Naruto could hear how softly she sighed when she dried the dirty plates. Three days had passed since that incident, and it seemed that Sakura had started avoiding him lately. Strangely he found himself beginning to stare at her more often than he did before.
He could see that every time she sighed her shoulder slumped downwards, and she has a sad expression on her face. Tohru stood on the chair washing the plates eagerly, but Sakura's mood didn't go by unnoticed.
The tiny girl had spent hours in Naruto's room, complaining about how Sakura had seemed to ignore her too lately.
He didn't like the way things had developed – because there were two things that bothered him, they were never alone, and Sakura always went to bed the same time as Tohru.
Sakura had very beautiful shoulders he had noticed too.
It came one day – completely out of the blue as he watched Sakura take down the laundry. Her shoulder moves upwards with such grace, and the muscles tensed but seemed smooth at the same time.
His trail of thoughts had surprised him mildly said. He couldn't help but get the urge to touch them, and it was a strange sensation – of course he had always thought Sakura had been a pretty girl, with decent ideals – but the thought beautiful had never once crossed his mind like that.
Naruto looked the other way and drank his tea.
Sakura glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and then let her gaze fall back on the dishes. Tohru noticed and turned to look at Naruto too. "Hey – Naruto-san, would you like to train me today, Sakura-san says she is too busy"
He looked up and stared at Sakura's turned back and then back at Tohru, who smiled. He cracked a half smile of his own and muttered into his teacup. "I don't think that should be a problem…"
Sakura then spoke. "Naruto – I will just inform you that I am expecting a guest from Rock soon – don't worry, they do not know who you are – but I will just say that I might be away from home a bit"
Naruto frowned. "You are still working for them…I thought your loyal-"
"He is a friend of mine – I haven't seen him in a long time, and I would like to exchange a few information with him, and that also means what I have been doing"
He placed his cup on the table. "Whatever, as long as he doesn't interfere with what I am do-"
"Don't worry, we will not…"
When Naruto noticed the we, he could not help but feel a bit of regret that Sakura would not talk to him. Taking it as a sign that she wanted him to leave the house to train Tohru, he nodded and motioned the girl to come with him.
He failed to notice Sakura's gaze travelling with him as he opened and closed the door, and her fingers that clutched the plate harder than indented to.
-
Tohru blew her hair away as he and Naruto took a break from training. She lay down on the log and stared at the sky. "I think Sakura-san is sad…"
Naruto looked into the sky too. "How come Tohru-chan?"
She was silent for a minute. "She told me that she is scared that you are going to leave without telling her."
Naruto didn't say anything except and "oh" in reply.
Tohru pointed at the sky. "I don't like that Sasuke-kun. Sakura-san always gets so sad when she talks about him, I don't know what he has done her, but I don't like that a man can make her sad."
"Sasuke makes me sad too." Naruto said, and turned his head towards the kitchen window – seeing Sakura placing the dishes back unto the shelves again. She had that sighing look again.
"Why?"
"Because he was my friend – my best friend, and Sakura's friend too, but he died. It hurts when people die."
Tohru glanced at the doll in her hands. "Do you think – if I knew my mom, would I also be sad if she died?"
"I guess you would." He muttered.
His eyes caught Sakura's as she turned her face towards them, and quickly looked the other way.
-
Sakura had her back turned towards him again – Naruto guessed it was natural. This was their first night alone in ten days – and she was making him a cup of tea.
"Hm…Sakura?"
"Yes"
"How come you…know – escape Akatsuki?"
She stopped the movement with her hands and her shoulders tensed, before she relaxed again.
"Why do you ask?"
He shrugged and let his nail dig into the wooden table. "Nothing really"
"Then I don't need to tell you."
Silence.
"Did it hurt – when they tortured you?"
She took a cup from the shelf and poured up the hot water. "I guess it did – I don't remember it so clearly anymore, more like a distant nightmare I dream at night."
She sat the cup before him and placed the tealeaves in it. He stared at her expressionless face, his hand slowly raised to tuck back a pink lock – but she had already walked away, and was rummaging through the closet at the wall, trying to find a towel to dry her hands in.
"So, mm, how do you sleep at night lately?"
"What is with all these questions?" she asked back.
Naruto shrugged and sipped to his tea.
She turned to stare at his blond hair, it was really blond and she shook her head softly.
"You like the tea?"
He blinked and sat the cup down. "Uhm, yeah – you are good at making tea."
