Fourteen

"What are you doing on December eighteenth?"

Sakura frowned and quirked an eyebrow at the doctor. "Nothing that I know of, why?"

"I want you to come to a party with me, as my guest," Tsunade explained, inspecting her fingernails nonchalantly. "It's technically a party for faculty and alumni but I can bring you as my plus one. It would be an excellent opportunity for you to meet some influential people in the medical world."

"Are you trying to ask me on a date, Tsunade?" Sakura winked at her mentor over the stack of files she was sorting. "Because if so, I'm flattered, but I think you might be a little too old for me."

"Ha, you couldn't land me in a million years, Haruno," Tsunade scoffed. "But no, I just want to give you the chance to meet some people. Not to mention, your boytoy will be there."

Sakura felt the color rush to her cheeks. "H-he's not my boytoy, we're not even together officially…"

"Will you drop that already, Sakura? Just answer my question, do you want to come with me or not?"

"Are you sure that it's okay if I go?" Sakura asked, fidgeting idly with paperclips in a bowl on the desk. "I won't stick out?"

"Bah," Tsunade flapped a hand. "People bring their kids all of the time. You'll be fine."

"Well, sure then, thanks Tsunade. Um, what should I wear, though? I don't think I have any fancy party appropriate clothes."

"We'll go and get you something," Tsunade remarked absently. "Don't worry about that, I'll take care of it."

"But, Tsunade – "

"Shouldn't you be studying for something?" Tsunade snapped, effectively ending the conversation as she stood to go to her office.

"Fine," Sakura mumbled under her breath, pulling out a textbook just to appease her boss.

She didn't even need to study...

"Happy Thanksgiving, sweetie!" Sakura's mother hugged her tightly. "I'm so glad you were able to make it home for the holiday!"

"Mom," Sakura mumbled against her mother's shoulder, spitting out a mouthful of hair. "You're crushing me!"

"Sorry, sweetie, we've just missed you so much!" Mebuki finally let go of her daughter, reaching out to squeeze her arm gently. "Your father and I feel like we haven't seen you in a year! And you too, Naruto!"

"Hehe, thanks for having me Mrs. Haruno!" Naruto palmed the back of his neck good-naturedly. "Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same without you guys!"

"Of course, Naruto! You'll always be welcome here," Kizashi smiled at the boy. Sakura's parents had always been fond of Naruto, and once they had found out that he didn't have any family of his own, they had never left him out of a holiday. They even went so far as to buy him Christmas gifts and to put them under the tree. Sakura was beginning to dread the day he would spend the holidays with Hinata's family instead. Nothing would be the same.

"So, Naruto! I hear you've got a new lady-friend," Mebuki winked at the boy, as if reading Sakura's mind. "Little Hinata-chan?"

"Yup!" Naruto's face lit up even brighter, like it always did when he talked about Hinata. "She's awesome! Her family flew to the States for Thanksgiving vacation."

Sakura snorted. "Everything has to be a display of outlandish wealth with them, doesn't it?"

"Sakura," Mebuki gasped, pausing from her task of chopping vegetables to scold her daughter. "The Hyuuga's are blessed, there's no reason to punish them for it. Don't make Naruto feel uncomfortable."

"Nah, Sakura-chan is right. The Hyuuga's are pretty extravagant," Naruto chuckled. "Luckily, Hinata-chan isn't really like that. She goes along with it for her family's sake, but she's much more down to earth than her parents."

Sakura smiled up at Naruto from her slouched position at the kitchen table. It was crazy how quickly he could change her attitude.

"Sakura-chan has someone special too," Naruto sing-songed in a voice that didn't match the dastardly look he shot Sakura's way. Sakura met his eyes with a mixture of panic and fury.

The knife clattered to the cutting board so loudly that Sakura nearly jumped from her seat at the table. Mebuki had whirled on her pointing an accusing finger at Sakura with an absolutely horrified look on her face. "You…have a what? And you didn't tell me?!"

