A/N: Thanks for all the reviews and enjoy.
Disclaimer: Last time I checked I did not own Naruto in anyway.
-
-
More than friends
"This is so boring" Naruto whined as Sakura sighed.
"Why the hell did you choose to take art" she asked as Naruto grinned.
"Cause biology looked too hard" Sakura sighed as she went back to trying to arrange her collage. Next to her Naruto continued to complain as Ino was unusually quiet and Shikamaru was sleeping.
"Naruto why don't you go get some paint" She offered and Naruto frowned yet complied. Sakura turned to Ino who was staring into space.
"So what's up with you?" She asked.
"Nothing" Ino replied then seeing Sakura she sighed.
"I'm so confused"
"About what?"
"Life, love, everything" Ino exclaimed, looking at Shikamaru to make sure he was asleep.
"Is he asleep?"
"Yeah" Ino told her, poking him slightly to make sure. When he didn't move she sighed, though unaware to her Shikamaru was actually wide awake.
"Is it about him your confused about?"
"Yes" Ino admitted as Sakura smiled.
"Well what are you confused about?"
"I think" Ino began. "I think I like him"
"So what's wrong with that, I think he likes you to"
"Yeah but I can't tell him that" Ino sighed.
"Why not?" Sakura asked.
"Because then something might happen"
"Something like what?"
"He might ask me out and ill be tempted to say yes" Ino told her.
"Wait if someone you like asks you out, you usually do say yes" Sakura laughed.
"But I can't" Ino groaned.
"Why?"
"Because his my friend"
"So" Sakura persisted.
"His…" She trailed off.
"Yes come on say it" Sakura demanded as Ino sighed.
"He is a very important friend, his always there for me, he listens and comforts me when I need and I don't know. I depend on him so much. I honesty don't know what I would do without him"
"So you're just taking your friendship to a new level"
"But if it doesn't work out then I might loose him and I don't want that to happen"
"So you don't want anything to happen because you're afraid of loosing him?"
"Yes" Ino admitted.
"You should tell him that" Sakura suggested.
"Yeah I know I just, I just can't"
"But Ino surely if his like that as a friend he would make a good boyfriend. I mean you obviously like him a lot and he obviously cares a lot for you"
"Yes but Sakura don't you see, if we went out then broke up I wouldn't just be loosing a boyfriend, cause that wouldn't bother me, but I would be loosing my best friend" She cried.
"How do you know you will break up, I mean maybe your meant to be" Sakura told her.
"We will" Ino said. "I always stuff up relationships. That's why I like Shika; he is the only stable person I have ever had in my life. I cant loose him as a friend and ill be risking that if I go out with him. Better to ignore my feelings and remain friends than act on it and end up alone" Ino explained though both Sakura and Shikamaru could see how much pain this caused her.
"You should talk to him about this" Sakura said.
"Yeah but I cant, I try I just can't seem to get the words out" She admitted as Shikamaru felt his heart lift slightly.
"It's ok" Sakura said softly as Ino nodded.
"Thanks, I think ill go help Naruto with the paint" she said as she walked away.
"I know you're awake" Sakura said as Shikamaru sighed.
"Troublesome"
"That was really mean"
"What Was?"
"Listening on our conversation"
"But I had to"
"I know"
"And you made no attempt to stop me" he pointed out.
"Yes because you need to hear how she feels"
"Troublesome"
"Shikamaru"
"What?"
"Talk to her"
"I will"
Really" she said as he turned to her.
"I care for her, I really do and I'm not going to push her into anything"
"I know but you need to talk to her" he sighed and nodded.
"I will I promise"
-
-
"You're so annoying" She shouted.
"You are to" He yelled back.
"If you just listened to me"
"If you listened to me"
"But you were wrong"
"No I wasn't"
"Yes you were"
"Was not"
"Argh this is your entire fault"
"How is it my fault?"
"If you just did what I said in the first place then we would have successfully completed our assignment"
"You would have got us blown up"
"I would not have, you're the guy so you should have listened to me"
"You're the girl so you should have followed me"
"This is rather annoying" Hinata muttered as Sasuke nodded. Tenten and Neji had been paired for the prac which was a big mistake as they had both stuffed it up and were blaming each other. Opposite them was Hinata and Sasuke who due to them both being quiet yet rather smart had finished theirs first, completed all the questions and the report and were now watching the other two bicker like an old married couple.
"Please let the bell go" Sasuke prayed making Hinata laugh.
"Hn"
"You don't talk much" Hinata commented. Sasuke raised an eyebrow.
