To Lost Dreams: -speechless- O.O; Thanks. -stutters- I stand corrected... That was the longest review in my life. -tackles LD-

To Behold The Void: As for characters getting OOC... that's what happens all the time in fan fiction. I mean, I do try to keep things realistic, but if everything went according to how the story is supposed to go, there would be no fan fictions. I promise I'll try and keep them as IC as possible. And I use Microsoft Word to write my chapters, so I'm not really sure what grammatical errors you're talking about. -blink- I mean, the sentences that are marked with the little 'grammar-error' swiggly green lines on MS Word, I fix until the green things disappear. The chapter seems grammatically fine to me. O.o So... If you could give me an example of where I went wrong, it'd help a lot.

To Naru/Saku dislikers: And though perhaps Sakura/Sasuke is a better pairing, I just don't go for that much, so.... Sorry, but this isn't going to be a Sasu/Saku story. -sweat drop- Like I said, if Naruto/Sakura doesn't appeal to you, you don't have to read this. ; But personally, I think they make a cute couple. Btw, is there a difference between Naru x Saku and Saku x Naru?

Anyway... -gives chocolate out to people- O.o I feel kind of hyper today. XD

Here we are on chapter seven. -whisper- I have a secret to share. I desperately, desperately hope that I can keep going... My previous stories on other accounts died around chapters 7/8, because I simply lose inspiration. Xx; -curls into a little ball- Help me keep this story going! XD Don't let me fall into non-writing-ness! -clutch-

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. But I do know how to play 'Wind' by Akeboshi on the piano... which is completely irrelevant. XD

Titled. Chapter 7.

Once the still-unconscious Sakura was placed upon the soft cushions, Kakashi sat the two boys down, and seated himself near them. His eye narrowed.

"I believe the two of you need to do some explaining for me."

Kakashi waved a hand and cut off any speech before it could be formed. "Question-and-answer time now. Naruto. I thought you were in the Ichiraku buying ramen?"

"Yes, I was," muttered Naruto. "You're not going to believe this, but I changed my mind half-way, and decided to come back." He grinned sheepishly. "And I wanted to talk to Sakura anyway... I suppose I got back first, because no one was the house... And then because Sasuke dragged us all out early this morning, I lay down on the couch and took a nap to wait for Sakura." He pointed towards the couch that Sakura was now occupying. "I guess I was more tired then I thought, because I didn't wake up until Sasuke started yelling." He shot Sasuke a glance. "I supposed that they hadn't noticed me. When I heard what - what Sakura said..." He swallowed the lump in his throat, cheeks turning red. "I decided just to lie still. But I got angry when Sasuke was hurting her, so I tackled him."

"Fair enough." The surprise that Kakashi had for Naruto turning down ramen was well hidden by the veil he wore. "Sasuke. I believe I heard your delicate tones earlier... Would you like to explain that?"

I'm pissed off because the girl I like now likes the guy I hate, I can't believe that this is only day two, I kind of feel like killing someone at the moment, you have no idea how much this is bothering me, but it's a hell of a good thing that I'm able to hide my emotions otherwise you'd see me drowning in a pool of my own fucking tears. Inner Sasuke took a breath. What he said out loud though, was, "No. I would not like to explain that."

There was a pause. "Sasuke, you can hide forever behind a mask of defiance and coldness," Kakashi said softly. "But what good does it do?"

Naruto kept silent, feeling slightly odd. He was almost sure that Sasuke was on the edge of cracking up.

Said boy was quiet. Dark eyes fixed on the ground, lips pressed together. The seconds dragged on slowly, the silence heavy in the air. Finally, he spoke, but his words were issued forth in such a small, unsure voice.

"I like her. I really do."

Naruto glanced up in alarm. This was not the voice of Uchiha Sasuke... This was a voice calling out for comfort. Crying out for reassurance. Calling out in desperation. Naruto let out a loose breath. The shell was splintering.

Silence still commanded the atmosphere. After a shaky pause, the voice continued to speak.

