Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, unfortunately
An Absolutely, Totally, Non-Romantic Wedding Date
Chapter One: 'Just Friends'
Naruto pulled at his tie, loosening it sloppily and with immense relish. He hated ties, he'd always hated ties and honestly it was the part of his job that he hated most.
The uniform he could deal with, he had the advantage of inheriting his dad's ability of being able to make anything look good, especially a police uniform, but the tie man. The tie was a pain in the ass.
But if he wanted to be taken seriously as a cop, he had to wear the tie. At least when he appeared in court to testify.
Thankfully when he wasn't in court he got to take off the uniform and the tie and wear plain clothes. Thank God for small mercies.
With the noose hanging around his neck finally loose enough to let him breathe again, Naruto shouldered open his front door and was immediately greeted to the sound of his former roommate in his kitchen.
'Man.' His friend dragged out the word like even speaking was too much effort for him. 'What a pain, why did you never change this cooker Naruto? It's so old.'
'There's nothing wrong with my cooker Shikamaru,' Naruto said shortly. 'You just don't like having to do anything for yourself.'
'Ehhh,' the pineapple haired man said with a dismissive wave. 'Waste of energy, I'm only going to be hungry again later.'
Naruto shook his head and launched his tie and hat at his old, comfy sofa. 'I have no idea how Temari hasn't killed you already. How did you convince her to marry you in the first place?'
'I have no idea what you mean,' Shikamaru said with his trademark bored frown. 'Besides, at least I had the guts to ask her out. Can't say that can you?'
Naruto pointedly ignored the snarky comment. He didn't really have the energy to get into the inevitable argument he knew was coming. For the millionth time.
Instead he set to rustling around his kitchen in search of a takeout menu. He wasn't in the mood to cook after a trying day in court, he really hoped that sick freak got put away for life, and he'd promised Temari he wouldn't let her groom-to-be starve due to pure laziness the week before their wedding.
Though, if Shikamaru didn't at least wash a dish or two, his friend might not make it to his wedding day. He guessed the two years between Shikamaru moving in with Temari and when Naruto had lived with him had erased the memory of just how shitty a roommate the lazy bastard could be.
He slid the old favourite takeout menu in front of Shikamaru, earning a smile of recognition from his friend. 'Pick something and get my usual. It's on you, consider it rent and payment for being a lazy asshole. I'm going to go change out of this stuff.'
Shikamaru flipped him off good-naturedly and peered down at the takeout menu with an apathetic stare. Which was about as close to excited the man seemed to get on a daily basis.
Naruto sighed in relief as he walked into his room, the door shutting behind him with a lazy flick of the sole of his foot.
He started undoing his shirt buttons with tired fingers and slipped off his uniform standard stab vest, hanging it up over his opened wardrobe door, then he slipped his shoulder holster off, his gun and handcuffs clanking against the wooden surface of his dresser as he lay it down next to his badge and other assorted police gear.
He shrugged off his shirt and balled it up and threw it at his hamper. Sinking the shot without touching the sides of the basket and grinned to himself.
He probably shouldn't have enjoyed that as much as he did, he was twenty-seven not seventeen, but fuck it, it had been a seriously long day.
With the weight of his gear off him, Naruto felt the stress drop away with it and he smiled. There was something about getting out of the uniform that made him feel more like just Naruto and not Detective Uzumaki. Made him feel human again.
Speaking of feeling human again, his phone vibrated in his pants pocket and when he pulled out his phone some more stress slipped away. A little circle of Sakura's picture appeared at the side of his phone home screen.
How was court today? X
He smiled at the text, the familiar warmth seeping through the phone to his chest.
Eh, good as it could be. First time I'd seen the sicko's face since I arrested him last month. I'll be okay, how are you? X
Her reply came back immediately.
Poor you, I'm alright. Mostly just worried about you, I know how much that creep got under your skin. At least he's behind bars now where he can't hurt anyone else. You did good Naruto, now it's up to the prosecutors. You sure you're okay? X
Naruto let his phone drop down on his bed, smiling to himself. Trust Sakura to remember he had court today, she was always so good at checking up on him when she knew he'd be stressed out.
The number of times he'd come home to find her waiting in his apartment with a home cooked meal and an understanding ear were far too many to count.
Something he'd known not to expect from Shikamaru when he came home. Prick probably hadn't even noticed Naruto was in his uniform despite making detective last year.
He finished getting changed, his phone's muffled vibrating catching his attention just when he was about to do up the flies on his jeans. He scooped it back up and tapped back a reply to Sakura's follow up text, padding his way back into the living room/kitchen.