She nodded and walked back to the kitchen table.
"You know Sakura – I always liked your hair long."
She began to rub the remaining dishes.
"But I like it short…" she said.
Naruto narrowed his eyes a bit. "That wasn't what I wanted to say." Sakura made a small laugh and took her own cup of tea and sat down on the other side of the table. "You have always been bad with words"
"Sakura."
"Hmm?"
"How did the Akatsuki capture you?"
She groaned softly into the hot tea, and sat the cup down, before she moved her gaze towards the window. "I would more say how I tried to capture them."
Naruto sipped his tea as he watched her green eyes reflect the moonlight, and he needed to keep himself from wanting to stare into those emerald eyes forever. He coughed.
"Oh…"
"I tried to capture Itachi, but he captured me instead – and brought me to their hide-out where they convinced me to take care of Tohru"
Naruto reached out to touch her hand but she pulled it away, signalling that she either didn't want him to touch her or that she wasn't ready. "Don't pity me" even though she had a cool façade her voice shook as she spoke.
Naruto stood up angrily from his seat. "I just don't get it! Why would you go through all that, and confront a man you knew you couldn't kill! Why!? And don't just say that is was for Sasuke – please don't say that…"
Sakura looked into the table with a guilty look, her hands shaking, as she softly brought one of them to her mouth.
He noticed.
"Ah! Sakura! Sorry I didn't mean to – don't cry, hey it is alright!"
"I am not crying!" she yelled, even though the tears could be seen running faster down her cheeks and her shoulders that were shaking.
"Sakura…"
"I damn well know what I did! And no –"she could see him out of the corner of the eye stand beside her. "Don't…I don't want to be pitied! There are people who have been through things that are worse…and-"
Then she was embraced, and all she could see before her was an orange shirt and blond messy hair touching her skin. Her speech was cut short as Naruto tightened his hold around her, whispering softly into her shirt. "You didn't deserve it – you shouldn't have gone…Sakura…you didn't deserve it at all"
She relaxed after a while and rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes as her hands found their own way around him.
With a soft sigh she whispered his name.
-
"Oy! Sakura!"
The pink haired girl blinked shortly at the brown-haired ninja standing before her, a silly grin on his face and a letter in his other hand.
"I guess you must have expected me – how did you do in the attack against Konoha?"
Sakura slammed a hand on his mouth and glared at him. "I don't know who you think you are, but I would like you to keep such matters quiet – who knows what wanders these lands and goes unnoticed by our eyes."
The man's eyes sighed and looked downwards before giving her the letter.
"The letter is addressed to a Sakura Hanara, which is you. Guess the Tuschikage must think highly of you for sending such a letter."
She rolled her eyes. "He sends letters like this to every woman in the Rock – why should I be different."
He smirked. "Because you are pretty?"
Both of them turned around when they heard someone come the stairs. With a swift move of her hand she hid the letter within her jacket and glared at Naruto. Who pouted back.
"I thought you were going to train Tohru today" Naruto replied as he stuck his hands into his pockets, the frown clear on her face.
"oh damn!" Sakura cursed as she stroked a hand through her hair. She looked at the two of them before quickly cracking a smile. "you wouldn't mind if I go train her now? You can talk right?"
And then God created silence and big eyes.
-
"how long have you been living here?"
Naruto glared. "3 weeks"
The rocknin stared at him wide-eyed. "3 weeks! What have you been doing – you are not…well…uhm together you know?"
Naruto stared at him wide-eyed before quickly shaking his head. "no way! Sakura and I have never had that kind of relationship".
The nin smirked and rested his head on his hand. "don't mind if I snatch her? Do you?"
The blonds' eyes narrowed dangerously as he gritted his teeth, quickly standing up from his chair he walked into his roomed and slammed the door shut.
-
"Naruto! I told you dinner is ready!" Sakura yelled through the shouji door.
"I am not hungry!" he yelled back.
She frowned and grabbed the handle to open the door, but it was locked. "goddamnit! Open the door! I won't let you sit in here starving."
"I told you I am not hungry! You go eat!"
Sakura was about to kick the door open when she noticed her friend sit at the table where Naruto used to sit. She lowered her leg and sighed. "fine…"
-
"I am going to bed" the rock nin yawned at Sakura's back. He lifted and eyebrow and noticed the plate full of ramen beside her, wondering if she was still hungry.