"I thought - I didn't think that revenge would consume myself so heavily. I guess... I guess I simply assumed that she would always be there. I thought she would l - love me until I was ready to lo - love her back."

Was this pure sincerity? Was this real regret from such an emotionless boy? Kakashi listened quietly. No one moved.

"I - I --" The shell was breaking. "I thought she would wait me." And then Sasuke did something that he didn't do. He did something that he'd never consider doing. He curled up, knees drawn to his chest, hugging himself as forehead was placed on his knees.

Naruto shifted uncomfortably. This was not right... Sasuke couldn't be breaking. It didn't make sense... It wasn't logical. It was crazy. Insane. He didn't know how to react. If Sasuke bitched at him, he'd rage back. If Sasuke hit him, he'd fight back. But now Sasuke was melting away, to be replaced by this helplessness. This subtleness. Fortunately though, Naruto didn't have to do much.

Kakashi laid a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "She did wait for you," he said gently. "But she was waiting for too long."

And then the shell repaired itself slightly. Eyes flaring with suppressed anger, Sasuke knocked the hand away. "I hate you. I hate you all," he snarled. "I hate this whole fucking world!"

"No you don't," quipped Kakashi simply. "You don't hate me, as much as you'd like to think. You don't hate Naruto, even if he annoys you sometimes. And you don't hate Sakura."

I hate you, Kakashi, because you're always right, muttered Inner Sasuke resentfully. He was spared a response as Naruto yelled, "Sakura!" because the certain pink-haired shinobi's eyes had just fluttered open.

"N - Naruto..." she said uncertainly, sitting up halfway. She looked dazedly around, from Sasuke to Naruto, from Naruto to... Kakashi? "Kakashi?" she said vaguely. "What're you doing here?"

"Just checking up on you three." Kakashi's one eye curved in a happy arc. "I'm glad to see you're feeling better."

Sakura was confused for a second. And then she remembered. Oh no, whimpered Inner Sakura, I can't believe how this day is turning out.

"Sasuke, I --" she began hesitatingly, instantly stopping when Sasuke looked her way. She had nothing to say that could change it. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Shut up." His former rage and jealousy came surging back in a current of emotions.

Naruto frowned - so much for the subtleness.

"I think I know how you feel," she continued quietly, flinching at his words.

"I said shut up."

"But I've decided to... move on. I'm sorry." Her bottom lip trembled, and she bit down on it.

"Shut. The. Hell. Up."

She shut her mouth, though tears welled up in her eyes. Why won't you listen to me, Sasuke?

Naruto was silent, for once. He was fairly surprised that after the big heart-warming speech Sasuke made about Sakura, he could still go and start swearing at her. Slightly delayed reactions to his rudeness prevented him from blowing up. Even Inner Sakura was quiet.

But Kakashi wasn't as still as the other two. "Sasuke, you cannot blame Sakura if her heart chooses another's... like she doesn't blame you because your heart didn't choose hers."

My heart did choose hers, you stupid old man, haven't you been listening to a word I said, perverted stupid freak, raged Inner Sasuke, literally on fire with fury. "All right," he snapped. "Fine. That's great." Sasuke turned his death-stare on Naruto and Sakura. "You two. Just... don't make babies while I'm around." He tried to drag up a famous Uchiha smirk, didn't quite manage it, and headed straight out the door. He needed some time alone. He needed to kill some more trees. He glanced down at his knuckles. Damn it, they haven't healed properly yet. He knew he was in for some renewed pain.

I hate my life, sighed Inner Sasuke, at least Naruto's got friends even if he's too stupid to know that. Stupid Naruto.

Sakura sat still as the door slammed shut. She kept her gaze fixed on the floor, staring at the ground as if it mesmerized her. She was afraid to look up. She was afraid of the looks of pity she would receive if she made eye contact.

The couch sank down as someone's weight was added to it. Sakura didn't have to look up to know it was Naruto. His hand touched hers, hesitatingly closing around it. She didn't look up - she couldn't. She couldn't face the sympathy that she felt sure was to be in his eyes.

"Sakura."

