Author Note Time: So I'm really sorry that it's taken so long for this update… And this hasn't been beta'd yet. My beta kid is taking awhile… (more than one day) And I just want to get this out, so if there are problems… oh well. I'll fix 'em later.

And The Nights Are Cold.

"Accept defeat Naruto." Came the deadly calm voice of a victorious looking Sakura.

"NEVER! I'll beat you yet. I'm a boy. I should automatically be better at this. It's in my genes or something."

Naruto was looking decidedly dejected. 'How could he be beaten so soundly? How is it possible? And since when was Sakura into this sort of thing!'

"So Sakura… Since when have you been a gaming geek?" His eyes slid over to her ridged form without moving his head, hoping to be very sly about his staring.

"And what ever gave you the impression, that I, Haruno Sakura, one of the greatest kunoichi of all time, is a game geek? I'm simply better than you at fighting games, much like in real life."

"Take that back! I'm a master ninja!"

Sakura closed her eyes and lifter her head up in and in a mocking tone said, "Maybe compared to those still in the acad—"

And Saukra was never to finish that sentence because at that particular time Naruto decided that he was a superior ninja and that it was time to prove it. So he lunged at her.

As they wrestled around on his living room floor, creating mass destruction in their wake, Sakura felt something that she couldn't quite describe. She knew for a fact that she had never laughed this much with Gaara. She had never felt like laughing this much. In fact, most things that were done in Gaara's presence were done very seriously. That last time she had let loose and just did what felt good in the moment was a very long time ago. She couldn't even remember it. But now, she was having fun. Naruto did always seen to have that affect on people. He could make her laugh if Orochimaru attacked Konoha tomorrow. Probably about something to do with tongues. He did like the easy targets.

It always felt good to be around Naruto. No matter what, he could lift a smile to your face. No matter what you were sad about, no matter if you wanted him to make you feel better or not. He was a truly amazing kid.

But if Sakura was to be totally truthful with herself, she would acknowledge that it wasn't just that she was feeling, and it wasn't just the wrestling that was making her face red and stealing the breath from her lungs.

'Stop thinking like that Sakura, you are friends with this boy and are having problems with your boyfriend, so Naruto, being the great friend he is, is letting you stay at his apartment while you and Gaara spend some time alone. You are not having bad thoughts about Naruto. And you are most definitely not thinking about his abs. In fact, that is the last thing that you are thinking of. And you are most certainly not thinking about him shirtless.'

Sometime during Sakura' inner monologue the wrestling stopped. Mostly because Naruto noticed the lack of movement coming from his opponent. He looked down to see what the problem was, only to be confronted with a very red faced and mortified looking Sakura. And of course, everyone knows that when one person starts to blush, the other people around them start to blush, and since the only other one around was Naruto, guess who else started?

Their position was not an innocent one. Unless you're four. And you weren't playing 'Doctor'.

And that was when Sakura finally snapped out of her inner thoughts and saw Naruto staring at her blushing madly, and then realized that she herself was blushing.

And in a vain attempt to stop the horrible, embarrassing moment, the kind of moment you look back on in 20 years and still cringe at, Sakura decided that speaking was in order.

"I told you I was a better ninja," she mumbled, hoping that it might force righteous indignation from him and he would stand up and preach his skills for the whole neighborhood.

But as we all know, fate likes to screw Sakura over when it has the chance. And so it isn't really surprising at all when the madly blushing boy with amazing abs didn't do what she hoped and instead bent the arms that were propping him up so that their heads slowly got closer and even closer. And just when their noses touched, he stopped, forcing them both to go cross-eyed.

'What if she doesn't want to kiss me? It's not like her head can even move, being on the ground and all. I don't want to make her uncomfortable. What if she freaks out and leaves? What if she really does still love Gaara and is only here while they fight? She is still dating him. Would I be forcing her to cheat on him? Shit, I've been still too long; her eyes are too wide, like she's scared. Is she? Do I scare her? I could stop, and grin and pretend I was doing something else. I could lick my thumb and rub her face like I'm wiping something off, and she would believe it. I think'

'What's he doing? Is Naruto going to kiss me? Do I want Naruto to kiss me? Why is he hesitating? Did he change his mind? Ino said he still liked me, but she isn't that close of friends with her, just because his relationship with Hinata didn't turn out well, doesn't mean he still likes me. It's been years since then. And I've been dating Gaara, he's probably over me. Maybe theirs something on my face. But wouldn't he be staring at my cheek or something, his eyes are right on mine.'

'What do I do? The seconds are ticking by, I have to think of something quick.'

'I want to kiss him'

And at that instance Naruto lifted his hand to rub his thumb on her cheek while she put her hands through his pointy golden hair that shined from the moon peering in on them through the window and moved her lips up to his.

As their lips touched he changed his hand position and used his fingers to keep her head steady while he moved closer to the floor so she wouldn't have to strain.

And it just so happened that it wasn't just the moon that that was peering in on them through the window.