While I'm not sure how anyone could confuse me with Masashi Kishimoto, on the off chance that you have: I do not own Naruto.

Reality

From the time they were children in the Academy, Naruto had had a crush on her. Sakura was cute and... well, he hadn't known what else at the time. He just knew that he liked her. When they became teammates that changed. She wasn't just cute anymore, she was brave and determined and smart. And even if she lectured him, she never ignored him. He could still remember how it felt the first time she cheered him on. So maybe it's not so surprising when he realised one day that he didn't like her anymore, he loved her.

Of course, his life didn't revolve around it. People can't live like that. There was training and missions and his goal to become Hokage. But it was a part of him too.

After Sasuke left, he was especially glad it was. If he hadn't sworn to her to bring him home... he still would have tried to save his friend, of course. But the road he'd travelled to do so had been difficult beyond anything he'd imagined. It was in having his word to hold on to that he'd been able to go through it all. So he was glad he promised her, because he also wanted Sasuke to come home.

It did add one more complication to his life, however. That being, he couldn't confess to her until Sasuke returned. Because really, how could he say anything if he couldn't keep one lousy promise?

Every now and again he imagined what that day would be like. The sun would be just beginning to set, painting everything with warm colours, as he and Sasuke neared the village gates. Sakura would be standing there waiting for them with red and orange and pink light glowing in her hair. She would cry as soon as she saw them, because she was so happy they were both safe. And, unable to wait for them to reach her – Naruto was pretty sure they would be beat up at that point, so neither of them would be moving very fast – she would run to meet them.

When she got there, he expected that she'd shout at them for making her worry so much. They'd know how much she meant by that because she'd still be crying. Then he would give her his widest grin and say, "Tadaima!" And, because that was what she was like, she would hug him, something no one else ever did.

It would be then, when her arms were wrapped around him, that he would do the same, and whisper in her ear that he loved her. She would be surprised, he thought. But soon she would smile radiantly. And when they kissed, he would forget about everything else.

He wasn't entirely sure what Sasuke would be doing throughout this scene. But when he dreamed it up, his friend was always smiling like he used to, on occasion, back when they were a team.

Then as the three of them made their way into the village, all their friends would be waiting with the new that Uzumaki Naruto had been named as the next Hokage of Konoha Gakure no Saito; the Village of Hidden Leaves. It would be perfect.

There was only one thing in all the world that could spoil it. Reality.

When it really happened, when he really fought Sasuke and convinced him to come back, they didn't head toward Konoha. They went where they knew there would be fighting between Akatsuki and the allied nations. When they at last neared a camp, it wasn't sunset, either. Though the grey rain and grey sky were appropriate in their own way. And while, the two were battered, they'd had a day to rest, and another of travel before they got there.

The main part of the fighting was going on further off. That was where most of their friends were. What they had come to was a collection of tents set up to house and treat the wounded. Through an open flap they could just make out Sakura's figure. She didn't see them, though. She was facing the other way, occupied with healing someone. As they came closer, Naruto could see that she was re-attaching an arm belonging to a shinobi from Kumo.

The two of them stopped a few feet outside her tent. Sasuke seemed to know, just as much as he did, that before anything else they had to see Sakura. So they stood in grim silence, their feet sinking into mud and warm rain pouring on their heads. It wasn't long before she was finished. She wrapped up the place were the arm now joined and gave a warning to be careful. The Kumo nin smiled at her and walked out of the tent, paying no attention to the two outside, as he rushed back to the battle.

When she turned around to watch him go, she saw them. And she froze, just staring, like she couldn't believe her own eyes. Naruto thought this would be a good time to say something.

"Sakura." Unfortunately, his friend beat him to it. The darker ninja shifted when he said her name. He looked oddly uncomfortable, but the expression he had on was so much like his old self. That was what broke her out of the trance. In two bounds she had her arms around... Sasuke.

Naruto felt something crush inside him. He smiled anyway, though. True, it wasn't his biggest grin, and there was some pain in it, visible for anyone who could see, but the smile was real. His friend was back, his best friend. His most important people were here, and happy. There was still more fighting to do, but he knew in that moment that everything was going to be alright. Some day soon the three of them would be safe in Konoha again.

Of course, he'd known all along that it wouldn't be like in his fantasy. Sakura had always been chasing after someone else. That she hadn't changed her mind, or her heart, or whatever it was, only made him think the better of her (and if that made his own heartache the worse, well...).

So he was glad. It hurt, but he was glad.

While he watched them, she started shaking. Whether that was from crying or not was difficult to tell. Both because of the rain, and because her face was hidden behind Sasuke's shoulder. The dark ninja looked almost as shocked at the hug as she had been moments before. But it didn't last long. He soon sighed and closed his eyes.

Naruto thought how, even now that he had kept his word, he still couldn't say anything. And when he saw Sasuke hesitantly raise his arms around her in return, he knew he never would.

–Seo Hwite Hlæfdige