Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of it's characters or anything. Please don't sue the poor university student.
Last cahpter...
The
Hyuuga rested his forehead on hers.
His voice low and serious,
"I would never do that to you." It was a promise.
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Chapter
11: Living my life without you
"No Naruto move the couch back there." Sakura pointed to her desired spot. Naruto and his shadow clone did as asked.
"NO! Fore-head girl you have no taste, who in their right mind puts a
love seat in the middle? It's the three seat-couch that goes there."
Naruto looked at Sakura with fear in his eyes.
"Ino-pig this is MY place so I decided where the furniture goes!"
Hinata sweat dropped. She got the easy job of putting the newly bought
dishes in the cupboard. She could hear them all arguing from the
kitchen.
Sakura had a simple apartment. The front door led to a hallway where to
the right was her kitchen, which had a door leading to the dinning
room.
The dining room also had a connecting door that lead to the
living room. Of course you could get to the living room if you just
walked straight when you first entered the apartment. Another small
hallway led to where Sakura's room was and the washroom directly across
from her bedroom.
Naruto made another shadow clone and left his two clones with the two
hot tempered kunoichi's while he sneaked off to find his girl friend.
"Psst Hinata!" Hinata jumped startled by the whisper. She looked at the kitchen door.
"Naruto-kun, aren't you supposed to be helping Sakura-chan and Ino-chan?"
Naruto took on more look out the kitchen door, craning his neck to see Ino and Sakura still arguing.
He grinned at Hinata and closed the kitchen door.
"They won't notice me gone, and I left two of my shadow clones with
them. As long as they don't hurt them too badly, they should be in
tact."
Hinata smiled, she was suddenly nervous. Even though they were dating
and had been for a while. She still felt shy and nervous around Naruto.
Of course, not as much as before.
The shy Hyuuga heir turned back to her task and started putting the drinking glasses in the cupboard…If only she could reach.
Hinata went on her tip toes. She sometimes cursed her 5'1" frame.
Naruto steeped up behind her, pressing her form against the counter, as
he plucked the glasses from her up stretched hands and put them into
the shelves for her. It was an innocent act of helping someone out.
Yeah right!
Hinata gasped and went still. Naruto didn't move. Hinata's hands were
still held up as if she still had the glasses in her hand. Work
calloused hands caressed down from her wrists to her shoulders. . Then
dragged down, slightly grazing the edge of her breasts. The Hyuuga heir
gasped, as his hands continued their descent till they rested on her
hips.
He shuffled closer to her, pressing up against her back. Letting her feel all of him.
Hinata was nice shade of pink.
Naruto's lips met the back of her neck. "Mmm Hinata-chan you smell
good." Naruto pressed a few more kisses on her neck. Hinata grabbed the
counter for support. She always smelled so nice. The Hyuuga heiress let
out a soft moan when one hand was splayed over her stomach holding her
still.
He continued to mummer to her.
Hinata couldn't really understand why Tenten and Sakura liked quiet,
scary men such as her cousin and Sasuke-san. With their cold aloof all
knowing eyes. Neji-nee-san wasn't AS bad as Sasuke-san but they were
both cut from the same cloth, she liked the Naruto type.
Or more specifically she liked Uzumaki Naruto. He was loud, talkative,
warm, and most of all caring. He had no problems expressing how he
felt. Such as now…
Naruto's hand had crawled under her shirt and his lips were still
mapping her neck. He turned the heiress around until she was facing
him.
"I thought you could use some help." His eyes held a mischievous gleam in them as he kissed her.
Hinata let her tongue tangle with his with out a thought. The first
time he had done this, she had ALMOST fainted. It was so intimate and
there was no space left between them, it had been overwhelming. One
hand was buried in his golden locks while the other held on to his
shirt. She stood on her tipi- toes trying to keep contact with his
lips. His 6'1" frame really was bugger; it was no problem when they
were sitting down.
Hinata knew a quick remedy would be to jump and clasp her legs around
his waist, but that was so…intimate. Not to mention wanton and
embarrassing!
Naruto let his hands travel down her back till they rested on her ass.
He couldn't help but give it a squeeze, who would have thought that
Hinata was so lushly curved?
A squeak escaped her lips.
He had never done that before. And there he did it again! This time
Hinata moaned and pressed up against him more. She would be lying if
she said it felt bad. Naruto hoisted her up and when she didn't wrap
her legs around his waist, he sat her on the counter.
To his surprise she wrapped her legs around him then.
