i am so happy that people actually liked this story and even reviewed. makes me feel so giddy. ^^

well, this is a new chapter, although they will all be quite shorts. the chapters are not really in order, i will make some jump through time but it will be very easy to understand.

lastly, the characters don`t belong to me, but to masashi kishimoto. hope you enjoy.

For all her optimism, Naruto did not think that she would ever get married. Three years after the end of the war and having watched her friends settle down one after the other, she somehow longed for a partner. She was a very passionate person, and she doubted that in love, she could settle for part of anything, she wanted the man she will stay with to love her with all his heart, just like her parents loved her or like her father loved her mother. The affection she gave to those closed to her was just enough to destruct if she ever got disappointed but she did not mind. So, having come to that conclusion after some failed relationships, she plastered a smile on her face and went through life as she usually did. Bothering Kakashi-sensei for the Hokage`s hat, visiting a pregnant Sakura-chan at the hospital, going on mission with the guys. It was not really the happiness her heart longed for, but it was still enough to leave her content at the end of the day. The world was peaceful, there will never be a war like the precedents, although there were still rogue ninjas, thieves and small thugs like that, it was not something that they could not take care of.

So just as she had done since she was born, she smiled, ate ramen, played with the children in the village, and convinced herself that she would be happy as long as everyone was happy.

Then the bastard came back. He was still cold as usual but she could melt him. He followed her like a lost puppy, she thought. And before she realized, Sasuke had become part of her routine. He was there during her strolls through the village, no more training against her clone, no more ramen alone after a hard day, he would even sit with her on top of the fourth head to observe the sunset.

And on her 21st birthday, he had held her. Strongly. As if he feared that she would disappear. At that moment, she felt adored. The way his hands will grip her and his nose will caress her throat, the energy coming off him was like waves of fire, she sucked it up easily and she kissed him.

The part of her mind that was shouting that it was Sasuke, the teme, her rival shut up after a moment and the answer to her question was found. She released him to catch her breath, holding his face in between her fingers to make him look down at her. Red eyes clashed with blue and she could not help it.

"marry me" she asked, confidently.

Sasuke`s eyes widened slightly and he snorted softly before hugging her back. He kissed her and whispered before her lips. "only you would defy even this rule."

Naruto had gone through everything in her life, blazing her way through a storm trying to hold her down at every corner. She had never been one for tradition, spontaneity was her signature and seriously, if it was up to the bastard, he probably would have taken another three years before proposing.