Warning: Contains spoilers for manga chapters 296 and up.


Closer

Sakura and Naruto wandered around the grocery store haphazardly. It was late at night, but Sakura had insisted they buy Naruto some healthy food. They had just returned from a longer mission, and they were both exhausted. When Naruto had mumbled something about eating some ramen and then passing out, Sakura had scolded him. Sakura did not like him eating ramen (and only ramen) all the time. Scowling, she had offered to make him some real dinner and of course Naruto did not protest. The shocking lack of variety in his cupboards, however, had made it impossible. Did the boy really eat nothing but ramen? Sakura, finding some sort of reserve energy, decided she would go with Naruto to the store herself and make sure he became acquainted with foods that did not come out of a box and that required more than hot water to make them. She supposed she could have just taken him to her apartment, and made him something there, but then how would he learn? Naruto had grinned when she mentioned it, telling her "I'll eat whatever you want me to." But Sakura was determined; Naruto was getting a cooking lesson (and some vegetables) tonight.

So here they were, listening to slightly cheesy music playing on speakers in the mostly empty store. Naruto had been his usual self when they left, excited to be spending time with Sakura despite the rough mission they had just completed. However, once in the store, he had grown quieter and quieter. Sakura, who had been chattering away (Naruto really could listen when he wanted to), was starting to feel worried. She stopped talking and bit her lip. Naruto didn't seem to notice. Had their mission affected him more than she thought? It hadn't been easy, certainly, but they hardly ever were now. The older they got the more was expected of them and even the toughest of shinobi sometimes had to take moments to wipe their minds clean of death and destruction and devastated lives. Had she missed that Naruto needed that moment this time? His hands were stuffed in his pockets, and he was looking sideways, but she could tell his eyes weren't focused on the shelves lined with food.

Naruto had changed so much over the years, but the best part was that he never changed at all. He was more a man than a boy now, but he was as boyish and hopeful as he had always been. He changed lives without knowing it, made friends like he had always had them, and yet, she knew there were still things that didn't make sense, things he didn't understand and that he wouldn't talk about.

"…Naruto?" He turned at the sound of his name, his usual dopey smile replaced with a much weaker cousin. His eyes burned with an intensity that seemed to have no cause. Was he going to cry? Sakura frowned. How had she not noticed before? "Naruto, what's wrong?" A hand came out of his pocket and he touched Sakura's upper arm gently. He was an arm's length away, but Sakura felt him as keenly as if they were sharing the same space. His fingers rested lightly on spot hidden by her sleeve, and even though he couldn't see her skin, they both knew his fingertips were resting on scars that looked like claw marks, scars that would never go away.

"Sakura-chan… I'm sorry…" He did start crying, and Sakura couldn't think for a moment, irrationally questioning the inconsistencies between their current location and Naruto's mood. Why why why now? That had happened so long ago. Why was he thinking about that now? Somewhere in the back of her mind, Sakura was glad the store was mostly empty. She knew Naruto didn't really mind crying in front of others (he did it often enough), but she hated so many seeing how vulnerable he could be.

She had really hoped that they would never have to talk about that moment; she didn't think Naruto should be punished like that. Why couldn't Yamato have respected her wishes? But here he was, apologizing like it was killing him not to, and she couldn't ignore it. Sakura ran through their last few days together, trying to pinpoint what had brought this on.

The mission had taken them far from Konoha, but they had passed through Sand. Was it just that he had seen Gaara? Sakura didn't think so; Gaara had been doing well. In fact, he had even seemed happy. Well, as much as one could call Gaara happy. She supposed his childhood would probably prevent him from ever smiling for no reason, but he hadn't been frowning. He seemed… at peace.

As far as she knew, he hadn't gone fox on this mission either. Of course, there were those few days when she and Sai and separated from Naruto and Yamato… maybe she needed to ask what happened. However, now was not the time or place. She redirected her attention to the situation at hand.

"Naruto, it's okay." She spoke softly, hoping the calmness in her voice would soothe his guilt. Naruto drew his fingers away immediately, suddenly angry.