I'm okay, promise. Me and Shikamaru are just ordering takeout and probably gonna hang out. You wanna come over? Might be the only thing to stop me killing him lol x
Shikamaru was looking at him expectantly when he put his phone away. 'Hey man, you okay with Sakura joining us later?'
Shikamaru snorted and smirked at him. 'Considering I was expecting to find her already here when I moved in yesterday, sure. What does she usually order?'
Naruto glared at his friend and moved his policeman's hat and tie to an empty surface, before collapsing down in his comfy sofa. 'She's not here all the time Shika, don't be dramatic.'
His friend scoffed and stayed hunched over the kitchen counter on his phone. 'She was here almost as much as I was when I lived here Naruto. Now come on, what's she ordering? I hadn't even placed our order yet, I can just add hers to ours.'
'Why didn't you order? Sakura might not even join us.' Naruto grimaced and reclined into his sofa with a relieved groan.
'Sure, just tell me what she's ordering.'
Naruto was about to retort that how was he supposed to know what Sakura would want, despite knowing completely what she'd be eating if she came over, but he wasn't going to give Shikamaru the satisfaction of being right if he didn't have to. But then his phone went off.
Lol he isn't that bad surely? And yeah, I'd like that, I'm almost finished here. I'll be with you guys in about an hour? See you soon! X
Shikamaru was already smirking victoriously while Naruto sent back a quick reply and refused to look at his gloating friend.
'Add kung pao chicken and some fried rice. And a couple more spring rolls. You won't get any otherwise,' Naruto grumbled, flicking on the TV, still without looking at the other man.
'Don't pout jackass,' Shikamaru said blandly. 'I'm the one who's going to be playing third wheel to you and your girlfriend.'
'For the millionth time,' Naruto hissed. His tone doing nothing to halt Shikamaru's slouch over to join him on the sofa. 'Me and Sakura are just friends.'
Another scoff and Shikamaru pulled out a stick of gum. 'And me and Temari are just getting married for the tax benefits. Come on Naruto, how the hell do neither of you morons notice you two are far from just friends?'
'Because we're the only two people out of our friends who don't see a close guy and girl friendship and assume there must be more to it?' Naruto glowered at his incredulous looking friend and sighed dramatically when he didn't let up. 'Just cos we're close doesn't mean we have to hook up.'
Shikamaru made a show of considering Naruto's point, his head bobbing from side to side, nodding occasionally. 'Very true, male and female friendships can happen. Me, Ino and Chouji are just friends.'
'See, told you,' Naruto grumbled, finally settling down now that Shikamaru seemed to be convinced to let this ridiculous train of thought go. 'Neither of you two hooked up with Ino. Sai was just friends with … well all of the women who aren't Ino.'
Shikamaru chewed his gum, the familiar sight of him sat on the couch chewing to keep the smoking cravings at bay taking Naruto back in time to when Temari had finally had enough. It was nice to remember those times, the endless nights he and Shikamaru had spent just chilling out in their living room. Playing video games into the early hours of the morning.
He was actually almost glad to have his friend back in their old place until he saw the rare, and effortlessly smug smirk cross the other man's face.
Suddenly, Naruto was regretting letting the lazy bastard come stay with him at all. He should have told Temari and him no. Make the prick go stay with Chouji, Naruto was already watching the ring, Chouji could have looked after Shikamaru.
'Know who else started out as just friends though Naruto?' Shikamaru asked, his tone perfectly innocent.
He better fucking not.
'Kiba and Hinata,' Shikamaru said with his mouth quirked up at the side. The smirk almost dagger sharp. 'You know, before they started dating because it was obvious, and then they got married and now they have how many children?'
'Two,' Naruto growled out, pressing down hard on the remote control so the TV came to life. Maybe he could drown out his obnoxious friend.
'That's right,' Shikamaru sneered. 'But they were just friends too right?'
'You know I could break your arm in three places and then throw you in a cell until your wedding day right?' Naruto shot back hotly. 'Temari would probably forgive me.'
'She wouldn't,' the other man said lazily with a shrug. 'If you do that, you'll cost her one thousand ryo.'
Naruto harrumphed and shifted on the couch, crossing his arms and deliberately not looking at his friend. 'You're both assholes.'
'And you and Sakura are too chicken to act on your feelings for each other,' Shikamaru fired back easily. 'Like you don't know you want each other.'
The blond blushed scarlet and turned to glower at his male best friend like he was one of the perps he had spent hours interrogating this week. 'Why the hell did you say that?!'
