Chapter 2
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. If I did Sasuke wouldn't have left, he and Sakura would be together and Obito would still be alive. Unfortunately that didn't happen.
Sasuke slumped to the ground, exhausted. The trip to the Earth country would take them two more weeks and they had already been traveling for 3 days. Normally, he wouldn't have minded the physical exertion, in fact he welcomed it, but this trip had the makings of the disaster.
Sakura had long since stopped being his very annoying shadow, she had become one of his closest friends and a teammate he truly respected. Her medical training and inhuman strength were scary when matched with her more frightening temper. He involuntarily shuddered at the thought.
"Whatcha doing Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked as she helped set up camp.
"Hn"
Sakura sighed, "Ya know something? I might be getting married in 2 weeks, the last chance you'll ever have to see me forever and all you can say is hn? Why can't you just talk to me for once? I'd rather you yelled at me like you yell at Naruto than just be ignored! I just can't be…never mind." She slowly turned and walked back down to Hinata.
She had grown enormously these past years. She was shorter than him and Naruto with a lithe and petite figure, beautiful rosy hair, and gigantic green eyes. 'Where the hell did that come from?' Sasuke asked himself in barely concealed shock. 'Since when did I start thinking about Sakura or even caring about the way she looked? This mission isn't going to be so great, damn it…'
The group sat around the campfire talking about the mission so far. Naruto had downed more ramen than all of the girls combined, and was currently spewing it everywhere while fighting with Sasuke.
"SHUT UP SASUKE-TEME!"
"I wasn't talking dobe. You still are the dobe you were five years ago."
"BASTARD! WHY I'M GONNA POUND YOU INTO THE DI- ITAI SAKURA-CHAN, NO STOP IT, NO!"
Sakura slammed Naruto into the nearest tree, her temper flaring. Inner Sakura had clearly taken over.
"Damn it Naruto! We were all having a nice meal and then you started SCREAMING! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST BE FUCKING QUIET FOR ONE FUCKING SECOND, NE? She rolled up her sleeves and put him in a headlock before calming down. "One more word tonight and you are going to see hell! Got it?" With that she walked away and went back to the campfire."
'Her punches hurt more than usual, she must be really upset about something.' Thought Naruto 'But she didn't have to destroy my ramen! Noooo, ramen! Maybe we should just take a break from all this traveling for a bit! That'd probably help her and Hinata and Ino and Tenten to feel better. Nah, they wouldn't go for that, think of something better!' He started shaking his head and looking so distraught that Hinata soon walked over to him.
"Hhhere, N-nnaruto kun. Ssome o-ointment I madde tto help with yyour ccuts." She quickly turned to run back to the camp before Naruto grabbed her arm.
"Arigatou Hina-chan." He looked up at her and flashed her his infamous foxy grin. 'Hey she's pretty cute! And it was really nice of her to give me this ointment. Matte, Hina-chan? Since when did I start calling her that? Oh well I guess it suits her.'
"Yyour wwelcome Naruto-kkun." A blush spread across her cheeks as she shyly smiled at him. Slowly she turned to go back to the fire. 'He called me Hina-chan! Maybe he doesn't think that I'm such a big weakling after all! It doesn't matter though, he doesn't even think of me as anything more than a friend. But he still called me Hina-chan!' Hinata smiled to herself as she sat down next to Ino and Neji.
Sakura stood up from the fire and walked over to Naruto. "I'm sorry for what I did," she began "I shouldn't have done that. It's nothing you haven't been doing since we were put into team 7."
Naruto looked at her confused. 'Since when did she apologize after beating me to a pulp? This can't be good.'
She smiled at him and said, "Would you mind if we talked in private?" He shook his head and she continued, "Well then lets get going!" She smiled brightly and pulled Naruto into the woods.
Sasuke frowned as he looked up to see Sakura dragging Naruto into the forest. 'What the hell? Where are they going? Why do I care what those two do together? Wait, they can't be together, I thought Sakura still liked me. God this sucks! Bad mission!" He got up and walked into the forest after Sakura and Naruto.