Sakura was slightly surprised at the soft call of her name. She forced herself turn around, sorrowful eyes gazing at Naruto's feet through a blurry haze. She brushed her tears away, and shamefully lifted her face. I'm so humiliated. Naruto must think I'm such a crybaby.

Naruto was anything but scornful. He wriggled in closer, hands enveloping hers. "It's okay, Sakura," he said gently, applying a bit of pressure to his grip. "You can let it all out."

Sakura squeezed back, watching the look of fierce pride in his eyes. Pride, Inner Sakura said sadly, what's he to be proud of? "Shino - shinobi don't cry," she said haltingly, tears running down her face. She felt her hands being squeezed again. It was so comforting, that little bit of force. Sasuke has never comforted me like this before... Come to think of it, he hasn't ever really comforted me before at all...

"I'm proud of you, Sakura," he said in a small voice, unknowingly answering her unspoken question. "I'm proud of the way you stood up to him. And I wouldn't ever think less of you, if you threw yourself at the ground and bawled your eyes out. It's true that shinobi are warriors... But that doesn't mean that we don't have emotions." He grinned sheepishly. "It's kind of corny, eh? But... It doesn't matter... because-I-love-you-anyhow," he stuttered, somehow messing up the last few words so it sounded a bit like 'cosslovyuneewow'. He held his breath.

Sakura smiled blearily back at him. It was really amazing that after all the humiliation, punches, and insults she had ever thrown at him, he'd loved her in spite of that. Sakura was just starting to realize just how precious this boy was to her. Clutching his hands still, she leaned in to him, breath tickling his ear as she whispered, heart thumping painfully loudly, "... I think... I think I love you too."

A delighted shiver coursed through Naruto's body, tingling his senses and rendering speech useless. She - she said she loved him! He almost instinctively said, "What?" Almost. He'd been dreaming, hoping, dying for this moment for so long... and here it was. But though almost blinded by joy and bliss, Naruto kept a level head. His face fell as he considered what he had to say. Azure eyes reflecting the sorrow of he, he spoke.

"Sakura... are you sure?" He hated himself for bringing this up, but he didn't want to ever hurt her. Nor did he want himself to be hurt - what if she should wake up one day in his arms and decide that she hadn't really gotten over Sasuke? "I mean... you're letting him go?"

Kakashi looked from one to the other, scratched his chin, and then shrugged. Well, it looks like I'm no use now. Shooting a grin to no one in particular, the jounin crept unnoticed out the front door.

Sakura didn't answer for a bit, her gaze downcast. When she responded, her face was lifted once more, a smile lighting up her features. "Yes, Naruto. I think... I think I let him go a while ago... Everything I've been doing - running after him, wanting him to walk with me... I think they just turned into habits more than anything else." Jade eyes clouded over with a mist of regret. "I just feel kind of... bad. I feel bad that Sasuke is so angry with me." She looked helplessly at Naruto. "I mean, I couldn't help it when I fell out of love with him..." she swallowed around the lump in her throat, "... and into love with you..."

Naruto pulled Sakura towards him, arms wrapping around her as she buried her face into the crook of his neck, one of her hands lifting to grasp a fistful of his shirt. He didn't speak; he didn't think that the words would get out even if he had something to say. Eyes closed, he rested his chin on the top of her head, holding her warmth against him, breathing in her fragrance of cherry blossoms, for which she was so aptly named. He held her tightly, feeling the wetness of her tears against his neck, feeling the short gasps that blew upon his skin whenever she took a sob-choked breath, feeling her heartbeat against his in unison...

It was a heavenly moment.

-----

... -cries- How sweet. Except for the fact that I can't write very well when it comes to sad scenes, I thought it wasn't too horrible. ; It was kind of funny and sad at the same time for me, because right after I wrote it, I sat for a full ten minutes, eyes closed, envisioning the last few paragraphs in full visual detail. And my mom was poking me and asking if I was meditating or not. XDD

Was it... good? Did you like it? Love it? (Hate it? O.o) Read and review! n.n;