Fifty Themes II: Part Two
-Sunpies-

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto et al.

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#11: Birthday

They're married five years before they get to celebrate a birthday together. Their schedules wouldn't even have allowed for that if Sakura hadn't been dealing with Konoha's first outbreak of the measles in fifty years and Neji hadn't punctured a lung.

#12: Blessing

Both Neji and Sakura think that Kakashi becoming hokage was a blessing for Naruto. As close as her friend ever got to Tsunade, Naruto was only able to see the "Protector" part of being hokage. He never seemed to realize that being hokage was as much about saving as it was about smoothing the ruffled feathers of dignitaries and providing the village with stability when the whole world seemed like it was shaking.

Kakashi, as per his usual, forced Naruto to look at these parts of the job. There was a brief week where Naruto's dream seemed to falter when he saw the chains that the village would expect him to wear every time he put on the hat.

They both know, even before Kakashi tells them, that Naruto will give up his freedom for his dream. That's his way of the ninja.

#13: Bias

"Women are weaker than men." Neji said with a shrug as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Normally, Sakura fumed, this is where she would punch him and he would go flying across the village. She ground her teeth into a semblance of a grin; not this time. "Men are dumber than women." She stated just as plainly.

Neji smirked. "I'll tell that to Shikamaru the next time I see him."

Sakura's grin widened. "And you can enlighten our hokage with your findings the next time you see her. Oh, here she comes now." Behind Neji, the hokage, hearing her name, handed a sheaf of papers off to Shizune and came to join them.

"Enlighten me about what?"

#14: Burning

The best sex they ever have is right after their biggest fight. Sakura's chakra lays close to her skin and it makes every brush against him scald and tingle so intensely it's almost painful. That night she rides him mercilessly until he screams her name in a way she remembers for the rest of her life.

Sakura feels herself burning with exhaustion and the white flare of her own chakra. Looking down at him, feeling his vice-like grip on her hips, she becomes addicted to the heat.

Neji thinks that if this is what it means to be burned alive then fuck if he doesn't want to spend the rest of his life dying.

#15: Breathing

Sakura spends her days surrounded by suffering and death. On those days where it is the worst, she comes home and listens to Neji breathe. In those moments before she can bring herself to think about the day, he's the only real thing in the whole world because he's breathing and the people she couldn't save aren't.

#16: Breaking

The village is breaking. Their generation is too big for the barriers that have been holding in power and prejudice since before anyone can remember. It's breaking because Neji is more than a member of the branch house, because Sasuke came back, and because Naruto will be hokage.

Sakura sees the tell-tale cracks in Hidden Leaf as easily as if they're letting light into a dark room. And maybe she's just as tired of the dark as all of them are, because soon she too finds herself swinging at those village walls with her monstrous strength and healing her friends so they can keep going. (punch) She doesn't know what's on the other side (punch) or what they'll build in its place (punch) but she thinks it's about time (punch) to find out.

#17: Blank

"Welcome to our village, Naruto-sama." The raikage, a willowy middle-aged man with long silver hair, bowed slightly.

"Hey Arashi..." Naruto petered to a stop as Kakashi caught his eye and gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head. "Thank you, Arashi-sama. Leaf hopes..." He struggled to remember the dialogue he'd been practicing their entire trip to Lightening. The raikage waited patiently; his smile was good-natured if a little mischievous. "We hope that mutual friendship and common goals will continue to unite our lands." Naruto said, immensely pleased with himself.

The raikage nodded. "I assure you, the feeling is mutual, hokage-sama." With that he turned and began to lead the way towards his office. "Now, I am well acquainted with the "Copy-Ninja" Kakashi, but I'm afraid I don't know your other guest." The older kage glanced at Neji who walked silently beside Kakashi. "The eyes are familiar. Hyuuga, if I don't miss my guess?"

Naruto shrugged. "Something like that, but... hmm... I'm drawing a blank...seems like I can never remember his name." He paused thoughtfully while Neji just glared at the back of the blonde's head. "Oh well, it doesn't matter. Say, Arashi-sama, tell us about the lightening tamers we've been hearing so much about."

Kakashi sighed and put a steadying hand on the affronted Hyuuga's shoulder. He hoped that Naruto wouldn't treat Sakura's boyfriend like this the entire trip.

#18: Balloon

POP!

The balloon wheezed as the air inside it propelled the blue bit around the room before it fell to the floor.

"Damn it!" Sakura stamped in frustration and sent her foot down through the floorboards.

Neji sighed as he stood from his last touch-up to the wall. "You know, if I didn't find watching you so amusing I'd probably be upset that you keep destroying the house."

#19: Balcony

"Isn't this romantic?" Sakura asked dreamily, her hands braced against the railing as she gazed up at a sky filled to bursting with stars.

"I suppose. Although I don't pretend to know why looking at the sky from a balcony is so different from looking at it from the ground."

Sakura smiled. "That's because you're a romantic."

"What?"

"Shhh, just watch the sky."

#20: Bane

Surprisingly, Sakura's name appears in the Bingo Book before Neji's does. It's after a horrible mission in Earth Country that Sakura gains the nickname "Healing Bane" for poisoning the water supply of a small city, all the while pretending to heal the citizens who beg to die before they do.

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Fifty Themes II: Part Two
-Sunpies-

For Lady Silvamord