"A boy?" Kizashi clutched at his chest dramatically. "Sakura…we had a deal…"

"Now, now," Mebuki hushed her husband, face positively glowing. "We don't know that it's a boy. Who is it, Sakura? Who's your special someone, hm?"

"There's no one!" Sakura waved her hands frantically in front of her face. "Naruto has no idea what he's talking about," she punctuated the last word with a death glare at the blonde-haired offender. She was so going to kill him later.

"Uh," Naruto chuckled, somewhat uneasily. "Y-yeah, I don't know what I'm talking about! You know me, classic idiot! Hehe…"

"Oh no, you two aren't getting off the hook that easily," Mebuki wagged her finger at the pair, face becoming deadly serious. "Sakura hasn't been serious about anyone before. Well, of course, excluding the relationship she had with you, Naruto dear!"

"Mom!" Sakura was shouting now. "Jesus!"

"The good old days, eh, Sakura-chan?" Naruto nudged her with his elbow, wiggling an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Sakura smiled, slamming her own elbow into Naruto with a little more force than necessary.

"Focus you two!" Mebuki shouted, snapping in their faces. "Who is it?"

"Uh, Mom?" Sakura began, casting a glance at her father who was all but rocking back and forth in the corner. "I think we're killing Dad…"

"Oh, ignore him, sweetie, he'll be fine," Mebuki waved an uninterested hand towards her pale husband. "Now tell me. Who is your special someone?"

Sakura sighed. Well, there was probably no getting around telling her mother something at the very least. But what to say? How much of the truth should she give her mother?

"He's just a guy from my Anatomy class," Sakura finally settled on. "Nothing is official. We're just talking."

Mebuki looked like she might explode with joy. Kizashi, on the other hand, looked very near fainting.

"Uh, hey, Kizashi, let's go watch the game in the living room, what do you say?" Naruto laughed nervously, patting the man on the back and leading him to the other room. He shot a look over his shoulder at Sakura that said he was doing his best to help. Sakura glared back.

"So, what's his name?" Mebuki cooed, pulling her daughter back over to the table to sit. "What's he like?"

"Um," Sakura spoke slowly, not quite sure how much to give away. "It's Sasuke. He's smart, kind of quiet." Kind of renowned for being a jerk.

"What does he look like? Is he handsome?" Mebuki clapped her hands together like an excited child.

Sakura blushed a little at that. "Um, yeah, he's pretty good-looking."

"Well, my dear, I'm very happy for you!" the woman was beaming. "I just hope he deserves you! I can't wait to meet him. I never thought a boy as wonderful as Naruto would come along, but I do hope he compares! Otherwise, we may have to get rid of this Hinata girl and – "

"Oh my god, Mom! You are so embarrassing!" Sakura whined, hiding her head in her hands. "You already know that Naruto and I decided we're not meant to be a couple. We're perfectly happy as friends and that's never going to change."

"You can't honestly tell me that that boy wouldn't jump at the chance to be with you again?" Mebuki asked, voice lowered. "He was always so in love with you."

"Was," Sakura chided. "That part of our relationship came and went and a lifetime friendship has replaced it. Trust me, Mom. Naruto is probably the greatest guy I'm ever going to know, but we're not meant to be together like that. Plus, Hinata is really sweet. You'll love her once you get to know her. I'm sure Naruto will start bringing her up here soon…wait. Are you crying?"

"You've just grown up so much," Mebuki smiled, voice thick with tears, eyes shining bright. "Will you bring Sasuke around, too?"

Sakura rolled her eyes at her emotional mother, reaching across the table to place her hand over the older woman's. "Maybe someday, if our relationship continues. I'm sure that I will."

"I hope you two are using protection."

"Mom!"

The buzzing of her phone startled her. She and her parents and Naruto were half asleep on the couch, watching TV after stuffing their faces full of food for the better part of an hour.

Home for the holidays? Sasuke's text read.

Yes, and you? she replied.

My family doesn't tend to celebrate. Sasuke replied.

So are you just at school? Sakura frowned as she texted back. It's got to be a ghost town there right now.

It is, Sasuke shot back.