"okay – " she muttered and continued to wash the dishes.
"shall I help you or so-"
"I am fine Daikon She replied rather coldly and sat a plate on the kitchen table.
He stared at her before shrugging, "whatever you say" he scratched his head as he walked upstairs to Tohru's room, where he was staying. The small girl had been spending most of the evening in the other man's room anyway, and was supposed to sleep with Sakura.
The pink-haired woman stopped her washing and dried her hands, before taking the plate into her hands and walked towards the shouji door.
"hey…can I enter?"
There was a sound of a chair being pushed backwards and the door opened with a soft click of the lock, and a curious looking Naruto stood before her.
She gave a small smile, and saw that Naruto blushed a bit at the interaction, before she showed him the plate of ramen. Tohru looked out from behind him and raised an eyebrow. "hey? Didn't we get anko instead of ramen tonight Sakura-san?"
Ignoring Tohru, she shoved the plate into his hands. "next time come and eat with us – I know you well enough to know that you won't survive a few hours without food"
Naruto rested his gaze on the ramen and gave her a small smile back. "yeah…"
Sakura cracked a grin and took Tohru by the hand. "okay, Tohru-chan – bedtime, because we are going to have a long day ahead of us tomorrow"
The girl frowned but none the less complied, biting Naruto a good night before running up the stairs. Sakura bowed too and was about to walk away when Naruto grabbed her wrist hard.
She looked at him confused.
"Sakura – why?"
Then she gave him a small smile, and took her arm back. "because you are hungry."
-
"Sakura – what are you answer to this?"
She let a slightly shaken hand rest against her mouth, as her eyes frowned deeply at the letter before her. Daikon watched her with determination.
"this is about the future of the Rocks – we need to get rid of Konoha in order for our success. You know that, and we could use one as you in the battles. This is about our home country."
Sakura let her hand rest against the table, as she traced the outline of the letter. "I must say – that Rock is my home-country, and it is a beautiful place, but I see no reason for the destruction of Konoha-"
"Are you going against us! This is for our future, the children after us! They will remember us the glories nation in the whole world! They won over us in the last war – we cannot let them humiliate us like that – this is a question about honour!"
"don't! damnit! Do not yell at me Daikon! I know very well that this is a very important matter – but there are serious aspects in this – I cannot agree to all of this. Taking the lives of small children or women, even men I cannot-"
"Sakura!"
She flinched.
"this is not about lives – I know you are a decent medic, but don't you want the Rock to be an amazing nation. A few lives are nothing."
Sakura looked downwards and brought a hand through her hair, her green eyes resting at the name on the letter. She thought that the last time they attacked Konoha they made peace. She must have been wrong.
"we were so worried that you had been caught Sakura. Who knows what would have happened to you if they decided to put you through trial…"
She was living a life full of lies.
"you have to help us!"
"Daikon – I would like to have time thinking about this…"
"good – and the tuschikage expects you in the city in a week."
-
"iah! Goddamnit! Higher up with your leg!" Sakura blocked Tohru's leg, who tried to connect with her sculp, and pushed her backwards, making her crash against the earth.
The whole conversation with Daikon had made her mad, not mad in that matter of sense. But they wanted to attack Konoha with Orochimaru in it! They wanted to destroy her home city.
Tohru barely blocked a hit from Sakura and jumped backwards, staring at her teacher shocked, before running towards her clumsily.
He wanted her to aid them in attacking. She understood well enough, because she had been lying, made them believe that she was on their side – and had nothing to do with Konoha.
Sakura just couldn't make herself do it again, she couldn't attack Konoha, but still at the same time it was necessary – it was afterall Orochimaru who was positioned there.
Tohru's kick was blocked again.
But what about Naruto?
Sakura winched at the thought, and let out a small battle cry.
-
The letter to Shikamaru was clutched hardly, but she was careful enough to not destroy it. She didn't need Naruto to know she had seen it.
The words were repeated several times in her head, the haunting images of his back walking down the road. Going away.
I am expecting to be in Suna a week from when you receive the letter.
She slammed the letter back and ran out of the house.
-
"huh? What?"
"well, we are having a small get together tomorrow night, and I was curious in if you wanted to come – it has been a rather long time since we all have been gathered like this."
Sakura bit down her lip and crossed her arms. "I don't know…"
"come on! It will be fun – you can even bring that uhm – guy you know." Daikon said, trying to cheer her up just a little bit.
