as Rokudaime Hokage. He was so nervous, but Sakura wrote his speech for him and was the first to stand and applaud.
And team 7 would always be together to the end. Naruto had finally brought Sasuke back…alive.
Isn't it funny how life surprises you in ways you never expected?
"So," she starts, calling her troop to attention as she leans against a wooden post. "It's time to introduce yourselves. Who wants to go first?"

2. Together Again

Naruto, Sakura, Sai, and Sasuke hadn't all been living together in the beginning-- or, at least, not all of them together. At first it had been Naruto and Sakura, and then Sai. A few months later, Sakura had agreed to let Sasuke stay with them after Naruto brought him home again, beaten, bruised and barely alive.
He wouldn't speak to anyone at first. Only stared, as if trying to memorize their faces and the memories that were attached to them.
As if it wasn't what he wanted at all to be back among the people that loved him.
Finally, after Naruto had tripped down the stairs for the first time since Sasuke had been back, Sasuke, oh so quietly… had said 'dobe'.
It was hesitant, as if he was locked safely within a bubble, and speaking would pop it and return him to his lonely world.

But Naruto had hugged him fiercely, Sai smiled slightly, and Sakura ran up and kissed him full on the mouth, almost bursting into tears with happiness.
They were finally a together again.

3. Love

At 2 o'clock in the morning, Sakura was awakened by a soft grunting and moaning.
Thinking they were under attack, she reached for her kunai and quickly sat up in a defensive position.
When she gained her senses, she realized that it was only her blond idiot teammate.
Grumbling to herself, she put her kunai away and was prepared to curl up in her warm sleeping bag, that is until she heard Naruto whisper the forbidden name.
"Sasuke."
She stopped, and looked over toward him.
Tears streamed down his face as he grasped tightly onto his covers. His tan face was covered in sweat and contorted into one of anger and hurt.
"Sasuke-teme!…"
This was the third week in a row that he had had a dream about their prodigal teammate.
He awoke from the nightmare quickly by sitting up in bed, but was caught by Sakura's slender body as she slipped her arms around him.
"Oh…Sakura-chan? Did I…wake you?"
She didn't answer him, only quietly sobbed into his shoulder as her arms held onto him tightly.
His hands wrapped around her, one in her hair and one on her back as he tried to console her, but couldn't stop the tears that threatened his eyes as well.
"Sakura-chan…I'm so sorry…"
But he had nothing to be sorry for.
Sakura was sorry that she had realized that she loved him too late.
He was already in love with someone else.

4. SakuraxAnyone

Sakura, she decided, was a winner at a losing game
And almost everybody in Konoha knew this.
It started in the academy with Sasuke as genin. He ripped her heart out and spat on it when he left to pursue his brother.
By the time she was 15, her love had progressed toward Naruto, but he broke her heart as well when he revealed to her in confidence that he was gay after she found him and Sai making out in her living room.
Having her heart ripped out by the two people she loved most, she decided to be done with guys for awhile. So, when she turned 18, Ino took her out drinking. Somehow, both kunoichi ended up in the alley behind the bar with their tongues down each other's throats. Their tryst lasted briefly, only two weeks, until they decided that they were straight. But for several weeks after the affair, every time she touched herself, she thought of Ino.
When she turned 23, she had started to date Konoha's youthful ninja. Neji's son brought him in, declaring that his sensei had risked his life protecting his young students and he was the only one who did not suffer severe injury. Lee made a quick recovery, and his students came to visit him everyday.
Sakura was touched, and decided to reward Lee with a date.
Two years later, they got married.
Eight years later, Lee died in a valiant attempt to save the future Hokage's life.
3 years after that, Sakura loved only her two children and her friends.
That is, until she was called to the Hyuuga mansion to care for Lord Hyuuga's ailing eyes.
Who would've guessed that she would've had so much in common with the Hyuuga prodigy?

5. Rivalry

Naruto finally straddled Sasuke on the couch; his wrists pinned above his head and his mouth hotly kissing his neck.
Sasuke fought struggled beneath the blond, but was outmatched by Naruto's raw physical strength.
He'd have to think of a different approach.
Sasuke did not respond, not even when Naruto started to delve his tongue lower onto Sasuke's exposed and chiseled chest.
'Dobe…' he murmured. 'You'll have to do better than that.'
Sasuke then lifted his hips to grind into Naruto's crotch, and instantly felt the boy's body respond.
Naruto hissed, and raked his teeth across Sasuke's nipple, his tongue teasing the tender flesh.
Sasuke merely laughed.
"Still too easily riled, usuratonkachi. I get you up without even using my hands."
"Fuck you, teme." Naruto spat, moving up to bite down viciously on Sasuke's shoulder and neck, drawing blood.
Sasuke groaned, but an evil smile still played on his lips.
Naruto suddenly felt a snake make its way into his pant leg, and twist up his leg and thigh, to tease his erection.
Naruto shuddered, and Sasuke took this opportunity to flip Naruto over and onto the floor.
Sasuke twisted Naruto's arm behind his back and then leaned up to lick Naruto's ear.
"With pleasure, usuratonkachi."
"Hey! Take that upstairs, you two! I don't want to clean spit and sweat and jizz off of my new couch."
From where Sai was painting and observing the pair from the corner, he chuckled and responded to the pinkette.
"You might as well be talking to a wall, hag. Don't you know nothing can stop them once they've started? They're rivals in everything."

