Chapter 7

The fold-down futon is hard and there is hardly enough room to hold Naruto's long limbs. He is not a fussy sleeper. But under Sakura's roof, sleep comes to him in restless waves.

A couple hours after the sun has risen, ragged and weary, Naruto finally falls into a deep sleep. Thoughts of rejection and unrequited love fade and he's left with the peace of nothingness.

He's roughly jostled awake.

He doesn't know how long he's been asleep for, but by the harsh burning and stinging in his eyes, he estimates not very long.

"Wake up," Sakura demands loudly, "I am leaving now and you need to go."

Peeking out of one eye, he takes in her appearance. Even after a heavy night of drinking and without a smidge of makeup, she is as alluring as she was the night before. Her emerald eyes twinkle in the morning sunlight, and her dehydrated lips still beckon him.

Her gaze drops to the lower portion of his body, and automatically his eyes follow as well. His eyes scrunch shut in embarrassment at his involuntary erection.

With a smirk on her lips, one he doesn't believe to be scornful, she asks, "Always one thing on your mind, huh?"

Sakura is still eyeing that area, when Naruto, with a light blush on his bronzed cheek, responds shyly, "Sorry…it's a natural reaction."

To Naruto's relief, Sakura finally looks away and walks over to the small dining table to grab her purse. He uses the moment to collect himself, breathing in deeply and clearing his mind in an attempt to lower the mast in his pants. Standing up, he pulls the back of the futon back into an upright position and neatens his makeshift bed. He's thankful there is no drool on the fabric.

He ignores the urge to void his bladder as Sakura seems to be in a rush to leave the apartment. He joins her at the front door. Knees bent, he looks upward as she's slipping her arms into the sleeves of a rose-coloured parka, "Where are you off to in such a hurry? Thought your finals were over."

"Yeah, I'm done. But you got me wrecked last night."

If memory serves him right, she was the one who was adamant to clear out the bar last night, much to the dismay of his hungry wallet, Gama-chan.

"I head is fucking pounding and I'm ready to throw up. I'm going to the convenience store to get some pills."

Sakura is bent over at the waist while she reaches down to pick up a pair of ankle boots. Her ass is directly in front of Naruto's face, the memories of her rejection last night stifles the hope that her actions are intentional. He licks his lips, but then looks away as he suggests, "I can get it for you. What do you usually use? Ibuprofen?"

She turns around with the boots in her right hands, "Yeah? You sure?"

Naruto nods his head in agreement, "Of course. It's the least I can do for supposedly getting you drunk."

Sakura smiles in return, "You're right." She slips off the coats and returns the shoes to its original location.

After tying the laces on his boots, Naruto removes his jacket from the hanger. After he has slipped it on, he checks the front pocket to confirm his wallet was still there as Sakura hadn't offered to pay for the painkillers she needed. Even knowing that last night's drinking must have put a dent on the money he needed to survive for the rest of the month, Naruto still decides to offer, "Do you want something to eat or drink. I can get you coffee and some pastries. Once the nausea passes, you'll need to get something in your system."

Now seated on her futon, Sakura bites her bottom lip in contemplation, "Yeah, get me a large cappuccino and a few black sesame tarts from that café next to the convenience store, umm think it's called Tsuchi Café. You know it?"

Naruto inserts his hands into a pair of gloves, "Yeah, I do." Of course, he knew it, it was a boujee little café that he couldn't afford to dine at.

"Hurry back," Sakura calls out when Naruto steps out of her apartment.

He dashes to the University shopping area. He's tempted to urinate at each passing tree, the only thing stopping him is fear of being arrested for public urination.

Finally, he reaches the café. The barista behind the serving counter calls out to him as he hurries to the back of the establishment where the bathrooms are situated, "Hey! You have to buy something first."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be back in a minute." In less than five minutes he's back at the counter, drying his hands on the fabric on his pants, "Sorry, about that. Didn't want to create a puddle for you to clean up." Naruto chuckles awkwardly when the barista returns a look of disgust at his comment.

"Right… umm, I'd like two cappuccinos and some," Naruto eyes searche

the glass display counter for Sakura's request, "do you have any sesame tarts?"

"We're out, but a fresh batch should be ready in about 20 minutes."

Naruto doesn't want to disappoint Sakura, so he decides it may be best to wait, "I'll wait, but in the mean time, I'd like one small cappuccino and two of those croissants."