She sighed.
-
Naruto looked up from the dinner and stared at Sakura at the other end of the table. Her fist clutching the spoon harder than intented.
"what?" he spoke in disbelief.
"they asked me to come, and that you are welcome – so I was curious if you even wanted to."
He blinked and then frowned, digging the spoon back into the soup and crossed his arms. "I see no reason why I should; you'll be fine on your own won't you"
She hissed back, "I only asked…"
Tohru glance into the soup sadly and sat quietly while eating as soundless as possible.
"if you don't want to I am going there myself – and if you will excuse me I need to get ready to leave." She turned her head to Tohru. "make sure to study hard while I am away? Okay Tohru-chan?"
The small girl nodded and Sakura placed her dish on the kitchen table, before marching upstairs – feeling Naruto's gaze linger on her back. To Tohru it seemed a bit longing.
-
When Sakura came down she blinked quickly, when she saw Naruto waiting at the door, an offended look on his face as he uncrossed his arms.
"are we going or what?" he spoke.
Sakura gave him a small look and a doubting smile as she took the small umbrella in her hand and handed it to him. "it is raining outside."
Tohru watched them from the kitchen door, as Naruto blushed a bit when Sakura playfully teased him about going. However, the way Sakura seemed to have been tense around him lately, made Tohru wonder if Naruto might leave.
He turned to Tohru who hid behind the small wooden frame, and motioned her to take care.
Sakura was already out the door.
-
"oh! Sakura it is you! How wonderful! Oh what a shame you cut your hair, it was prettier when it was long – oh who is that man behind you! wow! When did you catch him? When is the wedding? Huh! Huh! Huh!"
Sakura stood still as she watched her 'friend', continue to stare at Naruto as some sort of God, quickly beginning to talk to him instead of her. He was sending her looks, begging Sakura to help him somehow.
She almost considered that option, when she reminded herself of the letter she had seen the days before. Clutching her fist hard she gave him a fake smile and walked away. Unable to see the confused gaze he gave her.
-
Anzu turned her head offended back to Sakura, who stared sadly at the sake in her hands. She gave her friend a strange stare. "you know what Sakura? I really don't get it! That guy you brought here, all the guys are just standing there – around him. Tsh they should be more focussed on me instead."
Sakura took the bottle instead of the cup and poured it down. Anzu quickly snatched the bottle back. "hey! No need to get mad! I want to get drunk too you know."
Sakura glared at her.
Anzu grinned. "us 'real' rock woman, like you and me Sakura, we want real 'rock' man! Not some sort of new rock fellow. Look at Budou! He is nice man, all the muscles."
Sakura had the feeling that she should've stayed home. As Anzu continued to ramble about her new obsession, Sakura began to feel slightly dizzy and needed to rest her head against the table. Too much alcohol she guessed.
Her green eyes then turned to see Naruto try hardly to prevent a fight. She sighed and felt herself get angry at Naruto for starting a fight again.
-
"ho ho! So you're trying to hit on our Sakura are you? hmmm!" the man named Budou spoke rather teasingly. Naruto glared at him, really wondering what he was doing here.
Daikon smirked and leaned backwards, waving his small fan in his hand. "hehe – I bet that those two are going to get married, what are you saying about that Budou?"
The larger man frowned and showed a small lady into his arms, who punched him slightly in annoyance, before he broke into a healthy laugh.
"well, kiddo – you can't be older than the drinking age can you? what about a drink competition! The one who wins gets Sakura!"
Naruto narrowed his eyes before a wide grin spread on his face. "I don't care about the price, but I am damn well going to show you what I am made of!"
Budou raised an eyebrow before he slammed his hand down on the table, grinning back at Naruto. "well then! How about a small match instead! See who the better rock out of you and me is!"
Naruto's grin widened as he stood up, cracking his knuckles. "finally something to do in this boring place!"
Daikon laughed and poked Naruto's shoulder. "oh! You can't be bored with Sakura-chan over there can you? you seem quite close you two"
Naruto pushed his lips forward in an annoyed pout. "who cares about that. I haven't been challenged in years!"
"do what you want" the dark-haired nin replied and stood up, saying that this was a sight worthy.
The barkeeper yelled over the crowd in an amused tone. "hey Daikon! Remember! Fights are outside – last time you managed to owe me quite a lot of money remember?!"
Daikon waved his hand and motioned Naruto to follow him outside, with Budou trailing behind them.