'Thought we were stating the obvious,' the spiky haired man shrugged, completely nonplussed before his cop friend's death glare. 'You two eye fuck almost as much as Kakashi and Anko do. At least they're married and have an excuse.'
Shikamaru laughed as Naruto continued to glower at him.
'I hate you,' Naruto grumbled and flicked the TV over to a different channel.
'Only because you know I'm right.'
'Bite me.'
'Wouldn't want to take that job away from Sakura, thanks.'
'Shikamaru!'
To say Sakura had rushed through her work after Naruto had texted her back, would be an exaggeration if you asked her.
Understatement of the century if you asked her co-workers at the hospital apparently. But she never did so she didn't really care. Didn't stop Ino coming all the way from the psych ward to deliberately tell her how obvious she was about rushing to see Naruto whenever she had made plans with him.
Thankfully though, Ino was busy with patients at the end of Sakura's shift and she'd been saved the endless argument that she and Naruto must be doing more than hanging out. Honestly, her best friend was so obsessed with sex, it was like the blonde couldn't fathom the idea of a man and a woman being as close as Sakura and Naruto were without having sex.
Which was rich considering the smug bitch's two oldest friends were both men. Who she'd never had an inkling of feelings for. She'd actually gotten remarkably indignant in school when people had assumed she was dating either Shikamaru or Chouji.
But apparently it was different when it came to Naruto and her. Hypocrite.
Sakura sighed deeply, breathing back in in slow, purposeful breaths. There was no point getting wound up about it. Ino wasn't even here to rile her up, she was doing it for herself. She really needed to stop being so sensitive, it had always been why she got bullied in school.
It wasn't her fault though, she'd been in a meeting with her boss just before the end of her day and hadn't been able to resist checking her phone. She'd been too busy smiling at the fact that Naruto hadn't had to ask what she'd want to add to their order. The man knew her so well it always made her feel warm and tingly in her belly.
Her mentor and the Chief of Medicine at Konoha General, Tsunade, had been smirking at her knowingly when Sakura had looked up. And just in case Sakura misunderstood what the older woman was smirking at her for she'd been more than kind enough to remove any doubt.
'Meeting Naruto huh?' Tsunade said over her cup of sake. Her poker face was so terrible that she couldn't keep the assumptions off her face. 'Wanna leave early so you can go over to his place?'
She'd have blushed if she wasn't so use to her teasing about how close she and Naruto were. You got used to it pretty quickly when your boss was your best friend's grandmother and had known you since you were in pigtails.
Not that Sakura had ever put her hair in pigtails but … well, the expression fit really well.
'No,' Sakura said evenly. 'I mean, I am meeting him later, he invited me over for dinner. I'm acting as a buffer between him and Shikamaru. He's had a really stressful day today and Shika's being his usual asshole self.'
'Uh huh,' Tsunade said, that same knowing smirk glued to her face. 'To keep Naruto from killing his old roommate. And not because you've not seen him in twenty-four hours.'
Sakura did actually blush this time. 'Dr Senju,' she whined.
'Behave Sakura,' Tsunade scoffed with an angry wave. 'How many times have I got to tell you? No one cares when you call me Tsunade. Honestly.'
The pinkette knew that, she actively made sure no one would accuse her of being the favourite of their boss. She'd fully earned her spot as a resident at the hospital and she'd actually learned that everyone called Tsunade by her first name when the impressive woman wasn't around.
But she'd learned from a very young age that Tsunade hated being called Dr Senju by anyone who was even remotely close to her personally. And Sakura had weaponised that fact for a very long time.
She'd feel bad about using it to get out of being teased over Naruto, but well, Tsunade didn't seem to care about making Sakura uncomfortable for being just friends with him.
She delighted in it in fact. Especially since on a night out with all of Tsunade's proteges, Sakura had admitted that yes, Naruto was an immensely attractive man and she'd had a bit of a crush on him all throughout high school. That had led to a very abridged retelling of the only part of her friendship with Naruto that hurt to think about. Mostly to keep the questions at bay for hopefully the final time.
Only Shizune had been kind enough to not tease her about it since. Though she supposed only Tsunade teased her about the high school stuff. Ino had been there, seen all the drama that was their last year of high school and knew how sore a subject that part was.
High school had been a cluster fuck. And if she was honest, she kicked herself for not having the guts to act on her crush for Naruto. It would have skipped so much heartbreak and even if it hadn't lasted … it couldn't have been worse than what had actually happened that year.
