The NaruSaku Collection

Story Four: The Reality of Sakura

Summary: Tsunade and Ino question Naruto about just what Sakura is like as a girlfriend.


"So, Naruto," Tsunade began. "Does Sakura live up to your expectations as a girlfriend? How long have you been dating now?"

"Three months, fourteen days!" Naruto replied enthusiastically, a wide grin on his face.

"That bad you're counting the days, huh?" Ino smirked.

"No way! It's been the best three months and fourteen days of my life." Naruto laughed.

"Really?" Ino questioned.

"Of course," he replied honestly. "Time has been flying."

"Does she hit you less?" Tsunade smirked.

Naruto thought about it for a moment. "Actually, I think she hits me more."

"She does have to spend more time with you," Ino pointed out.

"I don't mind it." He shrugged.

"You seek being hit?" Tsunade raised a questioning eyebrow.

"No." Naruto shook his head. "Then I really would have a death wish but... Sometimes she kisses it better." He sighed dreamily. "Or takes her time healing me..."

"Kissing injuries better?" Tsunade smirked. "She can be nice then?"

"Of course!" Naruto frowned at the accusation. "She's the best girlfriend ever! She's really nice. She cooked me dinner last night!"

"Unlucky." Ino grinned.

Naruto's frown increased. "I like Sakura-chan's cooking. She's the best cook ever."

"You can't say she's the best at everything, Naruto." Tsunade smiled and shook her head.

"Yes I can," he replied pointedly.

Ino laughed. "Okay, she's the best... But can she actually be sweet towards you?"

Naruto smiled to himself. "Yes, very sweet."

"She's not so big on public affection." Ino shrugged.

"Give her a couple of more months, I think she'll get more bold," Tsunade shrugged. "She'll hold his hand in public."

"I just want to see Sakura act sweet and lovey-dovey towards her lover boy." Ino grinned.

"Why?" Naruto asked.

"Because you're a cute couple," Ino smirked. "Don't you wish she was more publicly affectionate towards you?"

"She's perfect as she is." Naruto shrugged.

"So you don't want her to kiss you more?" Ino raised an eyebrow.

"Of course." He grinned and as he spaced-out.

The medics shared an amused look between them.


Sakura entered her mentor's office to find Naruto, Ino and Tsunade in some kind of discussion. She smiled at them and walked up to the Hokage's desk. She placed down her paperwork before heading back towards the door. She was going to leave (she had a ton more work to do today), but paused and looked back at her friends. They were all smiling at her funny, well, that wasn't out of the ordinary for Naruto - his cheek muscles hadn't seemed to have relaxed for the past three months - but the too sure smiles on the females' faces had her a little worried. The silence wasn't helping either. "...What?" She asked awkwardly.

"Nothing, we were just discussing you," Ino replied casually.

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow and shut the door, walking back to stand by her boyfriend. "What about me?"

"You and Naruto," Tsunade added.

"What about us...?" Sakura pushed.

She didn't like the other medics discussing things about her behind her back because she usually ended up on the end of some prank or private joke.

"He was telling us his opinion on you as a girlfriend." The Hokage shrugged.

"...Do I need to hit him?" She questioned.

Naruto stiffened on the spot.

Tsunade hummed. "No, I don't think so, he was being very sweet."

She probably did need to hit him then - he was very good at being sweet, even if it was in his own idiotic way, but sometimes he was too sweet. When they were alone it was fine but... He embarrassed her a little. She didn't want to go around blushing in public and fumbling over her words like a little girl with a crush. Composing herself, she answered blankly, "He's always sweet."

"That must be why you like him then. You love sweet things." Ino grinned.

She frowned at her best friend but didn't answer.

"There's a man in the hospital ward, he's just come in," Tsunade began.

Sakura turned more serious as she looked at her mentor. "What's wrong?"

"A broken arm," Tsunade replied before biting her lip, a slight smirk showing. "Will you kiss it better?"

Ino laughed.