"No, Sakura-chan, it's not okay! I… you… I could have killed you!" He turned away from her completely and she was reminded of how heartbroken he had been when she hadn't been able to do anything for Gaara after they had finally gotten him back from Akatsuki. Life had been full of disappointment for Naruto, and Sakura found herself wondering why.

Why did life have to be so hard for him? He had no parents, no friends, almost no love for twelve years, and even after that it was slow in coming and rare, and when he did get it, it seemed to slip away from him so easily. He had suffered through the defection of his best friend and the death of the only person who could really understand him. Even though Gaara's life had been restored by Chiyo's jutsu, it had affected Naruto more than he would ever say. But worst of all, he carried a heavy burden, one that was the salvation of his village but the damnation of his person. Sakura hadn't known that for a long time. On their way to Gaara, when he had told her, so many things had clicked. His behavior easily explained, his desperate need to save Gaara natural. But even then, it was only after that horrible incident on the bridge that she really understood just how big of a burden that demon was. He had cried so much, about so many things. How often had he done it alone? And now he was crying about something that had happened when he wasn't even conscious… For once Sakura was glad Naruto was crying when she was right next to him.

She took a few steps towards him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and touched her forehead to his back, between his shoulder blades. Sometimes, with Naruto, words weren't enough.

"It wasn't you. I know you would never hurt me." She felt her words echo in his ribcage and his shaking shoulders stilled. His hands rested on hers momentarily before he unwrapped himself. He turned around slowly, still holding her arms. His eyes were still wet, but he was smiling again. Sakura smiled back. All was forgiven now, he had to know that. "C'mon, let's find the produce section."

"Whatever you say, Sakura-chan." He dropped her arms and followed her purposeful stride. Sakura smiled to herself. He had always been a positive person, and sometimes his depression was so easily reversed. Of course, she knew him so well now that she knew exactly what to say, just like she knew that things like touch and forgiveness moved him more than anything, especially when they came from her, because of all the people Naruto knew, Sakura was probably the person he knew best and the person he spent the most time with.

Sakura's own thoughts startled her. Naruto was so trusting, and it was clear that she meant so much to him, but when had they become this close? Because she was realizing just how close they were now. Funny, that it would happen in a public store of all places, but the impact of her behavior hit her. It was real and right and she hadn't second-guessed it; she had just done it. She turned to look at Naruto, who was still following faithfully.

She was a little afraid. What could this mean? It was one thing to be Naruto's best friend, but it was another entirely when she couldn't name emotions she hadn't realized she had. Why did it feel like she was crying when he cried? Suddenly the grocery store felt a little small, a little too tight. Sakura pushed back the tidal wave of emotions to a space to be investigated later, when there were no groceries to be purchased, no dinner to prepare, no Naruto behind her acting like everything was the same when everything had changed. Still, what now?

Now, she knew, they were going to pick out some vegetables, and she was going to show him how to tell when this one was ripe and that one juicy, when they were in season and when they were imported, like it was what they always did when one of them had a breakdown (and something like an epiphany) in a grocery store. She marveled at it, but she didn't. After all, what else would they do? It had all really been so effortless; she was just keeping to the rhythm of her heart, the solid, steady beat reassuring her that her instinctive actions were inherently correct.

Overhead, the music continued to float above them, and she caught snitches here and there… something about closer…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The sun had set long ago and dinner was over. It had been delicious. Naruto had helped her prepare it, tentatively at first—but his enthusiasm gradually winning out—until he completely massacred an innocent head of broccoli. Sakura had only laughed, telling Naruto they were cooking it anyway, so what did it matter if it wasn't perfectly cut? Naruto had smiled sheepishly, gratefully, before quipping that he had meant to slash at it that way.