Naruto growled in approval and kissed her more anxiously.
"Aww come on fore head girl; put THIS vase on the tea table." Sakura
sighed in exasperation. The Naruto clones were long gone, Ino had
punched one and Sakura had kicked another for arguing with her.
"Fine, fine Ino do as you like." Sakura plopped down on her newly
bought sofa. She was too tired to argue, plus she could change it all
when Ino left. She had Naruto and his endless supply of Shadow clones
at her mercy.
Ino eyed her friend. She looked tired and worn down. Ino sat down on the coffee table.
"Hey Sakura are you okay with all this?" Sakura smiled her eyes still closed.
"I'm fine just tired, check the time for me will you?"
Ino turned her head to check the plain black and white wall clock with roman numbers.
"Holy shit! It's 6pm! I was supposed to buy something for dinner! My
mother is going to kill me!" Ino was already on her feet and half way
out Sakura's apartment as she shouted rushed "goodbyes" to Sakura,
Naruto and Hinata.
"Stupid Ino-pig. I'm getting hungry. What about you baby?" I was April
4th almost a month since she had found out she was with child. And she
was already speaking to the child. With a whimsical smile Sakura got up
ready to find Naruto and Hinata to see if they need any help.
When she did find them she figured they didn't need her help at all, nope.
They were so into each other that they hardly noticed her poke her head
in through the dinning room door of the kitchen, then quietly retreat
back to the living room.
Sakura was happy for Hinata and more so for Naruto. He had finally
found someone who returned his feelings. She was relived when he had
gotten over her and ecstatic when he had started dating Hinata. The
quiet heiress had helped him mature and quiet down just a tad bit.
While Naruto helped Hinata become more confident. They both had
positive impacts on the other.
And Sakura was happy for them.
Am I really?
After Sasuke had left, Sakura and Naruto had become closer. Both trying
to keep the crumbling team seven together. But due to circumstances
they had saw less and less of each other. Each striving to become
stronger. Still she knew at the end of the day Naruto would be there
for her, just like she would him. However, that was then, now he had
Hinata.
Who did Sakura have left?
Sasuke had left her again. Naruto had found someone else.
The baby.
Sakura perked up. That was right. Sasuke had left her a parting gift,
and what a gift. Sure the time was a bit too early for her taste. But
at least…
Now I won't be alone. Who needs men when I'll soon have a cute baby in my arms? A baby I can buy cute outfits for!
She had someone to love, someone who wouldn't leave her anytime soon. A brilliant smile took over Sakura's face.
The clock struck seven.
"Mhmm Naru-mmm-to-kun ahh…" At last Hinata pulled away from her
boyfriends demanding lips. Breathing hard she looked up to his shinning
blue eyes. Combing his hair back into some semblance of order. "I have
to go home N-Naruto-kun."
He continued to caress her cheek with his thumb.
"Why now? Ino left and Sakura-chan is probably sleeping." he leaned in to kiss her again. Hinata reluctantly pushed him back.
"Sorry Naruto-kun, my father will be upset if I'm not home by 7:30pm."
He pulled her close and mumbled in her hair. "I can't believe the old man has curfew for you, even at age 19."
She giggled and unhooked her legs from around his waist. With one last
smacking loud kiss on her cheek Naruto helped the Hyuuga heiress down
and held her hand while they opened the kitchen door.
"He just doesn't trust men after 7:30pm is all Naruto-kun." He grinned wolfishly down at her.
"Old man Haishi shouldn't trust them before that time either." Konoha's
loudest ninja laughed out aloud at his own joke while Hinata slapped
him playfully on his bicep.
"Ouch, Hinata-chan your picking up Sakura-chan's habits."
They stumbled upon a sleeping Sakura. Naruto sighed as he went to pick up his best friend.
"The teme has really gone and done it this time. Bastard could have
been careful and he's the 'genius', some genius. " Hinata watched with
worry as Naruto hid his fury while he put Sakura to bed, pulling a
blanket over her.
When he softly closed her bedroom door behind him, Hinata was there to embrace him.
"It's going to work out Naruto-kun, Sakura-chan is a strong girl and
she is lucky to have a friend such as you watching over her."
His lips twitched and his eyes became softer.
"Thanks Hinata-chan." He let go of her. "Want me to walk you home?"
With a shake of her head she declined. "It's okay I'll go by the ramen
place on my way home and ask them to deliver, I'm sure Sakura-chan is
hungry…" Naruto stomach growled and they both laughed, "and it looks
like you are too."