6. Teamwork

Naruto had always wanted kids.
It had been his dream ever since he was a boy to settle down with a good woman and start a family.
Then the teme had to leave, and that stirred a whole new pot of emotions within him.
For awhile, that woman had been Sakura.
He laughed to himself as he realized, maybe it still was.
He sat in the waiting room with Sasuke and Sai, waiting for the nurse to come out.
It had been almost 11 hours since her contractions started, and he couldn't be more nervous.
"Mr. Uzumaki, Uchiha, and…Sai?"
All three men stood up and walked toward the nurse. She gave the three of them a perplexed look, then cleared her throat.
"Congratulations, you are now the….fathers…of a beautiful baby girl."
Naruto whooped in delight and grasped on to Sasuke as Sai chuckled and Sasuke just smiled a real smile.
"Can we see her now?!" Naruto asked, unable to contain his delight.
"Yes. Go on ahead."
But the three shinobi were already gone.
Sakura was droopy eyed, but sat up in bed holding a tiny pink bundle.
"Sakura-chan!…" Naruto glowed as he ran up and hugged her.
"Naruto! Sai, Sasuke-kun…"
It was the squishiest, blobbiest, and tiniest thing any of them had ever seen.
She even smelled pink.
"She's beautiful." Naruto was barely able to speak at the sight because he was crying so hard.
Sai gazed in wonder, caressing the tiny face, and Sasuke looked on, a prideful gleam in his obsidian orbs.
Some in Konoha thought that the bond of the medical kunoichi and her three teammates was something quite unusual.
But when they're teamwork created something as beautiful as this, none of them would trade it for anything in the world.

7. Sweet Kisses

"Sai, what do you like best about me?" Sakura asked as she prepared for her third date with Lee.
"Your humility." He responded flatly.
She had thrown her brush at his head, but he deftly caught it with one hand as he continued painting.
"Fat head…" she fumed, trying to not super-punch him into oblivion.
Instead, she focused on continuing to apply her perfume and jewelry.
"Is he going to propose?" Sai inquired, taking in her appearance.
"No! I mean…I don't know…why would you ask?"
"You're dressing really fancy."
"It's what girls do on dates. You would know if you've ever been on one." Sakura held a diamond necklace up to he neck in thought then put it down.
Sai merely smiled.
"Do you plan on sleeping with him, then?"
A hangar was now flung at Sai.
"THAT is none of your GODDAMN business, you stupid whore!!" she flushed furiously.
"Sai, knock it off!" Naruto called as he walked in the door carrying dinner. "If you piss her off any more, she'll end up taking it out on poor Lee!"
Sai was quiet and painted as Sakura fumed, looking around for her high heels.
A half-hour later, she was finally ready. She grabbed her purse and walked toward the door, passing Naruto as she went. Naruto took this opportunity to cop a feel.
"NARUTO, YOU…!!!"
But his mouth caught hers before she could finish, his tongue darting playfully between her lips.
Sakura promptly slapped him, and stomped out the door.
"It's amazing that a girl with such a foul temper can give such sweet kisses." Naruto mused as he rubbed his red cheek.
Sai laughed.

8. Heaven

Ninja saw many things in their lifetime that no human should ever have to endure.
It often made it hard to believe in a God or Heaven.
A lot of ninja lived for the moment, marrying young, loving and living hard, and then fighting to the death for their country.
But, it was quiet moments like this, when Naruto and Sakura were fast asleep laying on either side of Sai with their heads on his shoulder, which actually made him ponder thoughts of God.
Perhaps heaven wasn't a place to be looked forward to after death.
Perhaps, heaven was on earth afterall, in little moments like this.

