Disclaimer: I don't own any of this.
It is to be said I am a NaruSaku fan, but still a SasuSaku fan, I just tried to write a different kind of story. It might be confusing but that is how it is supposed to be, a fiction meant to be read 'in between the lines'. Anyway, enjoy, review or flame me if necessary. (even though I prefer nice once)
He hissed when her head landed on his shoulder with a soft thud. Her pink hair drenched in sweat and blood, the inhuman smell that made his stomach turn every time, but there wasn't time for that. He flinched when she grabbed his shirt tightly and pressed herself closer against him. It was so strange, here in the battlefield that no one would ever return the same – Sakura was one of them.
She wasn't scared of blood, she had told him that before, when they were nothing more than companions.
He bent his head backwards and rested his body against the wall. A sigh escaped his bruised lips, and a trail of blood ran down from the corner of his mouth.
She sobbed into his shirt – she always did that. Sasuke wasn't there, and even if he was she would be unable to touch him in such a close way. That's why she loved Naruto so much…not that he was different; it was more like because he understood. Sakura knew the value of understanding in these situations.
Sai sat beside them, just staring emotionless like he always did. But there was something about the way he breathed, that showed that the situation had indeed affected him as the rest. Because he was just like them – just like his brother.
Naruto would just sit there – staring at Sakura in confused manner, trying to understand why she always clung to him, and somewhere inside of him he tried to push the thought, about him being a replacement, away – it wouldn't be fair towards her if he felt that way.
Sakura clung to him, her arms holding so tightly to his orange jacket, that her hands would bleed from the pressure. However, she didn't care; he was her source of comfort in the meanest times where the hope of retrieving Sasuke, faded just a bit. All she could see was the overwhelming orange colour and the familiar smell of just Naruto. Her friend…
If they managed to escape right away, she would never go home the first night. She always followed Naruto like a lost puppy, and if she felt it necessary, she would embrace him in the middle of the street, which caused the citizens to give them disapproving glances. Naruto didn't care – he knew her pain, and he knew that is was what she needed. Once more he would try to push the thought away – but it would always return, that was for sure.
She slept in his apartment the first and the second night – a third night could occur if the incident had been rough. But she always stayedthe first night right after the mission, and it was the night she dreaded the most.
She didn't know if he hated that she rested her head on his shoulders those nights. He didn't seem to care, he would bring a comic or something and sit against the wall – with Sakura by his side. It was comforting every time he decided to read the lines aloud. He did it with such humour and the motions he did with his arms were so alive. Sakura could only help but laugh heartily.
They spend the nights like that, and she would fall asleep on his shoulders and he would put her to bed, claiming his couch for himself. That was how they did it, and it was not to be questioned.
The third day she would always leave while he was still sleeping. That was how she did it, and Naruto didn't question it.
The fifth day he stood by her door, a toothy smile and a request for a date. She turned him down at first, but always followed him. That was how he did it, and Sakura didn't question it.
The seventh day he disappeared without a trace. On that exact day Sakura stood at the bridge. That was how he did it – but she couldn't help but worry.
The eighth day she slapped him. A thing she always did because he made her so damn frustrated, because he hid something, and she didn't like it. It happened like this all the time, nothing seemed out of trace, because that was how they did it.
But this time – he wasn't back the eighth day.
The ninth day she cried her heart out, because he wasn't there.
The tenth day Ino became a friend in need. Because even though they seemed to hate each other, deep down an unbreakable understanding lay between those two. That night she spend it at Ino's, but in their silence she longed for Naruto's shoulder to lean on, and his voice reading aloud. She didn't love him…
The eleventh day it was time for Tsunade's training. The Konoha forest was filled with the sound of trees breaking and Sakura screaming in frustration as she felt herself unable to lay a punch on her teacher.
Tsunade noticed that and kissed her apprentice's forehead. "I believe in you…" was all she told her before she left a shocked Sakura in the woods.
The twentieth day she sat at the roof of the Hokage tower, smiling at Iruka who taught the young children about healing jutsus. She was honoured that he had asked her to show them some of the healing Jutsus that existed. As the children giggled their way through the lesson Sakura turned her face towards the cliff with the Hokage's. Somehow looking there reminded her of Naruto, and his life long promise.
Touching the spot over her heart she tried to get the aching feeling away. She missed Sasuke and Naruto, she really did.
The twenty-fifth day her eyes widened as she accidentally stopped in front of the gate. A small figure limping towards them with the sun setting behind him. Beside him walked a taller figure…
Sasuke…kun…
Tears consumed her face as she held a hand in front of mouth to prevent a gasp. All of this, it was too much, and she couldn't help it when she saw Sasuke's face bend a bit so he could get a better look at her face. "S…sas…sasuke-k..kun…" she gasped and threw herself onto him – and he let her do it. She could have sworn she heard him sigh – not a sad one, but more like a happy one.
"heh…I told you it was a life long promise!" a voice shrieked beside her. Releasing Sasuke she stared at a very bruised and beat up Naruto.
Unexplainable tears made their way, with a smile they trailed down her cheeks. She didn't love him……….
Days after she found herself in the same position, clinging to Naruto's chest as she poured her fear out once more. Sasuke sitting beside them, but unlike Sai he stared at her, and you could smell the fear. Naruto just did what he always did – he let her cling to him because that was what she did and he didn't question her actions, because that was how it was.
The first day Naruto stared at her departing form. She wasn't going to his place – no, tonight Sasuke had asked her to come to him…and she had gone with him, like she always did before. Before Naruto had made his life long promise.
He spent the first day reading comics aloud for himself – but there was no one beside him, resting on his shoulder, not this time.
The second day he slept through most of it like he always did, but the apartment felt empty, because he couldn't hear her turn in the bed like she always did. However, this was what she decided and he wouldn't question it.
The third day there was a knock on his door, but Naruto wasn't there. A pink haired girl stood silently outside the closed door, a sad expression on her face. This was the day she was used to leave – but now she came back…
Knocking one more time she got the same responses and she gave up. Turning around in almost slow motion her emerald eyes turned upwards and met the face of Naruto. With a shy smile she pushed a basket full of ramen into his arms. He caught it with surprise and raised an eyebrow in question. She just smiled and walked past him with a happy aura.
The fourth day a pile of new bought comics lay on his doorstep. He must have overslept again he thought, but what caught his eyes what a small note that said 'I want my basket back soon', unconsciously a big smile spread across his face.
The fifth day he was home when she knocked. This time the night was filled with laughter and empty ramen boxes, comic books lay across the floor and the moon shone through the messy window.
Sakura lay on his bed with him sprawled across her, like they always did; the laughter rang through the room. Naruto stopped laughing when he felt a soft hand brush away his blond locks.
"You were always quick to cry Sakura-chan…" he muttered as he noticed her shimmering eyes.
Before he could say anything else her arms embraced him hardly and buried her face into his neck. It was like repeating everything all over – but this time they were alone, they were clean, and her tears didn't feel so sad. Her arms felt warm and her breath on his neck different… they were repeating everything in a different manner.
He didn't want to know why she had gone with Sasuke, and partly he didn't want to know why she was crying.
He tensed when he felt her lips touch his neck firmly, it was different…it was nothing like Sakura. He pushed her away and she stared at him confused.
The clock turned 12 am, the sixth day.
On the sixth day there would be no days anymore, they knew that, because on the sixth day Sasuke didn't mean a thing right then and there… on that day, everything blurred, the comics were forgotten, the ramen boxes was pushed aside, and the laughter died…
She didn't love him…
…but she had always been good at lying to herself.