Sakura choked - just what had Naruto been saying to her teasing friends? He should know that they make fun of her all the time and dating Naruto somehow made her an even easier target. She hit her boyfriend over the head and with a lack of a good comeback, turned around and left the office.


Naruto rubbed his head before pouting at the Hokage. "No wonder Sakura-chan isn't sweet to me in public! You two tease her for it!"

Tsunade and Ino smirked.

"Don't be mean," Naruto added, still pouting.

"It's only a bit of fun." Ino shrugged.

"A lot of fun," Tsunade corrected, still smirking.


Naruto waited for Sakura outside the hospital after work. He grinned at her when she started walking down the path towards him, she was a little late, but she usually was. He told her all the time that she overworked, yet she still stayed behind to help out more.

"Hey, Sakura-chan!" He beamed happily.

"Hey, Naruto." She smiled back, holding out her hand sheepishly towards him.

Naruto instantly accepted the offer and they began their walk together.

"I've been so bored today," Naruto told her. "I could barely get away from Ino and Tsunade this morning, you coming in was the highlight of my day."

"Me hitting you over the head was the highlight of your day?" Sakura questioned, her tone distant, she was staring straight ahead of them.

Naruto stole a glance in her direction and slowed down slightly, sensing something was wrong. "Of course."

Sakura stopped walking altogether and he did also. He looked worried as he asked, "Are you okay, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura shuffled on the spot. She looked at her feet for a moment before looking back up at him and asking, "Do you think I'm not affectionate enough towards you in public?"

Naruto's eyes widened. "What? No!"

"I heard what you said after I left the office..." She informed him quietly.

"Ino said that, not me!" He shook his head rapidly. "I told them you're perfect."

Sakura gave him a small smile.

"I think you're very sweet," he added with a genuine smile. "You're always doing little things for me that never fail to make me happy, I always notice."

Sakura's smile grew a little. She took a step closer towards him and kissed him on the lips, he closed his eyes and kissed her back, softly and sweetly. When she pulled back, she smiled at him.

"Although I wouldn't mind you kissing me more," he murmured.

Silently agreeing, Sakura moved in and kissed him again before pulling back and grinning.

"If Ino thinks you're not sweet enough, she needs to start stalking you more." Naruto grinned.

Sakura rolled her eyes before saying, "I wouldn't be surprised if she was watching us right now. She is probably hiding in the bushes."

Naruto ran off the side of the path and started looking under the closest bushes and she laughed. He came back with his hand behind his back. "I didn't find Ino but..." He held out what he had found towards her. "Here."

Sakura tried not to giggle as she accepted his gift to her. "Thanks, Naruto, that's a very pretty dandelion."

Pleased, Naruto grinned back at her.

Smiling to herself, she linked her arm with his and they headed down the path again together. "My place for dinner?" She questioned.

"Nope, I'm taking you out for a meal tonight and it's not Ichiraku's!" Naruto announced loudly.

"I'm glad you verified that." She laughed. "We did go there for lunch yesterday."

"I'll just have to go for breakfast," he added. "I'm treating you though, anywhere you want to go, take a pick."

"Hmm." She hummed thoughtfully.

"Want to get something sweet?" He smiled.

Sakura smiled back. "I think I have enough sweetness right here, Naruto, you know, I'd quite like to go to Ichiraku's actually."

Naruto's eyes widened. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, ramen it is," she answered.

"Best girlfriend ever!" Naruto shouted before he started running, pulling her along by the hand.

Sakura laughed and started running to keep up with her over-excited boyfriend.


Sakura walked hand in hand with Naruto. He decided to walk her all the way to her hospital ward and she didn't complain. Although she inwardly cringed a little as she entered the staff room to see both Ino and Tsunade in there.

Ino grinned. "Hey, love birds."

