Chapter 3

Kizna: Hehe, sorry it took forever to write another chapter, even though I started it like 2 months ago. I hate when others do it so I'm being hypocritical...

Thank you to the reviewers. Especially Garrett's advice on the fight scene. I know I'm bad at them, so I'll try to do better next time! Anyway... onto the fanfic!

I don't own Naruto. If I did, Sasuke would be dead and long digested by beetles by now.

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"And then we were going to tell you Icha Icha Tactics spoilers, so you covered your ears and eyes, and we got the bells!" Naruto exclaimed, laughing.

This earned him a death glare from Kakashi. "Naruto," Kakashi said unenthusiastically, "For the last time, I know what happened. Stop gloating."

Naruto was about to reply when his stomach gave a loud grumble. "Ah, I'm so hungry. I haven't eaten since early yesterday."

"I'm hungry from training since yesterday too," Sakura added, just noticing her hunger now.

"Let's go to Ichiraku!"

"Sure! But its sensei's treat."

They both turned to tell Kakashi there decision, but instead of their sensei there was just smoke. "He ditched us!" Naruto yelled.

"It doesn't matter. We can just go together," Sakura said casually, then adding, "But it's your treat."

They started off toward the ramen stand, and Naruto could only think of how light his wallet would be. Then he realized something. He and Sakura were going to eat alone. Could this be considered a date?

Naruto almost did a jig until another thought hit him. Had Sakura gone out with anyone over the past two years? Did she have a boyfriend? What about Lee? Had she finally accepted one of his pleas for a date?

Suddenly, he imagined something so disturbing he almost fainted. In his mind, he could see a small boy with bowl-cut pink hair, round eyes, and fuzzy pink caterpillar eyebrows. Was this how Sakura's and Lee's kids would look like? Naruto slid to the ground, exasperated by the thoughts and the vision.

"Eh? Naruto? What's wrong?" Sakura asked when she realized his had collapsed.

"Oh!" Naruto exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "Nothing's wrong. I'm just a bit tired."

Sakura nodded, though Naruto was acting strange. They were right in front of the ramen 'stand' now.

"Hey! What happened to this place?" Naruto exclaimed. Ichiraku Ramen had renovated, and was now a small restaurant rather than the stand Naruto remembered.

"Yeah, they got a lot of business and decided to renovate."

Naruto shrugged and they went in. Seeing Ayame at the counter, he bounced off to greet her and Teuchi. "I'll be right back Sakura-chan!" he yelled while running. Sakura laughed to herself, sitting down at a table by the window. The sun was already low, but the sky was still blue.

Sasuke crossed her mind again, shadowing her happiness. They had told Naruto all they knew of his return and such, and he had accepted it pretty quietly. Too quietly for Naruto. But now he seemed fine. But was he just masking his true feelings?

"Sakura-chan!"

Naruto had come back to the table. He grinned and sat down. Ayame came just as he was about to speak. "What do you guys want to eat?" she asked.

"Mmmmm... two bowls of miso ramen for me!"

Sakura studied the menu for a second, not sure of what to take. "I just want a bowl of beef ramen. Thanks."

Ayame nodded and went back to the kitchen. There was a moment of awkward silence.

What should I say to her? Naruto thought. The pink-haired child appeared in his mind again, and he tried to send the thought away.

"So, how's everyone from the leaf nine?" Naruto asked. He really wanted to see everyone again. "And Neji's team," he quickly added.

Sakura stared at the window, wondering where to start. "Well, Hinata and I are training to be medical-nins under Tsunade-sensei."

"Are Kiba and Hinata together?" Naruto asked.

Sakura stared at him for a moment. She had always thought Naruto had feelings for Hinata and considered Kiba a rival. "Yeah, but why do you ask?"

"Finally. They're meant for each other."

"Yeah. I mean, that's so obvious even an idiot like you can realize it."

"Sakura-chan!"

Ayame arrived with three steaming bowls, and Naruto started eating immediately, forgetting about the previous insult.

"Neji and TenTen are together." Sakura said after swallowing.

Naruto nodded slightly. He didn't know Neji's team that well. Of course Neji was a jounin now, Naruto remembered. Everyone had advanced in rank... but him, making him feel unbelievably left out.

Thinking of Neji made Naruto remember Lee. "Hey, how's Lee?" Naruto asked with his mouth half-full.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Sakura said, suddenly bursting into laughter. "Lee...that reminds me...I forgot to tell you."

Forgot to tell him what? Naruto thought, swallowing hard.

"Of course Lee stopped bothering me to go out with him. He found someone else."

Naruto felt a wave of relief spread over him and had some more ramen.

"Lee and Ino are together now."

Naruto had started laughing, but unfortunately he still had ramen in his mouth. He choked, falling off his chair.

"Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed, hitting him on his back. Naruto coughed and then swallowed the noodles.

"Thanks," he said sheepishly. "But high-maintenance girl and fuzzy-brows? I always thought Shikamaru had a thing for Ino."

"It seems so hard to believe, I know," Sakura replied, still giggling. "Shikamaru and Ino were together for about a week. Shikamaru was too lazy and Ino too bossy in each others' eyes. But Ino and Lee... are oddly unique enough for each other."

Sakura finished her ramen, looking out the window again. The sky was stained orange and pink now, the sun slowly disappearing.

"Sakura-chan? Can we leave?" Naruto complained slightly. Sakura noticed he had finished both his bowls.

"Sure."

They paid and left the restaurant, Naruto shouting back gladly that he would come again soon. Their homes were in the same direction, so they walked down the street together.

"Hey, don't you live that way?" Naruto asked, pointing in the direction of a cross street.

"Oh. Actually, I moved out of my parents' house. I live in an apartment further down."

"Cool! Do you like living alone?"

Sakura considered it. "Well, I love having no curfew. But the laundry and cooking gets annoying."

"Well, this is my place," Naruto said, pointing just down the road. "I wonder how my home looks now..."

"I'll come with you in case you need any help or anything," Sakura said, shrugging. She didn't have anything to do today.

Naruto opened the door to his apartment, and both shinobi stared in silence at the state of the apartment. All the surfaces were covered in a centimeter or two of dust, and the lights refused to turn on.

"This might take a while..." Naruto said.

Not thinking of what she was saying, Sakura spoke. "Come on. You can sleep at my place tonight and tidy up tomorrow."

"Sakura-chan, you're so generous! Thanks!"

What am I doing? Naruto, sleep at MY place? Oh god..., Sakura thought. But it was too late to take back her invitation.

"Come on!" Naruto exclaimed.

They only had to walk a block to get to Sakura's apartment. "Wow, you live so close! I can come here every day!" Naruto said happily.

"Why?"

"Ehh... I don't know."

Sakura opened the door to reveal an apartment fifty times cleaner then Naruto's ever was. The boy quickly plopped himself on the cream-colored couch.

"Yay! Where do I sleep?"

"There."

"Sakura-chan, you need a pet."

"What? Why?" Sakura asked, looking at him from the kitchen.

"Don't you get lonely here by yourself?"

"Not really."

Naruto stared up at the ceiling, unsure of what to say. Sakura, on the other hand, was busy digging through her closet to find a sleeping bag Naruto could use.

Both looked up when they heard a knock on the door.

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Kizna: Well... what did you think? Review! Or I shall suck your brains out with straws! Bendy straws!