The upbeat strumming of a near-by pipa set the scene for both Naruto and Sakura. Spring was light in the wind of Konoha and the flowers were blooming magnificently. A few stray gingko fluttered down from their roosts, twining with a flurry of scattered blossoms. Sakura didn't think she'd ever been part of a more perfect day than today. She gave a board smile, grinning at Naruto whou couldn't help but return the same enthusiasm, a boisterous laugh quickly consumed him though. Sakura's face went dead as she cut him an icy look.
"I can't help it Sakura! You look so hilarious!" Naruto spluttered out apologetically, causing Sakura to huff and look off to the side with a jutting lower lip. It did little to ease Naruto's laughter.
"It's only a missing tooth, Naruto!" She bit back, her snarling lips revealing a distinct lack of one front tooth. "Shinobi get teeth knocked out all the time." She nodded to herself, reassuring herself that it was no big deal and, in fact, giving her the justification to award herself with a mental badge of shinobi excellence. She was one step closer to being a true, world-class ninja.
"I'm sorry, Sakura it's just, you're Sakura! You don't get your teeth knocked out! You knock their teeth out!" He roared, his raucous laughter growing the more he thought about. Sakura's ever changing facial expressions did little to help him.
"You're just jealous because you've never been in a fight so hard you got a tooth knocked out." Sakura jabbed, her ploy to shut him up working perfectly as Naruto's laugh died in a split second. He gave a large doe-eyed blink as he considered the facts. With a sniff he leant back in his chair outside the café he and Sakura had stopped at for lunch, one arm supporting his head as he pointed his thumb at himself with the other.
"I don't need injuries to show how tough I am." His voice was filled with self-confidence and a thick layer of ego. Sakura looked smug as she leant forward, her elbow resting on the top of the table between dishes of dumplings and dango, a stern finger pointed at Naruto.
"Neji had three teeth knocked out from when he took on that squad of jounin Cloud shinobi." Her lips twisted into a cruel smirk as she baited him. Naruto crashed forward as he slammed both his arms down onto the table, sending a scattering of dishes off the table and onto the floor.
"Sakura, I gotta get in a fight!" He yelled his face panic stricken. Sakura leant back from the hunched over orange clad ninja, ignoring the disapproving scowls from the other patrons due to all the ruckus.
"You gotta help me Sakura! I can't let Neji be tougher than me!" He whined, covering his head with his arms at the indignity, silently weeping.
"I can help you with that." Sakura nodded sagely, her eyes closed.
"Really?" Naruto looked up, his puppy-dog eyes rimmed with crocodile tears.
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"Ahhh! Would the lovely couple like a picture to commemorate this auspicious day?" An old man inquired from behind his camera, a tooth-less grin lighting up his wrinkled features as he spotted the two. He gave a startled pause as they turned to face him, a sweat drop running down his forehead.
"Hell yeah!" Cried Naruto as he dragged a giggling Sakura in close, roped in by the arm that was already slung around her shoulders.
"And smile!" The old man crooned as the camera gave a brilliant flash. Naruto gave a few blinks as he chased away the dots dancing across his vision. Sakura eagerly accepted the photo as it slid out, paying the old man's fee despite Naruto's protest. As they walked away, hand in hand Sakura could only giggle as she looked at the photo.
"Oi! Let me see!" Naruto huffed, snatching away the photo. As he looked down at the photo he could only laugh as he saw the mess. There he was, arm wrapped around Sakura, a giant purple puffy cheek, dried blood caked on his lips and a massive, blindingly happy smile. Sakura looked victorious standing next to him, gladly holding up four loose teeth like a prized stag rack.
He gave another happy chuckle, his lips pulling into another happy smile before leaning down to kiss Sakura on the cheek.
"I'm the strongest ninja in Konoha again, and this time, I got the strongest kunoichi at my side."
AN/ just a short drabble because I felt like writing c: I'll be trying to get the next chapter of Okayu up soon. You could think of this little blurb as cannon to the other story if you wish.