"Either do you"
"True but I doubt that's because you're shy"
"Hn"
"You seem to talk a lot around your friends"
"Hn so"
"So I was just wondering why that was, Naruto says that your even nice to her"
"Her?" Sasuke asked knowing full well who she meant.
"Sakura" Hinata replied as Sasuke frowned.
"So?"
"So why do you?"
"She is my friend"
"No I mean you seem to open up more with her, and she seems really happy when she is with you"
"Cause she….." Sasuke trailed off.
"Yes" Hinata prompted.
"Since when have you been so bold" Sasuke asked as Hinata smiled.
"You answer first"
"We have been friends for a long time, she knows me better than anyone" Sasuke told her shrugging.
"Is that it" Hinata asked and Sasuke sighed.
"Your turn" he declared as Hinata blushed.
"Naruto" she murmured as Sasuke nodded and sighed when the bell went. He left quickly while Neji and Tenten continued to yell at each other, yet while holding hands.
-
-
It was lunch and Sakura met up with Naruto who was with Hinata, Neji, Tenten and Ino, Shikamaru soon trudged along and watched as Sakura sat by herself while the couples sat giggling with one another in each others arms. Well while Naruto and Hinata sat giggling while Neji and Tenten just talked though at least they had stopped fighting, for now.
"Ino" he said and Ino looked at him.
"Yeah"
"Can we walk" he asked and Ino nodded. He led her away and to a secluded tree where he sat and beckoned for her to follow.
"I'm sorry for yelling at you before" He apologized as Ino smiled.
"That's ok Shika"
"And Ino"
"Yeah"
"I heard what you said before" Ino sat upright and stared at him.
"Be…before"
"With Sakura"
"Oh" she blushed and turned away as Shikamaru took his hands into hers.
"No matter what happens we will always be friends" he told her as she nodded.
"But I would like to be something more" he confessed as Ino looked at him.
"Me to" she whispered. He smiled at him.
"Sure that wouldn't be too troublesome" She asked. He smirked as he captured her lips in his, Ino moaned as he slid his arm around her waist and she wound her arms round his neck. They broke apart staring at one another.
"You will never be too troublesome" he told her, kissing her again.
-
-
Sakura watched as the couples looked lovingly at one another and wondered where Sasuke was. The bell finally went and she walked to drama with Naruto and Hinata whom were holding hands and acting like no one else existed. Once in class they sat at a desk together leaving Sakura alone.
She felt a little upset, like everyone was leaving her behind and put her head in her arms. Burying her face in them as tears escaped her eyes. Naruto and Hinata didn't seem to notice which only hurt Sakura more. She had been feeling a lot like this lately. Especially with her parents fighting. They hadn't been the same since her sisters death and now were barely ever home. She had no one and this tore her apart.
Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder, slowly rubbing her back in a comforting way. She looked up to see Sasuke frowning at her looking a little concerned. She turned to see that the rest of the grade was ignoring them then turned back to him, wiping her eyes.
"Come" he told her, helping her up and without being noticed lead her from the class room. He took her outside where they sat under a blossom tree in silence.
"I'm so stupid" Sakura moaned feeling embarrassed.
"Tell me why you were crying and ill tell you if you were or not"
"I'm alone" she cried, hugging herself. "My parents don't care, all my friends are moving on and my sisters left me. I have no one" she cried as tears flowed down her face. She felt her heart tearing apart until a pair of strong arms hugged her and forced her into an embrace. She continued to cry as she leaned against Sasuke's muscular chest as he stroked her back.
"That's not something to feel stupid about" Sasuke told her. "Feeling alone that is"
"Really"
"No, it just makes you human" Sasuke said.
"But I do feel alone, I have no one" She whimpered. Sasuke held her tighter and sighed.
'Why do I feel so comfortable like this' He asked himself.
"Your not alone Sakura, and I will never leave you" Sasuke told her soothingly as Sakura nodded in his arms. She stayed their for ages until she had clamed down.
"You ok now" he asked her and she nodded and smiled.
"Thank you Sasuke" she said.
"Hn" Came the reply as he headed back to class. Sakura smiled and followed. He was back to his usual emotionless cold self, yet she didn't mind. He had comforted her when she needed and shown another side.
'His old self" Sakura though happily. 'Maybe he is still in there somewhere'
-
-
Back in the class room Naruto was looking around like he had lost something.
"What's wrong Naruto?" Hinata asked.
"Where the hell has Sakura and teme gone" he yelled.