Title: An Acceptable Apology
Summary: Ways to say "I love you" #2: When you forget her birthday, apologize by proposing.
Pairing: NaruKarin
Rating: K+
Notes: Set a few years after the end of the series. Naruto and Karin are in their early twenties. And appropriately, Karin's birthday was yesterday.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Naruto wasn't sure why he always had to go for the short-tempered girls. He thought about that as he exchanged what could only be described as a screaming match with said short-tempered girl from her apartment window.

"Come on, Karin let me come in!" Naruto shouted up to the second-story window, which was open to allow Karin and her long, scarlet hair to poke out. He was starting to get just a little desperate, his levels of desperation rising in proportion with her anger.

The redhead's response was as expected. "Hell no!" Karin shrieked from the window, clearly uncaring that their ruckus was drawing the attention of half of Konoha in the mid-morning calm. Even from so high up, Naruto could practically feel the rage coming off of her out from her bright red eyes. "How the hell could you forget my birthday? We'd been planning that party for weeks!"

"Please, I'm sorry!"

"Do I look like I care?"

Hot sunlight beat down on Naruto's back as he rubbed the back of his neck ruefully, thinking of what he could say that would possibly placate his seething girlfriend. Girlfriend? Naruto smiled grimly. At the moment, closer to girl 'fiend'.

God, I am so stupid. How could I forget?

Oh, yeah, I remember now. Well, maybe if I tell her why I forgot, she won't be so mad at me anymore.

"MARRY ME!" Naruto screamed, cupping his mouth in his hands. His last-ditch attempt to get her to accept his apology, and he prayed it would work. Of course, it would be nice if she said 'yes', too.

For a moment, there was silence, and Naruto got the impression that the half of Konoha that had been eavesdropping on their screaming match was holding their collective breaths.

Karin herself was staring at him as though he'd grown a second head, finely marked brows disappearing into her messy bangs. "What?" Her sharp voice had risen to a strangely strangled squeak.

Naruto grinned up at her. "You heard me! Marry me!"

Convinced that she hadn't stepped into the Twilight Zone, Karin's reaction was immediate. "Just a minute." Her head disappeared from sight, and Naruto prayed that when she—presumably—came outside, things would not come to blows.

After a minute, the back door to the apartment building opened, and Karin stepped out, a strongly satisfied smile on her face. She held out her hand to Naruto, beckoning him inside. "You are forgiven."