9. Time-keeping

Naruto could find competition in anything.
From eating to sex, he would always find something.
Especially if you were his long-standing rival.
"15 minutes." Naruto stated as he kept a lookout from his perch in the Forest of Death. "I swear to god, it was just 15 minutes."
"Dobe. What, was it your first time?" The Uchiha jounin asked as quietly as possible.
"No! That's just when I'm alone." Naruto leaned back on the branch.
"And when you're with someone else?"
"Depends on if I have other plans or not."
"Dobe." Sasuke scoffed as he kept his perch on the branch below Naruto, keeping hawk-like eyes on their target.
A companionable silence passed between them for a few minutes, or at least until Naruto opened his big mouth again.
"How about you?"
"Would you keep it down, dobe? We're supposed to be on a mission."
"I know, but I'm BORED. C'mon…how long does it take you?"
"Like I'd tell you."
"Why not?"
"Because…not only is it none of your business, but I don't keep track of time when I do do it."
"Oh my god. You are SUCH a liar!"
"Shh!" Sasuke hissed. "I'm going to sever your vocal cords if you don't shut up!"
For a few minutes more, silence ensued.
"Sakura said that Lee's the fastest she's ever been with."
"Sucks to be her, then." Sasuke mumbled.
"And Shikamaru said he can hardly keep up with Temari when they do it anymore."
Sasuke's face turned a deep red.
"What are you hoping to achieve from this conversation, exactly, usuratonkachi?"
"Come on! Tell me!"
"No!"
"Please?"
"No."
"PLEASE?"
Sasuke slapped a hand over Naruto's mouth, and his face drew close to his.
"Shut. Up."
After telling him with his eyes that he would screw his face up if he spoke another word, Sasuke pulled his hand away. And Naruto was quiet.
The whole mission.
Unfortunately, Sasuke realized as he sat around the campfire three days later, that maybe hearing Naruto's voice wasn't so bad after all.
He gazed over at the blond, who was just laying on a rock near the river, boredly watching the stars.
Sasuke sighed in defeat.
"17 minutes." He said, poking the fire.
Naruto just grinned to himself. "I knew it."
Silence.
"Well," Naruto hopped off of his rock and went to lie on his sleeping bag. "I guess we'll find out tomorrow when we head back home who has the faster time. Do you wanna race there to prove it?"
"Go to sleep, dobe."
But Naruto totally knew that he would.

10. Eating Out

In all his years with Orochimaru, Sasuke had thought he remembered everything he hated about Naruto.
But oh, had he forgotten.
He had forgotten how much of a glutton Naruto was with ramen, and how he'd always end up paying the bill at the end of the day.
But that was when they were 12.
Now that they were adults, Naruto was worse.
But, he supposed it wasn't really Naruto's fault.
Or maybe he was just jealous of the attention.
Either way, he really wished they would've stayed at home and made instant ramen
because if one more bitch laid their hand on Naruto's ass, he swore he would rip their fingers off and shove them down the person's throat.
Male or female.
And what was worse about that was, Naruto didn't even notice.
He was so used to not getting attention, that he didn't recognize it when he did get it.
But Sasuke knew it all too well.
"Are you done yet, usuratonkachi?"
"Are you kidding? This new ramen flavor is delicious! Old man Ichiraku is a genius!"
"Actually," Teuchi started, "It was Ayame's idea! But she did inherit her genius culinary skills from me, so I'll take that compliment, I suppose!"
"Oh, daddy, stop it!" Ayame giggled. Sasuke wanted to throw up.
"Sasuke-kun, don't you want anything to eat? You look positively starved!"
"I'm fine." He said as he tapped his fingers on the bar.
"Aw, c'mon Sasuke! This is really good!" Naruto interjected.
"So I noticed."
"Quit being such a bastard and take a bite!" Naruto thrust his spoonful of ramen in Sasuke's face.
Sasuke made a face and pushed Naruto's chopsticks away.
"Just eat it and get done! I'm ready to go."
"Bastard!" Naruto fumed, still holding the ramen toward Sasuke's face.
But he just growled and turned his face away, ignoring the blond.
Which was a bad idea.
"Y'know, Naruto," A random waitress started silkily, leaning toward him on the counter & pushing up her boobs. "I have some secret ramen recipes at home that you should try. You should come over and taste test them for me."
"Really?" Naruto perked up. "That'd be awesome!" the waitress grinned triumphantly in Sasuke's direction, but Sasuke merely scowled.
Bitch. How DARE she attempt to seduce Naruto with ramen?!
Fine.
Two could play THAT game.
"Dobe." Sasuke called to Naruto as he turned around in his seat and grabbed Naruto's wrist.
Naruto watched curiously as Sasuke pulled Naruto's chopsticks over to his mouth, and dropped the tip of the noodles inside, wrapped his lips around them and sucking off the juice.
He then, proceeded to suck the noodles inch by inch, slowly into his mouth without chewing; keeping his eyes locked on Naruto's the whole time.
Naruto just stared, his eyes wider than saucers.
Once he got to the chopsticks, he bit the rest of the noodles free, and kissed Naruto full on the lips.
Naruto dropped both of his chopsticks onto the floor and turned red.
Sasuke pushed his tongue into Naruto's mouth, letting him taste the savory sauce that once coated the noodles.
Naruto moaned in ecstasy, and pulled Sasuke's face closer to his, returning the kiss passionately. Nothing was better than a ramen-flavored Sasuke.
Once they parted, everyone in Ichiraku was staring; but Teuchi was trying so hard not to.
Sasuke, grabbing a breathless Naruto by the forearm, turned to the new waitress and said:
"Sorry, bitch. This one's mine."