"What's up with him?" asked Ino while tugging on Shikamaru's shirt. "Since when did he care what those two did….wait! I think he likes her! Sasuke's in love with Sakura!"
"Damn woman, let go! You and your troublesome logic assume that he likes her because he goes into the woods after them. Troublesome is what you are!" He sighed until he felt a killer aura radiating from Ino.
"NARA SHIKAMARU TAKE THAT BACK! I AM NOT TROUBLESOME! LAZY JACKASS!" Ino fumed while she pummeled Shikamaru. Troublesome was the only word he could get out of his mouth between hits.
Sakura and Naruto were walking down by the water side by side. It was a cold night so they were walking very close to each other. Naruto broke the silence almost as soon as it set in.
"So Sakura-chan, what did you wanna talk about? You seem even weirder than normal ever since we set up camp today. What's wrong?" His entire being was focused on her. His childish crush on Sakura disappeared when he left the village to train with the super pervert, but he cared for her like a little sister, the little sister that liked to beat on him but that wasn't the point.
"I'm just…..it's just that……sorry you must think I'm dumb. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all."
"No, no Sakura-chan. You're just upset about the wedding that's all! I think this is the stupidest idea Baa-chan has ever come up with! Couldn't they just sign a treaty like normal people instead of making one of my best friends get married to some stinking asshole that we don't even know! This is just the dumbest----"
"Urusai Naruto! But thanks for the support. Your one of my best friends too so I guess that's what I wanted to talk to you. I would've talked to Sasuke but he just doesn't seem like the supportive type ya know?" She sighed before continuing "I really think he hates me now because he never talks to me, never says anything to me, he never even looks at me! I sometimes just wish I never met him so that it wouldn't hurt so much to be near him all the time." Tears slowly started falling down her face "And look, I'm crying over him again….I really am pathetic and weak!" She started to walk back before her Naruto caught her.
"Sakura-chan, whether he admits it or not, to Sasuke-teme you are one of the most important people in his life. He just doesn't know how to show his feelings and stuff. And you aren't weak or pathetic and you know it! Stop trying to prove that to people cuz you shouldn't! You know, you're the best medic in the village and one of the strongest fighters I know! The dumbass Kage will know that as soon as he sees you!"
"Thanks Naruto, I think." She flashed her beautiful smile at him before tackling him to the ground. "So I'm stronger that you ne! Well you won't be able to get away from this!" She started tickling his stomach and feet while they rolled around laughing.
Sasuke heard noises coming from the lake area so he decided to look there first. When he got there he stopped in shock. Sakura and Naruto were rolling around on top of each other laughing! 'What the fuck are they doing? I thought they were just friends. I'm not supposed to be feeling this am I? What is this anyways? Crap, too many questions.. How could they do this? I've got to get out of here!' He turned and ran back to the camp, only slowly to catch his breath and compose himself before he stepped into the firelight where he emitted an aura so intense that no one said anything to him for fear of being killed.
Sakura and Naruto stopped when they heard bushes rustling. "Did you hear anything?" they asked each other simultaneously.
"I guess we should be getting back, ne?" said Naruto. He stood up then offered a hand to Sakura and pulled her up too.
"Thanks Naruto, you really helped me back there. Guess you're not such a baka afterall!" Sakura grinned and they started walking back together.
Author's Note; So guys how was it? Really sorry for the late update, I'm moving so it's pretty crazy around my house, but don't worry I won't discontinue it! Was it good bad or just ok?
I wanna know who you guys want the kage to pick to get married Ino, Sakura, Tenten, or Hinata. It might change my outcome in this story.
Don't worry about the Naruto Sakura scene back there. It was just friendship and the couples will stay the same. What will Sasuke do when he sees Naruto and Sakura again? Read and Review please and thank you. And don't forget to vote!