Anzu laughed and pointed. "look! Your guy is going to get beaten right now by Budou! Wanna take a look, eh Sakura?"
Sakura looked up and cursed when seeing Naruto exit the bar, and without answering Anzu's question she pushed the chair backwards, and fled towards where Naruto were.
Naruto inhaled the evening mist as Budou took his stance, his arms ready to trust into Naruto with its full force. The blond-haired ex-Hokage suddenly felt free; here he had his chance to get out all the frustration he hid within.
All these new feelings he had experienced lately.
How Sakura looked different. The sweet scent she all of sudden possessed, the gentle yet fiery green eyes that could make him madder and calmer at the same time.
"you stupid goddamn idiot!"
They all turned around to see a rather drunk mad Sakura, who with clumsy steps walked down to Naruto and dragged him by the arm down the road. He looked back at the others, who just stared at him dumbfounded.
Naruto knew he could get out of Sakura's grip, but the way her face seemed to express inner torment made him think differently.
"you goddamn stupid idiot! What do you think you are doing! Are you out of your mind!?" she screamed at him, when they had walked for a good ten minutes.
Naruto yanked his arm back. "What are you talking about! This was just a spar"
Sakura wobbled but managed to point her finger at him. "here I am! Hiding you from the rest of the goddamn world, and you are about to blow the cover! What are you thinking – Daikon doesn't stand a chance against you!"
Naruto waved his arms in frustration. "I would have gone easy on him! Why do you always have to be so damn bitchy about things – you were like that when we were gennins too! Always tried to stop me, when I wanted to fight Sasuke!"
"this isn't like then! We are in a very dangerous situation Naruto and-" she stopped her speech when she felt herself get sick. Quickly she covered her mouth and softly muttered. "I am going to get sick"
She turned around and let herself fall down to her knees, beginning to puke into the bushes. Naruto stared at her when she realised she had gotten herself drunk. With a defeated sigh he sat down and brushed away her hair, making sure it didn't get in the way.
His other hand then carefully rested on her back, as he stroked the red blouse. Feeling her shiver slightly, and if he hadn't been mistaken a single sob.
As she slowly stopped puking, he could feel her harsh breath, and let his hand dry away the small tears in her eyes. She groaned and quickly let herself fall against his chest, surprising Naruto greatly as he literally fell back to the ground.
"I hate being sick…" she muttered and dried her eyes herself.
Naruto just stared at her wide-eyed, his heart beating unnaturally fast. His hand touched her shoulder as he shook her slightly. "hey – get up, we need to get home…"
Sakura sat still for a moment before she did as she was told, Naruto's arm around her waist, and her an arm around his neck, as he led her home.
She grinned a little. "when did we come into the picture…"
"I thought I was the only one living there soon, with all those letters you send to Shikamaru. Saying that you are going to leave soon, probably taking Tohru with you too, because why would she stay with me. Eh?"
Naruto readjusted her and continued to walk as if she was saying nothing.
"and here I am too, trying to make you stay. Why do I even want you to stay? God who knows – it would be funny if I actually had managed to fall in love with you. eh Naruto? Me in love with you? that will never happen – because you are the most annoying person in this world"
Naruto tightened his hold as he tried desperately not to say anything back.
She cracked a bitter laugh and stumbled a bit on her feet, Naruto making sure she didn't fall completely.
"we could look rather well together you and I, you know? We are both too stubborn for our own good, trained by sannins and we are just as aggressive…" she looked up at him and grinned. "…just imagine, eh? Small insanely strong babies you and I could produce"
"you are drunk, you don't know what you are talking about" Naruto hissed underneath his breath, clearly getting very annoyed with where the topic was heading.
"but so could me and Sasuke-kun too. We would create a thousand babies, and I would be a living breeding machine, and you would be with Hinata, and you would have small Hyuuga – Uzumaki babies with white and blond eyes." She giggled a bit and nudged Naruto on the shoulder.
He groaned annoyed.
" oooh – look at those pretty flowers! Did you know that I am named after a flower? My mom always said that I looked like a small flower when I was born, and then it all of sudden became winter and I disappeared into a bud. Naruto do you love me?"
He stopped and stared at. "what did you say?" his eyes wide in disbelief, as Sakura smirked at him, before she broke into a fit of giggles. "you know it is really funny with those blue eyes of yours, it is as if I am being reflected through them…I wonder what Tsunade is doing."
