Since I've put my other, more anticipated ficts on hold for one reason or the other, I decided to spout this out. Forgive me?
Standard Disclaimers Apply
The first time it happened was when they chose another place to eat, other than the Ichiraku. It was certainly an event for Naruto.
"We are full," the manager said with an apologetic smile that didn't reach his eyes. Duly note that he said this after he examined Naruto closely, like he knew him somehow. And this was after he welcomed them in.
But Naruto didn't remember doing anything wrong to him. Then again, he didn't remember doing anything wrong to most of the adults in Konoha. They all seemed to dislike or hate him by default.
This manager was no exception.
"But there are tables over there," Naruto protested.
"Those are reserved," was the quick reply. "Leave without making a scene, please."
"Let's go," Sakura said then, with an uncharacteristically cold note to her tone.
Sasuke agreed with a perfectly characteristically cold tone to his aura.
Kakashi found them waiting outside for him. "What happened?" he asked.
"Nothing new," said Naruto dejectedly, and even Sakura could find no fault in him for requesting the warm stand of the Ichiraku.
They ate their ramen and pretended nothing was wrong, but later Sasuke and Sakura were both missing. Naruto, being the oblivious creature that he was, was busy entertaining Konohomaru and Company and did not find a new reason to add more malice to the "teme" that followed Sasuke's name.
In truth, nothing did happen. They merely teamed up and very neatly got the manager fired. How they did is between them, but Sasuke recalls that Sakura didn't once request a date during their time together taking revenge for Naruto.
They overheard Naruto telling Hinata his troubles, and then ending it by saying squarely, "One day I'll be Hokage, and I'll gain everyone's respect!"
The next time it happened, they were older, and, for the first time, Sasuke was hated more than Naruto.
"I-I'm sorry," the lady said, and she truly looked it. "M-my husband—"
"Is the owner of this inn," he said, crisply and coldly. He had come in, taken a look at the Uchiha, and wasted no time in sparing his wife. She was too kind. "We do not house traitors."
"That was a long time ago!" Naruto said in outrage. Sasuke remained silent.
Sakura chose to punch the owner in the face with enough force to pound a brick wall. She gave a small pouch to his horrified wife.
"That," Sakura said calmly. "may or may not help the swelling."
They left the inn feeling strangely satisfied.
Neither boys envied the owner, anyway. Especially Naruto, as he had been on the receiving end of Sakura's punch before.
Later they visited a club, pretending the incident never happened. Sakura danced with both of them, and Sasuke actually smiled.
Speaking of which, the last time it happened, it was also at a club. They were even older.
Sakura had been out on the dance floor, this time by herself. Naruto was chatting up the ladies in a way that would make Jiraiya proud. Sasuke was (lightly) drinking at the bar, having been reluctantly yet willingly dragged there.
"Hey," said the man on Sasuke's right. "Isshe widyou?"
Sasuke frowned in disgust. "…"
"Y'know," the man slurred. "Dat one. The shmexy one. Wid pi—hic—ink hair. Shmexyyy… isshe your girl?"
"…No." (it took him a while to answer).
"Okay!" the man said brightly, and he charged into the dance floor.
Two-point-thirty-six minutes later, the man had grabbed her ass twice. She grit her teeth and decided to give him one last chance. He was drunk, after all.
Unfortunately, she didn't anticipate that he'd go for her upper body instead.
Kunoichi indeed, she thought furiously, fuming at what she liked to think was ignorance but what was actually what was left of her innocence.
She raised her hand to clobber the guy, but two other people reacted faster.
"Oh, greeeaaat," the man said, managing to sound sarcastic through his drunkenness and the death grip Naruto and Sasuke had on both his arms. "Knights. Wheee. I supposh you're gonna beatmeup nowww, fer moving in on your girrrl. Even if she'sh nooot. Your—hic—girl, I mean."
"But she is," Naruto said, blinking as if the man was stupid. Well, he was, but case in point… "She's ours."
"And we're not beating you up," Sasuke said, not at all denying Naruto's statement.
Sakura cracked her knuckles, and the man woke up with the worst hangover in his life. (She didn't deny his statement either.)
Both of them walked her home.
"Thanks," she said, with a smile they'd both die for. She kissed them both on the cheek. "Good night."
They decided, later on, that with what happened, Kakashi would be proud of their teamwork. Or at least, one quality of teamwork they managed to attain. They cared for each other as the best of friends, the closest type.
If they were in love, it was with each other, and only because they couldn't imagine being in love with anyone else.
I received a request from someone to do a team 7 fic. I was at a loss on what to do, so I went and talked to Sireen.
This was spawned after our conversation about Team 7 ending with her saying, "Those three are in love with each other."
Well, it's true. :p