"Apple-filled?" Naruto nods his head enthusiastically, already salivating at the thought of biting into the soft, sweet-filled pastry.

After receiving his order, Naruto visits the convenience store to purchase the painkillers and he adds in a packet of OTC drugs to help with nausea. Feeling a bit stuffy, he wanders outside to breathe in the refreshing, cold morning air.

Leaning back against a wall, Naruto nibbles on the pastry and sips the hot beverage. He is casually watching her university mates bustle by, when a familiar heavy voice grabs his attention, "It's just a coffee and a roll, not a big deal."

Pushing his back off the wall, Naruto leans forward slightly, the majority of his body concealed by a large potted evergreen tree, to accurately confirm his suspicions that Sasuke is the owner of that heavy voice.

A petite woman draped in a puffer jacket too big to be her own, stands a few feet in front of Sasuke, "Thank you. But you really didn't have to. You've already helped a lot." Her voice floats in the wind, chiming and barely audible. He tries to place her voice. He believes he's heard it before. He's wishes a heavy breeze would reveal her identity by blowing the hood of the jacket off her face.

"I'm just trying to avoid being killed in my sleep by two long-haired lunatics," Sasuke sits on a nearby bench. The girl inches forward but doesn't join Sasuke on the bench. She ducks her head and moves her body away from a group of students who walk past the duo.

Naruto finds her skittish behaviour amusing. It's unlike any other female he's seen around Sasuke. Curiosity compels him to continue eavesdropping.

"Nii-san is not a lunatic, and neither is Itachi-nii," the girl quips back.

"They would be, when their precious princess is found dead from starvation on the side of the road."

Whoever the girl was, it was now apparent that she was close with Sasuke's brother. Close enough to call him brother. Naruto and Sasuke weren't as close as they were as teenagers, but he believes Itachi to be the same as he was when growing up – a man with few close, social connections. Now Naruto is nearly confident that this girl is someone from their hometown, Konoha. Someone he may know.

"I am not going to die from missing one meal. I have enough," she pinches the side of the jacket to demonstrate that she's referring to her tummy and hips, "to keep me alive."

"In all the right places," Sasuke murmurs loud enough for Naruto to hear, which means his female companion must have heard also, though she shows no sign of reaction.

"Thank you again for last night…the ride back and this," the girl gestures to the food and drink in her hand.

From the large coat on her shoulders, it was easy to figure out that she was doing the walk of shame. Which is not surprising, Naruto is sure this is a weekend past time for Sasuke. But what's surprising is that he took her home. From what he has heard, Karin who was Sasuke's only official girlfriend, was never invited to visit Itachi's apartment. So, why would he take a girl home who wasn't his girlfriend?

"Come here," Sasuke curls his finger invitingly.

The girl doesn't move from the spot she is in, "I really have to go. I need to start packing to catch the afternoon train."

"You're so stubborn. Do you think I'm going to bite you?" Sasuke dumps a cup of tea into the trash along with the white paper bag that held whatever it was that he was eating. After dusting some crumbs off his jeans, he approaches the girl. He towers over her. This girl was tiny, again, unlike the girls Sasuke usually fucked.

"No, it's just…" the girl sputters.

Sasuke reaches into his jacket pocket to retrieve a cell phone, "Take this."

"But this is yours."

Sasuke shrugs his shoulders, "I destroyed yours, so it's only fair."

"You didn't do it on purpose. I can't accept this, Sasuke," she pushes away his outstretched hand.

Sasuke steps even closer to her to tuck the phone into the front jacket pocket. He searches his own pocket again to retrieve another cell phone, "Don't forget to take the sim out of this one."

"You're being too generous."

"Yeah. Consider it my good deed of the year. Maybe you'll put in a good word for me with Santa. You're a good little elf like that, right?" Sasuke says this in a lowered voice and straight face.

If it were physically possible, Naruto's jaw would have dropped to the floor. Was Sasuke flirting? Sasuke the arrogant bastard whose motto was to never chase a woman.

"Seriously though. I can easily replace it. You know I am not ashamed to beg Itachi for a little blessing," Sasuke continues, earning a pretty giggle from the girl.

Sasuke smiles in return. A genuine, human smile. Other than when the bastard was high off his mind, Naruto can only remember seeing Sasuke smile around his mother or brother.