Aw, you must be lonely ;) Sakura messaged back, chewing on her lip as she did so. Hopefully that wasn't, like, a totally creepy thing to say…

I am… came Sasuke's instant reply.

Before Sakura could even reply, another message lit up her screen. Come see me?

Sakura's heart thudded loudly in her chest. I'm still at my parents :(

For how long? he asked.

Till Sunday, Sakura replied.

Do you torture me on purpose? Sasuke's next text read.

Sakura's inner fangirl was screaming. Sasuke always seemed to know what to say to make her heart race. She loved her family, but she was beginning to wish that she was back at school…

I would never, Sakura texted back. I wish I was there, though.

Sakura used her phone to take a picture of Naruto and her parents dozing on the couch and sent it to Sasuke. Instead I'm here napping with these losers.

Why is Naruto there? Sasuke's reply came almost instantly and Sakura almost smacked herself. Sasuke was clearly a little bit the jealous type. While she realized that didn't mean that she couldn't have guy friends, she also wanted to be more cautious as to not flaunt it in front of him. No point in starting an argument.

He always comes to Thanksgiving, he doesn't really have a family of his own, Sakura explained. He's part of our family now.

I see, Sasuke replied.

Naruto is really important to me, Sasuke. He's a great friend and you'll like him, it's almost impossible not to, Sakura texted back, feeling the need to be a little defensive of Naruto. The guy had taken enough shit in his lifetime. She wasn't willing to let Sasuke add to it in any way.

We'll see about that, Sasuke's text read.

Sakura smiled secretly to herself as she directed her attention back to her parents' small TV. She couldn't wait for the day that she could afford to buy them a new one. Her dad had always loved watching football, and she knew that he secretly wished he had one of the newer, HD flat-screen TVs.

I want to buy my parents a TV. I was hoping to do it for Christmas this year but I don't think I'll be able to, Sakura texted to Sasuke. I can't believe Christmas is in a month already!

Why do you want to buy them a TV? he asked.

Their TV is from like, 1999, Sakura explained.

Why do you have to buy it?

Sakura hesitated. She didn't really like talking about her parents' financial state. She had always been the "poor" kid at school. The one with the shoes bought at the convenience store and the backpack from five years ago. And kids were always so mean.

In a way, she was glad for her misfortune early on in life. It was how she decided she was going to become a doctor and help people. Not just so that she could make the money, but so that she could do something good with her life and make a difference. It was also how she met Naruto. He'd always been something of a social pariah, after all. His parents, well-loved and respected members of the community, had died in a fire when he was a child, a fire with origins that had never been determined. It was widely believed by people in their small town that Naruto had somehow been responsible for the fire, although there was no real evidence suggesting that. It was like he was punished for surviving. He had only been a toddler when it happened.

It was all a stupid rumor, really, probably started by one of the many gossipy little old ladies of the town. But it stuck, and Naruto carried it around with him like a boulder on his back. When Sakura first met him, he was an obnoxious, ADHD, foster kid with no friends and the combined dislike of most of the teachers. He was constantly jumping around the lunchroom, bouncing in his desk chair, and hollering on the playground.

At first, Sakura was just as put off by him as the rest of her classmates. She avoided him diligently in the hallway and ran past him at recess when he would yell: "Sakura-chan!" She pretended she didn't hear him when he would greet her in class and crumpled up the love letters that he shoved through the slats in her locker.

Until one day, she read one of them.

The kids in school used to make fun of her for her forehead, (which thankfully, she grew into), and after a particularly nasty comment from one of the girls, Sakura had opened her locker to find one of Naruto's classic notes with a heart on the front. Instead of throwing it away like she normally would, she cast a glance over both of her shoulders before carefully opening it.

Dear Sakura-chan, the letter read, in terrible, childish handwriting. You are so pretty. I think you are the prettiest girl in school. I hope you will be my friend. Love, Naruto.

And Sakura would like to be able to say that she had befriended Naruto because she was nice, but in reality she had done it because she was vain. She started hanging around him more and more, because he was the one kid in school who was actually kind to her and because he complimented her. She was ashamed to admit that it had taken her a couple of years to really, truly appreciate Naruto and be the friend to him that he was to her. But he never gave up on her.