He'd never let on to having feelings for her, despite everyone they knew insisting he did. The most she'd ever been able to get out of him, via a bit of unsubtle fishing that the boy had been far too oblivious to pick up on, she knew he'd found her attractive but he never took the hint. She'd guessed that Naruto, like her, hadn't wanted to risk losing each other as friends and ignored any possible feelings he'd had for her.
Especially when she and Sasuke had gotten drunk and fooled around at a party and started dating immediately after.
The pain in his face when he'd been around them, and had thought she wasn't looking, was so palpable she could still remember it years after. He'd actually drawn away from her quite drastically after he'd found them mid-fool around at a graduation party.
He'd looked like a knife had been buried in his chest and it had made her ache. It was so bad that when her disastrous relationship with the school heartthrob had blown up months later, he'd moved away for university and unceremoniously dumped her like she was dead weight, she hadn't wanted to tell Naruto. She didn't think it was fair to turn to him for a shoulder to cry on.
Besides, he was with Hinata then and it didn't seem right to cling to another girl's boyfriend just because she was in pain. Even if said boyfriend was her best friend. She didn't want to be accused of anything.
It had broken her if she was honest.
For the first time in their years of friendship she hadn't been able to lean on Naruto. She'd been dumped by Sasuke, thought she'd lost Naruto too, and as far as she knew she hadn't gotten into university to become a doctor either. The only thing she'd been able to do was call Ino and sob hysterically down the phone that she had no idea what she was going to do with her whole life.
The melodrama of her reaction still made her wince. Hindsight was a wonderful thing and she knew now that while that was definitely one of the worst years of her life, she'd gone through much more trying times since. The pure teenage silliness of it had been thrown into sharp relief the first time she'd had a patient flatline on her.
But when you're eighteen and your boyfriend dumps you, your best friend is barely speaking to you and your future is uncertain … well you could be forgiven for thinking the world was ending.
She hadn't had long to think that though, because no sooner had she hung up the phone with Ino, Naruto had all but charged into her house with a look of such intense worry that she hadn't seen on his face except for the time his grandfather had had a heart attack while at a book signing.
His timing couldn't have been more perfect if he'd tried. She'd been thinking just how badly she wished he was there and when she was just about to start crying again, her bedroom door had flown open and he'd come running into her bedroom.
She'd thrown herself at him in purest relief. The hug he'd given her was so strong, so warm and so goddamned intense. Like he was trying to wash away all her pain with just a hug and to be entirely truthful, him just being there had definitely cauterised the wound Sasuke had inflicted.
He didn't say anything as she bawled into his chest, just made calming nonsense sounds as all the pain and heartache dribbled from her mouth in a rapid flurry of apologies for anything and everything she'd ever done to hurt him over the year. The fact that he'd insisted she'd done nothing wrong and that he was sorry he'd drifted away and made her think he wouldn't come running the second she needed him.
They'd just stayed in her room for the rest of the night, he let her sleep on his chest and made her feel safe and loved. Her parents had apparently come up about an hour later to check on them and asked if they needed anything but Sakura had exhausted herself and didn't wake up until the morning.
She'd just been thankful he was there at the time and hadn't questioned how he knew she'd needed him. Because of course he'd known, it was Naruto. He always knew when she needed him.
It wasn't until Ino had called the next day, after Naruto had gone home, to check on her that she find out the full story.
Sasuke, in a move she honestly would have thought him incapable of mere days before his cruel dumping of her, had text Naruto telling him that he was done with Sakura now and that the blond was welcome to his 'sloppy seconds' if he so wanted.
It had broken her heart again to hear how Sasuke had spoken about her to her best friend. But reminding herself of it had helped her move on from the bastard much quicker than she would have otherwise.
Her mother also told her how Naruto had basically charged through their front door and without even a passing glance at her parents, had all but flown up the steps to where he knew her bedroom was.
Naruto had always been welcome in her home, there was a bit of mistrust when he'd first bounced into Sakura's life, but other than that he'd been allowed to come and go from her parents' house like he was family. And he did mostly but he'd never just charged in like that.
Apparently the expression on his face had looked so alien to him that her mother nearly hadn't recognised him. She'd actually called out to stop him but he hadn't even broken his stride.
From that night though, Naruto and Sakura had only ever been apart for a couple days max. They'd weathered every storm in either's life. Him being dumped by Hinata, Sasuke showing up again trying for a booty call, their entrance exams to university and the police academy respectively and every other challenge that had come their way.
They'd almost considered moving in together at one point but it had somehow never fallen into place, and having both lived with other friends and learning how drastically that changed the relationships, Sakura had never pushed the issue. She couldn't lose Naruto, even if she thought he'd be a much better roommate than Ino was.