Naruto is happy to see his friend with his guard down; acting in a manner one would expect a man of his age to act with a female of the opposite sex.

Naruto feels a bit ashamed in his inadvertent snooping. He is about to turn around to return to the café, when Sakura whispers in his ear, "Who are we spying on?"

"Move over, I wanna see. Is it Sai with another lady?" Sakura giggles conspiratorially and pushes Naruto back to take his place.

Naruto's heart beats heavily in his chest. He is too tired to have to deal with a heartbroken, jealous Sakura.

"Is that Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asks softly, "Is that girl with him? Why is she wearing his jacket?"

Naruto reflexes get into action, he grabs Sakura's wrist a little roughly and tries to yank her back toward the entrance of the shopping plaza, "Ouch, that hurts."

"Sorry, but let's just go," Naruto pleads.

Sakura easily pries her hand out of Naruto's, "No, I want to know who she is."

Naruto wonders what would change if Sakura knew the identity of the girl. Would Sakura be impulsive enough to accost her. He wants to believe the best, but experience tells him this situation can easily get out of hand.

"What does it matter, Sakura. He deserves some privacy."

"Privacy? I caught you snooping." Sakura rebuts, voice, fortunately, still low.

"It was an accident and I was just about to leave. Come on, Sakura. Give him his space, pushing yourself on him isn't going to change his feelings," Naruto regrets his choice of words the moment it comes out of his mouth.

"Fuck off, Naruto," Sakura's voice bellows and Naruto physically cowers. "What? Do you think you would have a chance if he were out of the picture?" Sakura voice drips with disgust.

Naruto hears a small gasp from Sasuke's companion, followed by, "I should go."

Drawn to the sound of that pretty voice, wanting to take shelter in that voice instead of the one that was just moments ago blaring in his ear, Naruto's eyes searches for the unknown female.

In the haste of rushing away from Sasuke, the wind sweeps the hoody off of the girl's head. Thick black strands of hair shimmer under the light of the sun. Even at this angle, where he can only view a small fraction of her side profile, he recognizes her lilac eyes. There is only one girl he knows with eyes as sad and kind as those.

Sakura's shoulders brush against Naruto's arm, as she strides toward Sasuke.

Shell shocked by this discovery; Naruto doesn't try to stop Sakura. He just stares at the retreating back of Hinata.

In the background, he can hear Sakura's saccharine tone, the one she reserves solely for Sasuke. The usual immediate jealous reaction doesn't appear. He's confused. Also, angry and hurt.

Did Hinata spend the night at Sasuke's home? What happened between those two for her to return dressed in his clothing?

He feels physically ill imagining Hinata using her pretty mouth to service Sasuke.

Betrayal leaves him immobile. Was Sasuke doing this to once again prove to Naruto that he was better than him? Naruto thought their childhood rivalry was dead.

Was Hinata just another girl enamored by Sasuke? From her previous actions, Naruto was convinced that she only had eyes for him. She was the only girl to lavish him with attention and care. He didn't want to lose that. But mostly, he didn't want to share it with anyone else.

That feeling of dread accompanying rejection comes back tenfold. Worst than he felt with Sakura.

Naruto is tired of feeling like second best. Tired of always being at the back of the line.

Naruto needs answers. He turns to follow Hinata, when Sasuke calls out to him, "Yo! Ready for that financial econ exam?" Naruto had completely forgotten that exam was scheduled in a few hours.

Slowly, he re-directs his attention to Sasuke and Sakura. Sasuke is trying his best to discreetly remove Sakura's finger from his jacket-clad bicep.

"Nah, but I will be in a few hours," Maybe Sasuke will be a better source of information than Hinata. He stifles in the urge to break Sasuke's pretty-boy face, "Wanna head to the library?"

Free of Sakura, Sasuke nods his head and gestures toward the path that leads to the library.

Sakura frowns at being dismissed, turning her wrath on Naruto, "Aren't you going to get me what you promised?"

Naruto fishes out a plastic bag with the drugs, "Your coffee and tarte are already paid for at Tsuchi's."

Naruto smiles brightly, it's as fake as the fur on Sakura's boots, "Feel better, Sakura-chan."


This was cute and fun to write. Hope you guys enjoyed it.

Would love your feedback as always.