I Only Have Eyes for You

Chapter 10: Lovers and Liars

Notes: I'm trying to be better at answering questions or responding to your reviews. I'm very aware of how Naruto is acting. Naruto isn't a saint, nor does he have the patience of Buddha. Everyone, including him, has a breaking point. Hold on for a little while longer.

I'm oh-so-terrible at this

Don't hold it against me.

I've already said I'm sorry – Matchbook Romance

"Stay very still, Yuuya," Sakura held his small arm in place as she inserted the needle in his arm.

The red-headed boy winced and looked away to his teammates. "What the heck is so damn funny, Kotaro?"

The brown hair boy sitting against the wall continued to snicker. "Real ninjas don't get hurt by just shots."

"Whatever," Michiko shook her head. "You were tearing up."

"There you go, no harm done," Sakura placed a square gauze where the injection site was, and began to wrap it with tape. "So, your first mission out of Fire Country. Are you excited?"

"Yeah," Yuuya answered enthusiastically. "Aren't you gonna get shots too, Sensei?"

Naruto stood from his seat as he shook his head. "Nope," he pulled out a piece of paper from his inner vest pocket. "Here," and handed it to Sakura to sign. "I don't need my boosters until another four years," he told his students.

One by one, Sakura wrote down the students' name, along with her initials, indicating she administered the specific shots. "The shots aren't really for when you hit Sunagakure. It's for anything that could bite you in the forest along the way."

Michiko blinked. "We're not going to Suna."

Sakura turned to Naruto, who was looking at his kids with wide eyes. "But you said you were going this week?"

"Well-," Naruto swallowed, "we are-."

"We are?" Kotaro interrupted. "I thought we were going to the outskirts of Water Country for our mission?"

"We- we are!" Naruto insisted. "But then we're going to Suna."

"What for?" Yuuya asked.

Perhaps it was time to help him out, Sakura laughed. "You'll understand when you're older. But since your sensei is in a long distance relationship, he'll use whatever chance to see his girlfriend."

The three children looked at each other before erupting in hysterical laughter. "You're kidding, right, Nee-san?" Yuuya chuckled.

"Sensei doesn't have a girlfriend!" the female of the group exclaimed.

Sakura's brow furrowed at the children. "Now, I know you can't believe it, but some girls may find your teacher attract-," her eyes turned to Naruto and watched as he clutched his head in his hands. Suddenly, it clicked in her head. "Unless…" Sakura narrowed her eyes at him. "Naruto, did you lie about that? About having a girlfriend?"

Naruto stood up straight. "Oh, look at the time! Thanks for your help-," he said, grabbing the forms from her and opening the door, "Come on, you little shrimps, time to go-!"

"Just a minute!" she grabbed him by the collar and yanked him towards her. "Why did you lie to me?"

"Ergh, well-."

"Well, what?" she exclaimed.

The children exchanged looks and slowly snuck out of the room.

"Why did you lie?" Sakura asked him. "You told me you had a—why'd you do it?"

Naruto just shrugged again. "Uh… joke. It was a joke-," Naruto froze as his eyes fell of Sakura.

She could feel her emotions simmer, steam and boil over all together until they finally broke through. Her vision became fuzzy and she released his collar, saying, "That—that was a horrible joke, Naruto! You've been avoiding me but you don't have a girlfriend! Either way… god, you're so stupid!"

Naruto reached his hands out to her but stopped himself before he could.

'What's wrong with me?' she asked herself.

"Why… why are you crying?" his voice cracked through her thoughts.

"I'm not," she said, making sure her tears wouldn't fall in his sight. She turned her back to him, eyes to the window opposite to the wall. "Why'd you do it?" Whether she was referring to his lie or his avoidance, she wasn't sure anymore.

"Look," she heard him say, "It was a stupid joke. Just, just forget it happened. You got—you got other things to worry about, alright? Just worry about him."

" 'Him'? What do you-?" Sakura pivoted to face him but instead saw the sight of a slamming door.

When Sakura came home after work, she immediately ran over to her closet, and pulled out the pink envelope from the jacket pocket. She held it close to her chest and suddenly, the tears started to form.