By the time they both entered high school, they were inseparable. They made a few other friends along the way, Ino and Lee among them, and they all had a grand time being the "weird kids". That all changed around junior year, however, when Naruto became quarterback of the football team, and suddenly he was one of the most popular boys in school. Sakura's close relationship with Naruto dragged her into the lime light as well, and the two began dating shortly thereafter.

Their relationship was short-lived, and as soon as they had broken-up and gone back to their easy friendship, the girls of Konoha High turned on Sakura. They called her terrible names, accusing her of all kinds of ridiculous things, from cheating on Naruto to killing his pet frog. Naruto vehemently denied all the rumors, and eventually went so far as to quit the football team when a few of the cheerleaders threw their drinks on Sakura at a football game. Even though she knew it wasn't her fault, Sakura would never forgive herself for being part of the reason Naruto quit playing the sport he loved.

Every time she would bring it up to him, Naruto would simply ruffle her hair and say, "It's not like I was going to have a career in football or anything. Don't worry about it, Sakura-chan. I don't regret any of it. Not dating you, and not quitting the football team. I'm just glad that I still have you in my life."

She liked Sasuke, she really, really did. He made her heart pound and her stomach lurch and her hands shake, and he made her feel something like she had never felt before. But she would never stand by and let him, or anyone else, hate Naruto. Not in one million, billion years. She felt responsible for protecting the blonde boy who had spent so much of his time and energy protecting her. She had seen and heard what people had done to him and said about him all his life, and she wouldn't stand idly by while Naruto took any more abuse. He'd lost his parents and then had been forced to feel guilty about it for his entire life. Sakura had made it her life's mission to make sure nothing like that happened to him ever again.

There were times when she thought about dating him again. Maybe they had been too immature when they tried to date in the past. But every time she sat down and really thought about it, she came to the decision that breaking up had been for the best. She loved Naruto like a brother, like family. As cute as he was and as sweet as he could be, Sakura just never felt that spark towards him. She knew that, deep down, he didn't really feel it either, even though he spent a long time thinking that he did. And honestly? It was comforting to know that that would never be an issue between them. They both knew that they always had each other's best interests at heart, without romantic feelings getting in the way.

She shot a look over at Naruto on the other end of the couch. He had his eyes closed. His head tipped back, and he was breathing heavily through his mouth. He never had been the cutest sleeper. She smiled all the same.

Returning her eyes to her phone, Sakura remembered that she still needed to text Sasuke back. They can't afford it, she typed, deciding to be honest.

Sasuke never replied, and Sakura couldn't help but think about him sitting alone in his campus apartment. Smiling privately, she thought that maybe next year, he could celebrate it with her family.

AN: Hiiii guys :D Sorry this chapter is kind of short. I wrote out of order and wrote 16 (and part of 15) before this one, because I had inspiration xD I'm so excited to post those two! 16 is one of my favorite chapters so far, so I'm super excited for you guys to read it.

Also, I know that Thanksgiving in Japan isn't the same as Thanksgiving in America, but I kind of started writing the chapter with an American Thanksgiving in mind. They're in the fictional land of Konoha anyway, I guess, so maybe they have American Thanksgiving there…hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm…

I realize Sakura and Naruto's relationship might be a little OOC in this fic, but I just can't stand the though of Sakura not being super sweet and protective to Naruto so I pretty much always write them like that. I hope you guys like it, too!

Thank you, as always, to TheBlackBriarSparrow for proof-reading for me and cheering me on :)

Let me know what you think of this chapter! See you soon with chapter 15 :D toodle-ooooooooooooooooooo, kids.

Love, loony

P.S. I have a rough pinterest board for some things related to this fic, would you guys wanna see it? Should I get a tumblr?

P.P.S. Thank you to twitter user ceejss for linking my story on her page. A few reviewers mentioned they found my story that way! Her art is also amazinggggggggggggg and you have to check it out.