Naruto looked down the road to see the lights in the house had been switched off.
"Naruto I just feel like kissing you sometimes."
He then threw her arm away and walked towards the cottage with clenched hands. Sakura fell down on the grass, and barely managed to ease the blow. She looked up angrily. "why are you so mad! You are always so mad! I thought you were happy! But I don't care! All you care about is yourself – and what about me? What if I don't want to stay with Tohru by myself – what if I want to stay with you too?"
"you are drunk Sakura, stop talking nonsense"
Her pout turned into a defeated sad expression, as she brought one of her hands to her face, and dried the tears trailing. "why are you so mean. I am just trying to make you happy – and all you do is throw it back into my face – oh...wait" Naruto turned around at the sound of Sakura leaning her face downwards, into the grass – colouring the grass with her newly produced puke.
She hiccupped softly and dried the vomit away from her mouth, as she cried. "I hate being drunk – the whole feeling." Sakura blinked when she felt a hand on her back, and a nose buried into her hair.
"it is stupid drinking Sakura, you shouldn't drink, it only makes people say stupid things."
She hiccupped and sat up. "you really should've left. I don't get, you are still here, with a girl who clearly dumped you over every guy she might find, and yet you still stay with her." She dried her eyes and avoided Naruto's glare.
He turned and crossed his arms. "you are right, everybody else told me that, and now you do too, then it must be the truth."
"all these years I waited for you and you just come back with Akatsuki hunting, tearing up Konoha – making Orochimaru get the chance to take over-" He began to rant.
Sakura stared into the ground. "yeah…"
"and now I am on the run, and you do is telling me to run off, and on the same time begging me to stay – god damnit Sakura…"
"I am sorry –" she continued, her eyes watering again. "I am so sorry…"
"and you are asking me to kiss you! what did you expect me to! Do it so you could earn some self pleasure…uh…are you crying"
Her face was turned the other way, and her shoulders was shaking, but there was no mistaken when it came to the sound of her sobbing. "I am so evil – I should have died back then in the Akatsuki headquarters – letting the molest me, do whatever they wanted to do with me!"
Naruto's angry face faltered as he watched her bury her face into her hands. He let his hand touch her back, but she brushed it away.
"Sakura…"
"don't Naruto, please leave, you can go to Suna in a matter of days from here, I'll be fine, it is okay."
"Sakura…"
"I am sorry for everything…I didn't mean to ask you silly questions like that – oh the alcohol must be wearing off now…" sobbing.
Naruto sighed and stood up. "let's get you home Sakura" he took her under the arm roughly, and pulled her upwards. She let out a strangled cry and ended up staring into Naruto's eyes.
Sakura blushed all of sudden and looked the other way sharply. "uhm – home that way…" she pointed and began to march off. Naruto shook his head and followed her, noticing the sun was beginning to rise in the distance.
-
When Sakura entered the kitchen she saw the clock read six am, and turned around to look at Naruto, who had already walked over to the kitchen sink and found a small glass on the shelf.
"drink a lot of water after you have puked, helps the stomach – I learned that in Konoha" he spoke.
She sat down defeated and let her head rest against the table. Feeling her head spin. "and some tranquiller too thank you…" she muttered.
Naruto found it with ease and walked over to where she sat, studying her broken form with a sigh. Placing the glass on the table, he went into the bathroom to get her a toothbrush. She wasn't going to bed with puke in her teethes.
When he exited the bathroom he saw an empty glass and a Sakura with her head in her hands. He tightened his hold on the toothpaste and toothbrush, before walking over to her, handing it over.
She looked up and took it without question, carefully brushing it off. As he went to make some tea for himself, he wasn't going to let her sit down here by herself.
When she was finished she stood up, and walked over to the sink, spitting out the paste. He watched her back.
After a moment hanging over the sink, she stood up and brushed her hair away. Naruto turned his gaze back to the tea, and clutched the kitchen table harder than intended.
She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, and let her hand touch the cool table. The silence unbearable, and she chose to sit down on one of the chairs.
Naruto finished the tea and walked over to the half asleep Sakura so she could get to bed. When he was about to poke her on the shoulder, her arms went around his neck, forcing him into a one-sided hug from her.
He stood there frozen, surprised at the many things had just occurred, and he could feel her breath on his throat.
"S…Sakura" he muttered.