The dishes from the meal waited patiently on the table, in the sink, wherever they had ended up. Naruto and Sakura were both sitting on the couch, drowsily, the fatigue from their mission weighing them down so that they couldn't ignore it anymore. They had been talking about the latest shinobi gossip. Naruto was especially interested in discussing Gaara's newfound love life. ("Can you believe, Sakura, that that girl used to be his student?") Sakura had been nodding sleepily one minute and the next Naruto was gently shaking her shoulder.

"Oi, Sakura-chan… Sakura-chan, are you that tired?" She had mumbled incoherently in reply, trying to say she should probably go back to her own apartment. When Naruto didn't reply, she figured he hadn't understood her. It was just as well; she didn't think she could move anyway. She didn't really concentrate on what Naruto said next. "Eh… Sarkura-chan…" Naruto sighed affectionately, but Sakura didn't hear it. "I guess you can sleep in my bed." Sakura had already returned to peaceful slumber and so didn't protest when Naruto picked her up, took her down the hall, and tucked her in.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sakura sat up, startled. She had no idea where she was and her vision was swimming. Something on her arm was burning. It took her a moment to realize she wasn't alone.

"Sakura-chan! Wake up!" Naruto was gripping her arm, and he looked… worried? What had happened?

"Naruto, what's going on?"

"You fell asleep, so I put you in here. I was cleaning up the kitchen and you… you screamed, Sakura-chan… What happened?" Sakura's eyes opened wide and she shuddered as wisps of the nightmare she had had flashed through her mind—vicious red fury—and she knew the burning on her arm wasn't from Naruto's hand but from three thin lines, like she knew her vision was swimming because she was crying. Naruto was sitting sideways next to her, his yellow and orange bedding tangled around her like she had been fighting it. His eyes were big and blue, and helpless, because he didn't know what had upset her. She was crying more uncontrollably now and so she leaned forward. Naruto twisted to catch her in his chest and she pulled at bunches in his shirt. Naruto rubbed her back precariously, unsure of how to best comfort her, and she knew he didn't know if what he was doing was okay with her, and it made her cry harder.

And suddenly she hated everything because life had been so cruel to him that he cried in grocery stores, that he barely knew the most basic and human things she had always had (who comforted him when he had nightmares?), that she hated what was inside of him, not because of what it could do to her, but what it could do (what it had already done) to him.

Sakura continued to cry, Naruto rubbing her back the whole time, until her head hurt and she had to stop so she could breathe properly. As her breathing slowed, she struggled against the sleepiness that dragged her eyes closed, but somewhere in the back of her mind a voice tried to tell her it was okay because she wasn't alone.

Naruto shifted and Sakura jerked awake. He had been trying to slip her back into the bed. She clutched his shirt, his shoulder, anything, to make sure he couldn't move away.

"Sakura-chan, let go." Naruto's voice was soft in the dark night.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm gonna sleep on the couch." Sakura held on to his shirt tighter, suddenly frightened by his words.

"Naruto, please. I don't want to be alone." The unsaid stay with me seemed to echo in her head. Naruto stopped trying to move away immediately. Even in the dark she could see he was staring at her, incredulous. A sad, wistful smile slowly replaced his shocked expression, like he had realized just exactly what had woken her up. He climbed over her and settled himself in, his chest at her back. Sakura relaxed immediately, and the tension and irrational fear that he would leave disappeared as quickly as it had come.

If this is how things were going to be now, Sakura wanted to embrace it with her whole self. She needed it. Naruto needed it. She wasn't going to be afraid of this new closeness, because it made her feel anything but afraid. It made her feel strong and protected, calm and excited, like things she had never dreamed of were possible. She needed that, they needed that, because Sasuke and Itachi and Akatsuki were still out there and there were so many things that could go wrong that something needed to go right to give hope a chance.

She turned to face Naruto, whose slow, deep breathing proved he was just as tired as she was. She pressed her face into his shoulder and smiled. She knew every time she said stay with me he would, because that was his ninja way. If that was what closer meant, that Sakura was going to get as close as she could get.

Note: the song playing in the grocery store is Closer by Travis. It was also, incidentally, the inspiration for this piece.