Why, why did it have to be like this? Why was she feeling happiness and anger all at once? Anger that he lied… But happiness because he lied? That didn't make any sense.

A strong knock came to the door; Sakura's senses jolted to attention. She wasn't expecting anyone… She wiped her tears, trying to look slightly presentable as she headed to the door and opened it.

Ino stood at the doormat, a gentle smile on her face. "Hey," she held her hand out in a wave. "May I come in?"

"Sure," Sakura stepped back, letting her walk through the threshold.

"Chouji said he saw you at the hospital," Ino said as she slipped off her shoes. "And that you didn't look so good." Immediately, she noticed Sakura clutching a familiar pink envelope. "Oh, Sakura, were you just-?"

Sakura shook her head, trying to camouflage the formation of tears. She felt Ino wrap an arm around her as they made their way to the table of her dining nook. She placed the envelope down in front of her as Ino took a seat across from her. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm so confused."

"Well," Ino placed her elbows on the table, hands cradling her chin, "tell me everything that's going on in your head. Just let it out."

Sakura said nothing at first and gathered her thoughts before she spoke. "When you were younger, what did you imagine it would be like to kiss Sasuke-kun?"

Ino blinked, and then momentarily closed her eyes. "Hm… like a shoujo manga, with sparkling dew drops, roses and the air smelling of perfume. Why?"

"It…" Sakura's brow furrowed in puzzlement, "… it didn't feel like that."

The sudden drop of Ino's palms to the table shocked Sakura. "You kissed Sasuke-kun? Spill, woman! I want details!"

"We were talking, right outside," Sakura pointed to the door, "and he grabbed me and just kissed me. Twice."

"And?" Ino's eyes glimmered. "How was it like?"

"Cold," she answered, trying to recall it. "We just came back from the movies, so we were walking outside at night… and I was shocked the first time, my eyes were open! But the second time… it was nice. Not anything like I imagined, but it was nice."

"Just nice? What did you imagine it should have been like?"

"Well, kind of like yours, with sparkles and flowers," Sakura answered honestly, "but really… almost like an out of body experience. Like it's not something I'm meant to control," she elaborated further. "But once it happens, it's going to be the only thing that matters."

"Alright, so you're finally dating Sasuke-kun and you two even kissed. Why so glum then?"

"Naruto lied about having a girlfriend."

Ino blinked. "Wait, rewind."

Sakura took a deep breath. "Naruto has been avoiding me ever since he returned with Sasuke-kun. And he's been hiding something… He admitted he had a girlfriend but it turns out he didn't… ergh!" she buried her face in her hands.

"Wait, wait, wait," Ino held her hands out. "You're upset because a friend lied to you, right?"

"I dunno."

"You're not upset because you were jealous he possibly had a girlfriend… right?"

"I dunno! I don't know why! Why was I so upset that he had a girlfriend?" Sakura clutched her head between her hands. "Why did a part of me become so relieved when he admitted he didn't? Why has he been avoiding me? And why—why do I think of him when I'm out with Sasuke-kun? It just doesn't make sense!" Sakura placed her head down and took long deep breaths.

"Are you sure he's avoiding you and you're not imagining it?"

"Positive," Sakura growled.

Ino reached out for her friend's hands and held them tightly. "Okay, obviously, you're really confused. Just take deep breaths and try to really think about it."

Sakura obliged, her eyes closed tight. She could see images of both Naruto and Sasuke, memories that she held dear to her. Tears started to pool in her eyes until they leaked through her shut lids. "Ino… am I a bad person to love two people?"

Ino didn't know what to say at first. She swallowed the lump in her throat and tried her best not to stammer. "No, you're not," Ino's eyes softened in sympathy. "It happens." Not that she wanted to encourage stringing both men along… "But you have to figure out how you love them. The same? Or do you love one more?"

"I know I love them both but how do I figure that out?"

Ino held her arms out in defeat. "I don't know. That's for you to decide."

Hearing that caused Sakura's heart to sink. She buried her face in her hands, face muscles fatigued from crying.