Naruto nodded and with one last kiss Hinata left.
Naruto, after Hinata had left, ran to his apartment showered and came running back, using the spare key Sakura had given him to lock the door after him.
Sakura woke up when she heard the TV noise come from the living room.
It's probably Naruto, from the sounds of all those monsters.
She threw the cover off her person. And swung her legs off the bed and jumped up, bad idea.
"Come on kill the guy already torture is not in any more…" Naruto was
interrupted by retching sounds coming from Sakura washroom.
"Sakura-chan!" He jumped off the couch and ran to the washroom. And there he saw his best friend worshiping the porcelain god.
"EHHAH Sakura-chan what did you eat? Are you alright? Should I get the
old lady Tsunade?" His barge of questions was interrupted by a croak
for, "Water."
He ran to do her bidding while Sakura continued to vomit her insides out.
Naruto came back and found Sakura washing her face with soap while
brushing her teeth vigorously, in between spitting out the paste she
was grumbling; as he got closer it became clearer.
"Stupid bastard brush… wait till I get my hands spit...on him. Making
me go through this...bursh... pregnancy alone. Spit. Brush. He tries to
touch me again spit I'll cut his hands off! gargle."
Dang she looks mad. I should give her some space…incase she decides to take her anger out on my poor body.
"Sakura-chan...water?"
Sakura downed the water in one go, slamming the glass down on the
counter top after she finished. Naruto cringed ducking his head under
his hands, surprised that the crystal didn't shatter.
When she looked at Naruto, he cursed. She looked horrible, her face was drained of color her eyes blood shot.
"Sakura-chan?" He held out a hand to her when she stumbled.
Sakura shook her head clearing her head, her voice clear.
"I'm fine Naruto this is just one of the many side effects of pregnancy."
Naruto's face darkened. The bastard was putting her through too much. "I'm going to kill him."
"Get in line, I'm first." Sakura muttered as she hobbled past him.
Naruto grinned. He picked her up and carried his friend to the living
room.
"I'm pregnant, not an invalid, Naruto!"
"Yeah but you looked like you were going to faint." He put her down when she punched him just as someone knocked on the door.
It was the take out.
Naruto watched in shock as Sakura devoured one dish after another. He
had eaten only one container while Sakura made her way through five
others…
Wow Sakura-chan…but eating like that won't she get sick again?
"Um ano..Sakura-chan…may-maybe you should slow down?" He was further silenced by a green death glare.
Later that night Sai had come by to goad Naruto into training with him.
But that never happened because Sakura decided to worship the porcelain
god again. Hence the night was spent with the three ninja's watching
movies and patting Sakura's back as she repeatedly paid homage to the
porcelain god. All three had one unifying thought.
Uchiha you are a dead man.
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A few days later
"Ah Sakura, your right on time."
Sakura timidly entered the Fifth's office. I hope she doesn't yell at me. The women can be freaky when she yells like that.
"Hai, Tsunade-sama you called for me?"
Today Tsunade was full of smiles. "Don't be sacred Sakura, come sit down."
Sakura giggled in nervousness but did as instructed. When Tsunade
noticed that the younger woman was still nervous she let out a huge
sigh.
"Listen Sakura, I'm not going to lecture you. I already did that." Sakura visibly relaxed.
"Then why am I here?"
"I just wanted to talk to you." When Sakura nodded and gave her first
honest smile, Tsunade continued. The fifth got up from her seat, her
back to her student as she looked down at the bustling town of Konoha.
"You know I always wanted a child of my own." Sakura had always
wandered why her teacher had never married. It's not like she lacked in
looks, brains or skills department.
"But I never had one. Hence I always saw you and Naruto as my own…" her
voice trailed off and Sakura saw a great opportunity to ask her
question.
"Why didn't you ever marry Tsunade-shishu? Umm if you don't mind my personal question."
A bitter laugh left the older women's ruby lips.
"Because I loved a man…that I couldn't save. Then I never found another
man like him. And I didn't want to find another like him. Love really
does seem to happen only once, now that is a scary thought." Sakura's
eyes widened. Tsunade turned around hazel eyes boring into her
students.
"Don't ever let the man you love die, Sakura."
Sakura slowly nodded.
Tsunade's face cleared up and her serious face vanished, she grinned down at her student.
"I have some new reading material for you!" She clapped her hands together
"No!" Sakura groaned out. Tsunade only tsked at her student as she went to her desk pulling out a few books from her draws.