Ignoring her friend, Sakura slowly unlinked her hand from Naruto's - not because they were being watched though. She was coming to terms with the fact that she didn't care who saw her acting lovingly towards her boyfriend, or if they teased her - she was happy and she wanted people to know that she was completely comfortable. Ino was just jealous, surely. She leant on tiptoes and kissed Naruto on the cheek. "I'll see you at lunch."

"I thought we were having lunch together." Ino pouted.

"Sorry, Ino, I'm being a sweet girlfriend today and going out for lunch with Naruto." She smiled back.

"Well, you can't be as sweet as he is to you, even if you try." Ino laughed and shook her head.

"He knows exactly how long you've been dating," Tsunade added.

Sakura glanced at the clock, before stating, "Three months, fifteen days and seventeen hours."

"You geek." Ino grinned.

"What?" Sakura shrugged. "I remember it."

"Who doesn't?" Ino smiled. "You came off your lunch break grinning and you didn't stop smiling all day."

"They've not stopped smiling for months." Tsunade laughed.

Sakura shrugged before walking up to a notice board, she pulled off a clipboard and headed back towards the door, her arm brushing Naruto's as she walked passed. "I'll see you later."

Naruto watched her go, still smiling.

"So after years of chasing her, she really does live up to the fantasy?" Tsunade questioned the boy.

"Yes." Naruto smiled. "It's been the best three months, fifteen days, seventeen hours, twelve minutes and three seconds of my life!"


Author Notes:

12:39 a.m. Not bad at all! I started this just after 11 p.m. It was one of those shorts that I just had the urge to write. I pushed myself to finish it all tonight instead of leaving a little for tomorrow.

At some point I might do a 'The Reality of Naruto' NaruSaku short story... If and when I get an idea for it. This expanded a lot as I got into it. Sometimes I feel like they could even be part of a bigger story.

I finished this the other week... With the low NaruSaku spirit at the minute, does anyone object to maybe ten or fifty NaruSaku short stories from me? :D I shall spam out this website with positive, fluffiness! Sorry this one was shorter, maybe I'll get (a hopefully better) one out sooner to make up for it.

I wish you all an early Happy New Year!

Thanks for reading!


More from the NaruSaku Collection:

Chapter 5: Why?

Summary: During their lunch break, Ino brings up the sensitive topic of the status of Sakura's feelings for Sasuke. Why does she wait for him? Is there not another option when it comes to romance? A certain someone picks a good time to overhear the medics' conversation.

Chapter 6: An Acceptation of Feelings

Summary: The near death of Naruto gets Sakura to do some serious thinking about their relationship. Things between them begin to develop at a faster rate than ever before.

Chapter 7: The Choice of Hokage

Summary: Slight 631 spoilers (too late if you've read this summary, that's the spoiler). Naruto questions Sakura about his rivalry with Sasuke to become Hokage, after he witnesses her wish his best friend luck. Who does she want to see become Hokage?

Chapter 8: When to Say I Love You

Summary: He had said it several times to her, yet she had yet to return the gesture. People begin to wonder if and when Sakura will ever say the phrase and just why she hasn't already.

Chapter 9: Being a Man

Summary: Sakura's the 'man' of their relationship apparently. Naruto doesn't quite understand. He was a manly boyfriend - right? He would ask Sakura when she picked him up for their date.

Chapter 10: Drunken Comfort

Summary: Naruto takes a drunken Sakura home. Sakura had a tough week, Ino tells him, and that the drunken night out was the first opportunity for her to let out her feelings. He takes it upon himself get to the bottom of her depression and make her happy again.

Chapter 11: Carefree

Summary: Written for the Heaven & Earth 10th Anniversary Contest. The relationship between Sakura and Naruto could not be more carefree... until Sakura gets home one evening to find Naruto is acting nervously. What's he managed to do in the short time she was at work?

Chapter 12: Cake

Summary: Sakura gets it in her head that she's going to make Naruto a birthday cake. She would admit that the idea was a momentary lapse of judgement. She can't bake, but that's not going to stop her trying... again and again and again. Naruto's worth it. What is her boyfriend going to think of the result?