"You could look at it like this," Ino told her. "Which one could you not live without?"

She had been thinking of what Ino said. Was it really that simple? Just pick one over the other?

With Naruto… well, she was comfortable. She had grown close to him over the years. He became one of her best friends and he understood her.

But Sasuke… her first love, the one that got away. He was such a lost soul, seeking strength and in the end, he came back. Back to her… these past two months have been like a dream come true for her.

She dreaded the idea of choosing. She had no idea what she would do if the time came. How hurt would the other party get?

Sakura sighed. She just had to enjoy a night of yakiniku, Sakura told herself.

"Sakura, wait."

She looked up to the figure in front of her.

Sasuke's eyes were turned away from her as he reached over to her. In his palm, he held an object for her to hold. "Here," Sasuke told her. "So I can give it to you early."

"For me?" she still couldn't believe it; Sasuke got her a birthday present?

"Aa."

She reached for the modestly wrapped present. It was shaped in a perfect square of gold foil and a thin ribbon around it. Gingerly, Sakura opened the present, careful not to damage the delicate contents inside. She pulled the wrapping aside to find a bracelet of silver. It was an antique, it seemed, dulled with age, but even still, each thick chain was perfectly shaped. On closer inspection, she saw a small Uchiha fan hanging off the chain's hook. "Sasuke-kun… wow… it's beautiful… Is this from your family?"

Sasuke nodded. "It was. I… maybe I shouldn't have given it to you yet."

Sakura's brow furrowed. "I don't understand."

"The thing is," Sasuke said as he stepped up to face her, meeting her eye to eye. For a moment, their eyes met. He tried to hold her in a gaze but something flew over him and he decided to turn off to the side. "The thing is," he started again, "I've been thinking about things, important things."

Sakura stayed silent to let him continue.

"And those important things… are difficult. And complicated," he added for good measure. "You've been on my side for years."

"Of course" she jumped to his statement. "I believe in you, Sasuke-kun. And I… I care about you very much," Sakura told him, pulling her eyes down to his shoulder.

"So then, six years from now, when my sentence is over, when my name is respectable, are you going to still be on my side?"

Something about the way he was avoiding eye contact was suspicious. "What…?" Sakura wasn't sure exactly he was trying to ask her. To test her loyalty?

Sasuke forced his fists in his pockets. "Maybe not on my side, then. Perhaps, 'beside me' instead." He risked a glance at her and then turned away to the apparel shop across the street.

Her eyes remained on the bracelet in her hand as she realized the meaning of his words. 'Are you going to be beside me?' She felt as if her brain divided in quadrants and they began to spin in different directions. Her muscles felt raw, her brain incapable of formulating a response. "You… you want me to… stand by you? When we're older?"

"I would desire that," he admitted. "You're one of the few people in this world I can trust. However," he immediately added, "there isn't a rush to your answer. I still have some years to go. It's just that I wouldn't mind. Can you at least consider it?"

Sakura nodded with a heavy heart. She didn't trust herself to respond verbally, anyway. Sakura was afraid she might have vocalized her initial thoughts: What would Naruto say?

The couple made their quiet trek into the yakiniku shop. She was immediately greeted with congratulations and embraces from her friends. Many were there, including her fellow graduates of the academy, Gai's former students, and many of her teachers and co-workers.

"Hello," Sai approached her and Sasuke.

"Hi," she responded and looked around to all the faces of the party. "There's a lot of people here."

"Surprisingly, you have friends despite your boorish personality. Imagine that," Sai said with a smile.

"Oh shut up," Sakura said as her eyes darted around the room.

"Naruto isn't here."

Sakura froze. "Wh-what makes you think I was looking for him?" she glanced at Sai, Sasuke, then back to Sai, "Because I wasn't."

"I know," Sai declared with an air of nonchalance. "He came down with something but he sends you best wishes," he raised his glass of what looked like water and took a quick drink, before leaving Sakura be among the festivities.

Sakura quickly collected any willpower inside her that she could spare, and pulled a smile to her face.