"Be thankful girl, these will help you out! They are pregnancy books!
Perfect for new mothers. There are also a few medical journals there as
well that I want you to look at about white blood cells." Sakura perked
up. They weren't books she had to study!
"I want you to study these books…"
She spoke to soon "…and tell me what you've learned, I want you to be able to take care of your self and the child!"
Sigh "Yes Tsunade-sama." Sakura got up and picked up the pile of books. "Thank you."
Tsunade watched her apprentice walk out with her heavy load.
I wonder where Sai is, I should have called him in so he could help her carry all those. Oh well next time.
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Itachi looked at the scroll from Orochimaru. An attack on Konoha? And they would hand the kyubbi container over to him, if he took care of his brother? It was tempting and it would end their search. But the Akatuski worked on their own. He threw the scroll into the bottom of his desk drawer. It would be a last resort. He had more pressing matters at hand now. His brother wasn't his top priority now.
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Sakura stood in front of the shop mirror. Sai watched her turn to
different angles and thoroughly scrutinize her own figure. He really
didn't see a difference, but that was his 'male' opinion. Sakura's
pregnancy was more trouble then he had thought it would be.
First of all, Tsunade had declined to give her apprentice missions.
Which meant he usually went with Kakashi and Naruto. No Sakura to heal
them up on the way, or stop the fighting that went on between him and
Naruto.
Second, most of his free time was spent with Sakura, doing odd jobs
around the town (D-rank missions)…or helping her fill up her new home.
Or carrying gigantic medical tomes to and fro, from Tsunade to Sakura.
He had a sneaking suspicion that granny Tsunade was playing match maker.
"Sai, you think I'm getting fat?"
Now what kind of question was that? He raised one eyebrow at her, and she continued to look at him expectedly.
Well obviously you crazy women you're gonna get fat…but I say yes, she'll most likely punch me to the Hokage's tower.
"No."
A smile brightened her troubled face. "Really?" She turned back to the mirror."
"Yes really." Sai rolled his eyes. Women and their weight problem, he
never really understood why kunoichi worried so much, they were all fit
to start out with. What was the big idea really?
"Sakura, I though we were here to buy you a new dinning table?"
"Oh right!" A faint blush covered her cheek, and Sai smirked as he watched her scurry over to the displays.
He noticed a sales man latch onto her. Literarily the guy was panting
all over his team mate. Irked Sai made his way to Sakura. This came
part and parcel with Sakura. Men panting after her.
Time to act the protective 'boy friend.'
He and Sakura had decided it would be better for people to think they
were 'dating' or in a 'solid relationship.' It would keep the suspicion
as to who was the baby's father very low.
Sai didn't have to act, it came naturally. He plucked the greasy hand
of the 45ish sales man. And put his own hand around Sakura's waist.
"Find something you like baby?" He asked brushing his lips over her pink head.
Sakura choked back a laugh and covered it with a cough, Sai pinched her
waist. Was it so hard for her to act? Biting his tongue to keep a
sarcastic comment in.
The Salesman moved a few steps back away from the ninja. Sai was
dressed in his training gear, kunais clearly visible. While Sakura was
dressed in simple white cotton pants and a red peasant blouse.
"So you're a ninja eh?" The Salesmen asked.
"We both are." Sakura answered.
"So you're dating eh?" Sai gave the man a look that clearly said. 'What
do you think smart guy?' And slid both his hands around Sakura's waist.
"Yes." Sakura answered. "Now I am here to buy a dinner table, not talk about my life, so sir if you please?"
The man nodded and rushed past them pointed out different pieces as he went along.
"Sai get your hands off me." Sakura hissed.
"I'm acting!" She gave him a shrewd glare.
"Fine, fine." He muttered putting his hands up in surrender. "The least
you could do is give me favors, I mean I am going to be the 'father of
your child'."
"WHAT was that?" Did she hear him correctly? Favors?
The perverted bastard…I'll cut his balls off and string them…
"Nothing, nothing, honestly Sakura, look the guy is showing you
something." He turned her shoulders toward the sales man giving her a
push in the direction.
It was too much fun pissing off the pink haired kunoichi; the expressions she made were priceless.
Sai had noticed since her return from her mission gone wrong. Sakura
was happier? She defiantly smiled more. He wasn't complaining.
"Why do I have to set up the table?"
"Because the delivery men charged 5000 yen extra to fix the table?"
Sakura sat on carved wooden chair while Sai labored away at her feet using little tools to set up her dinner table.