She didn't say anything back, and he sat down on the ground defeated. Leaning his head against her shoulder, as she brushed his hair tenderly. "It is okay to cry Naruto – I know you are sad or mad. I just want to be your friend…I didn't mean to be so…stupid"
"stop talking Sakura…please, it isn't helping."
She clutched him tighter and buried her head into his hair. With a hesitant mind she kissed a small spot in his hair, making him stiffen in her hold.
"don't worry – when you get to Suna I won't interfere again. I…"
"does it make you sad that I am leaving?" He asked.
It was her turn to freeze.
"do you really want me to stay here with you, and why should I stay. Saku-" he stopped speaking when she let him go and stared into his eyes.
And he could see it, right there – no lies behind her eyes. Only green eyes reflecting his face.
Her arms hanging loosely around his neck as she closed her eyes. Naruto gulped and felt a small blush haunt his cheeks, before he closed his own eyes.
There was no reason why, and he had no idea how the feeling in his chest came back. He didn't know why Sakura seemed so longing. He had never seen her like that, never, not once – not even when Sasuke was there.
Sakura only knew that her heart was beating faster than before, and when they accidentally kissed each other cheeks instead of their mouth, she didn't feel embarrassed.
She laughed, and she could feel Naruto's chuckle against her skin, when he also slowly began to kiss his way around her skin. Not a single spot left where his lips hadn't been.
When he finally hovered above them, she could feel his panted breathing. Almost as if he was trying to control himself. She tightened her grip and his hands wandered to her waist.
With a soft sigh of her own she let her lips touch his gently, featherlike. He brought her closer, intensifying the tenderness to an almost desperate kiss, but she didn't mind.
Sakura had never in her whole life imagined her heart could beat like that.
-
"hehe Naruto – is there a girl you love?" Jirayia spoke with a smirk, ruffling the young blushing boy's hair.
Naruto couldn't let go of the strange feeling within his chest. "uhm – well – there is a girl I like – but Sakura-chan will – maybe she'll – or"
Jirayia had the feeling that Naruto didn't only – like.
-
Tohru snapped her eyes open when she heard a hit and someone screaming out in agony, soon followed by a "Naruto you idiot!"
-
Naruto rubbed his sore eye as he glared at her angrily. Her own anger disappeared when she saw his face, and needed to put a hand over her mouth to prevent the giggles, which soon developed into a healthy laugh. "don't get too cocky Naruto…"
His glare disappeared and was replaced with a heart-warming smile – making Sakura smile back at him and leaned in for another kiss.
-
A/N: ahahahaahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha…………ahahahahaha!
Oh dear – you know what! I suck at these romantic moments – and when I was writing it I didn't know if I was supposed to laugh or simply have a twisted face of disgust. Tell me what you like – because I am good at strange emotions – not romantic emotions. (did I mention I have only been in a relationship once?)
Bla blab la
Questions!
1: who is the new character introduced?
Anzu(female), Budou(male), Daikon(male) is three rock nins or inhabitans. Who is friends of Sakura's, when she stayed in the rock. She wasn't alone all the time.
They are all named after some sort of Japanese fruit, as far as I know Daikon is Watermelon, he is also the only person we will possibly meet again.
2: what is it with the letter from the tuschikage?
This is a letter saying that they are planning to attack Konoha – but it should be added that it is not quite the case here. It is addressed for Sakura Hanara, who is stationed as a nin in the rock army. If you remember, Sakura worked as a spy for them, and a spy for Konoha ON them. Which means they believe she is a real rock member. This letter will play great importants for the future of this story – especially the NaruSaku part.
3: is Naruto going to leave?
We will see.
4: how many tails can Naruto get before he goes RAUW!? (?? Eh!)
…3
5: do Naruto and Sakura love each other now!?
….no idea, you decide.
NOTE:
When Rokudaime is done – 10-11 chapters to go, I will do the fiction Pledge. More information in the future, I tried to write it, but I can't with Roku taking as much space as it does in my mind.
Review or flame me – I dunno if my beta-reader has corrected anything, because I never received a draft back – only the respond 'good, you need to correct some spelling'
So people, I did my best, and Danish is my prime language. So if you find any mistakes please report them to me!
All rights to kishi.
This chapter is officially named –the-oh-god-forsaken-chapter-that-turned-into-a-very-long-chapter-and-is-longer-than-even-my-usual-double-chapters.
To the NaruSaku: SQUEEAAAL!