'So did you get someone to cover your shift so you can go to Shika and Temari's wedding this weekend?' Tsunade asked, apparently done with teasing Sakura about Naruto for now. Thank god.
Sakura nodded happily, eager to follow the change in topic. 'Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. The girls are getting together the night before to have a girly day before we head up to the hotel.'
The older woman smiled. 'Good, you could do with some stress relief. You're so uptight Sakura.'
The pinkette bristled a little. She wasn't uptight! She just didn't drink in her office or gamble her money away like her mentor.
Though she didn't remember the last time she'd properly let loose on a girly night out. Naruto had commented on how hard she'd been pushing herself at work too, maybe she should try and find more time to go out with the girls?
'Well hopefully this weekend will be exactly what I need,' Sakura said with a shrug. 'Temari's brother's wedding present to her was an exclusive spa day for all of the bridesmaids.'
Tsunade nodded, pouring another drink and giving her a side glance. 'And have you decided who you're taking as your plus one?'
The question was innocent enough, but it still made Sakura's stomach clench. She'd only bought herself a little reprieve it seemed. Time to roll out her secret weapon again.
'Dr Sen-'
'Don't,' Tsunade interrupted with her finger pointed in her face. Sakura actually had to reel back to avoid being poked in the eye. 'If you're going to insist on being stubborn about your obvious feelings for my grandson, at least find somebody to take as a date. Hell, maybe seeing you dancing with another man will finally give him the kick up the ass he needs to ask you out. So, a date yes?'
Sakura blushed crimson and stammered out an excuse. 'I don't … I mean, I don't need a date … besides Naruto's not taking anyone so we thought we'd just go together.'
The older woman let out a frustrated sigh, a big one, and shook her head. Her eyes went to the heavens, she appeared to mumble something about history repeating itself but Sakura couldn't quite catch it.
'Fine, fine.' Tsunade waved her hand dismissively at Sakura, the height of irritation. 'Hopefully you'll find the guts to make a move on him over the weekend. It's a wedding Sakura, they're almost made for couples to form. It's like aftershocks from an earthquake. It's the perfect opportunity to act.'
'We're just friends!' Sakura snapped out before she could stop herself.
The older woman gave her an incredulous stare and then rolled her eyes. 'Uh huh.'
'We are,' Sakura said firmly. Whether she was convincing herself or Tsunade was up in the air though.
No, it wasn't. Tsunade had just got her rattled. It was the same thing when Ino insisted on how good a couple Naruto and her would make. Because yes, they'd be good together, they knew they would be. They were as close as people could be, they enjoyed lots of the same things and they had both made it clear they were attracted to each other.
A couple of moments in their past had made that immensely clear.
But just because they would make a good couple didn't mean they had to be a couple. A couple could break up, but their friendship had lasted all the tests it could have thrown at it. And she was not risking a friendship that worked so perfectly on a relationship that might ruin everything.
No matter how much part of her might agree with all her friends' pestering.
She stared Tsunade down, the older woman meeting her gaze and then shaking her head and holding up her hands in a placating manner.
'Okay, okay,' Tsunade said, the frustration almost drowning her placating tone. 'You're friends. But I think I've kept you long enough now, you should probably get going.'
'Yes,' Sakura said, the bluster falling from her and leaving her just a little bit sheepish. She stood, scooping up her coat and her bag and giving the older woman a searching look.
She'd gotten to the door before she turned around and caught Tsunade looking disappointed at her back. 'I'm sorry … I didn't mean to …'
'It's fine Sakura,' Tsunade said with a warm smile. 'I shouldn't have pushed, call it a sentimental old woman not wanting you to miss out on something great. Go, tell Naruto I say hello and I'll see you tomorrow.'
The pinkette smiled back, nodding. 'I'll see you tomorrow.'
She walked out the office and pulled out her phone to text Naruto she was on her way.
Her thumb lingered over the screen, his beaming face squashed right up next to hers at a particularly happy Christmas and she felt her tummy flip flop. The familiar, traitorous thought her brain fired at her after every chat/lecture she got about Naruto and her.
What if? What if she was wrong about just being friends? What if they could be more?
But it passed, as it always did, and she shook her head to clear the thought. Tsunade, just like Ino, were just really good at pushing her buttons. That was all.
She didn't give it another thought and start to tap out a quick text and made her way to her car.
She hoped Naruto remembered to get more spring rolls, she didn't want Shikamaru to miss out.