Juggling three table legs he looked up at her from floor. "The least you could do is help."
"I'm pregnant." She answered simply munching on the bag of chips in her hand.
He looked un-fazed.
"So?" Like being pregnant was a big deal.
She looked fine to him. If she could still punch a creator in the ground, and hop roofs, she was fine in his books.
Sakura stopped in the process of putting BBQ chicken flavored chip in her mouth.
"So, little boy, I'm not supposed to lift heavy objects or strain my
self." A smile worthy of Cheshire cat filled her face. Right before the
little chip went into her delicate little mouth, a pink tongue coming
to wipe the crumbs off her glossy lower lip.
Sai swore.
"That's just an excuse; you and I both know it." He looked away.
Did the woman have any idea how sexy she was? Sitting there on the chair, wearing white shorts and small black t-shirt?
Munch munch
Her eyes were sparkling with mirth. "Sai you're not a very good bf, if you let your pregnant girl friend do the work."
The response was out of his mouth before he could stop it.
"See I'm not the guy that got you pregnant, now am I princess?"
Sakura put the chip that was half way to her mouth back into the bag. She had lost her appetite.
She broke eye contact with Sai and got up.
He was right. He really shouldn't have to be doing this. Sakura wiped her hands on her shorts and moved to where Sai was.
"Okay Sai, you go take a break I'll do it." His head quickly turned up to her.
"Its okay I got it under control." He really didn't mean the part about
needing her help, but sometimes things were easier with another pair of
hands.
Sakura only rolled her eyes, as she gathered the instruction manual.
"It's my furniture Sai, and you don't have to be helping me at all, and
I'm thankful that you are. So don't worry about it. I'll just call
Naruto over later, and get him to help me." She gave him an
understanding smile.
"Why do you always do that?" His voice was suddenly much to cold.
"What?" Sakura didn't look up, so he grabbed her hand to make her look at him. Stopping her from picking up a piece of wood.
"You always push me away and run to Naruto."
"Sai I don't…"
"Yes you do! You are doing it right now. I said I'd help you didn't I?
I'm also your team mate aren't I? Your friend?" Sakura only nodded her
head. "Good then, now be the good little girl friend and make us
dinner."
He saw that punch coming a mile away.
One black eye later, Sai was still working on the table, alone, while Sakura was making them dinner.
Sakura rummaged around her fridge getting meat and vegetables out, making loud clattering noises in her kitchen to clearly signify to her team mate how mad she was at him.
I wonder if Sasuke was here what he would do? Probably fix the table on his own with out another word of compliant. That's just how the Uchiha was, he did the job assigned no complaints. Sakura sighed. At times like this she really missed him. If he was here what would it be like? Would he stay with her? Help her raise the child? "Ah fuck!"
Sakura's head shot up, she rushed back into the dinning room. There she
spotted Sai with his thumb in his mouth, occasionally swearing.
"What did you do to your self?" She asked, carefully making her way around the scattered pieces of wood and wrappings.
When he didn't reply, Sakura took the swelling red, thumb out of his
mouth. She eyed the hammer lying next to him and put the two together.
"You hit your thumb with the hammer didn't you?"
"Maybe." Sai watched as a blue glow enveloped his thumb for a few
seconds, making him tingle. It really was nice to have a medic nin for
a friend.
"There!" a minute later his thumb was good as new. She was still
holding his one hand with both of hers. There faces were so close, her
eyes shinning. He inhaled her heavenly smell, why did she always have
to smell so good? He moved an inch closer.
Onyx eyes, but not as intense as the ones that haunted her dreams, long
black hair, but not as long as the locks that she loved to tangle her
hands in. She smelled the cologne Ino had given him for his birthday.
This wasn't the forest mixed with his musky scent.
This was Sai, not Sasuke. Sakura pulled away abruptly and stood up.
"I better go fix dinner." She mumbled distracted. Completely missing the hurt looking that came and left his handsome face.
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TBC...
AN: A nice long chapter, where the chapter tittle says it all. And it's not a filler, it's another chapter where you see the life of Sakura and where you also see her interaction with the other characters. Character development.
Than you so much to all those who have reviewed! You guys rock! And thanks to those who are sticking by the fic, even if they are a bit edgy about it. You're reviews, (all of you ppl) are really a driving force to me. And you will see Sasuke soon. :) Sad;y i can't seem to do my breaks anymore, it makes the writing more clean adn easier to read... you know those two arrows that face each other. :(