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Forget Me Not
Chapter 2 - Family

Naruto

It's a Wednesday night, two months after the war had officially ended. The hospital has been busy, but lately it's finally become slow enough that Tsunade forcefully shoved Sakura out the door and demanded she go home or rest or else face a much longer, slightly more permanent vacation.

As she wraps her scarf around her neck and exits the building, Sakura takes a deep breath of fresh air. The autumn breeze is crisp and burns her throat a little. She pauses outside the hospital door, hoping a nurse will run after her, asking her to come back in. When a ninja approaches the door, Sakura is forced to take a step away from the comforting warmth of the hospital and let the man pass. They nod at each other – acknowledging a fellow member's existence – before he enters the building and Sakura begins her journey to her apartment.

It's 5:00. The streets are busy with men and women rushing home to their families. They brush past Sakura, easily passing her slow steps. Some give her a nod of recognition; others bump into her shoulder without a second glance or apology. She passes Shikamaru and his mother and she waves her hand. Shikamaru nods while his mother enthusiastically waves her hand in return. They are too far away and in a hurry to meet with Ino and her mother for dinner.

Halfway home, Sakura stops amid the bustle. To get to her apartment she could continue straight, or she could turn and take a long route. Sakura stuffs her hands in her pockets, buries the bottom half of her face into her scarf, and turns. She is in no hurry to get home.

She passes a park and shuffles off to the side and out of the way to watch the families play. Some of the park is closed off due to construction, but children often know how to find the way around that. Her eyes unconsciously fall on the fathers. When she catches herself, she bites her lip and abruptly turns on her heel, walking away.

When the old training grounds come into view, Sakura stops. It is a reminder. She has lost a lot, but so has everyone else – especially her boys - so why should she mope around? She hears shouting and can't stop the slight curl on her lips. It's a new team training, fighting to become recognized and better than their predecessors. She can hear the arguing and it reminds her of old times.

Sasuke is probably holing himself up in his house right now. She had eaten dinner with the boys yesterday and knows his social quota was bubbling over. Naruto should be with Hinata now – they were practically living together with Neji dead and Naruto's status escalating. Sai and Kakashi were out on missions or else she might bother them.

When she sniffs back mucus, Sakura knows it's probably time to head back. She flexes the fingers in her pockets, trying to get the blood moving. Her movements are slow and dragging, but she knows it's not because of the cold.

This is stupid. Sakura kicks a stone. She watches as it skips off the road and into a grassy field. Damn it. Her teeth grind together and she stares up at the back of her apartment building. She can see her balcony and room window. It's dark and she imagines probably just as cold inside as it is outside. Sakura blinks back frustrated tears. It's not like I'm the only one that's ever been lonely. Pick yourself up already! With the pep talk, Sakura squares her shoulders and turns the corner.

The noise from the busy streets has quieted down now. The metal stairs echo loudly under her feet signaling her arrival to the quiet, empty apartment.

"God, you're slow!" Sakura's head snaps up in time to see Naruto jump up from the ground. He crosses his arms, hiding his hands in his armpits. "What did you do, stop for dinner? The old lady said you got off at five!"

"Naruto?" Sakura inwardly winces, realizing that was not the most intelligent response.

Naruto blessedly ignores it and begins hopping from one foot to the other. When she doesn't move, he lets out and exasperated breath of air and jerks his head in the direction of the door.

Sakura blinks herself into action and finally pulls one hand and keys from her pocket. The door is opened in seconds. Naruto bounds in before her, shuffling off his boots, letting them stay whenever they land and running to plug in the kotatsu. Sakura is not far behind, closing the door after their entrance. She is slower to take off her shoes and before curiously following Naruto into her living room.

She is about to grab them food when she notices for the first time that Naruto has a bag that he is pulling food out of and dumping onto the table. As soon as the first item hits the table, he begins to chatter away about his day and Hinata while setting up the take out meal. Sakura half listens as she heats up water and ponders the many questions in her head.

He stops his rambling when she sets the tea in front of him, ready to dig in. Unable to wait any longer, Sakura takes her chance before his mouth is too full to answer intelligibly, "YOU bought food?"

"Hey!" Naruto points his chopsticks at her, "Don't question my kindness!" He continues to point the chopsticks at her face, daring her to continue. Sakura shrugs – a sign of her acceptance and apology. Naruto huffs slightly before pulling his chopsticks back and opening a food container.

Sakura watches him with a soft smile, before quietly whispering her thanks and claiming her food.

…

"… And then he had the nerve to literally kick me out!" Naruto jumps from under the blanket, his arms swinging. "What kind of friend does that?"

Sakura clamps a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing too loudly. When she thinks it's under control, she moves her hand up to wipe the tears from her eyes, "The kind of friend that doesn't like to be disturbed." She grins up at him. Her cheeks ache and her stomach is tight from use, but she is happier than she has been in a long time. "You deserved it."

Naruto gaps at her, his mouth closing and dropping again. "S-Sakura-chan!" His watery blue eyes beg for her understanding. Finally he sighs heavily and drops back onto the cushion. "You're a terrible friend, too." He mumbles.

Sakura rolls her eyes and dismisses him with a hand wave. She notices the clock from the corner of her eye, "Naruto, it's after 1! Shouldn't you be getting back?"

Naruto looks up at the clock before turning his head and lazily shrugging. "Only if you want me to leave." He falls backwards onto the floor. He is stretched out with arms supporting his head. His eyes close, soaking in the comfort of the warmth, laughter, and a full belly.

Sakura says nothing and for the first time since they finished eating, silence falls in the apartment. Seizing her courage, Sakura asks the question she had meant to ask when he first dropped by seven hours ago, "Naruto, why did you come?"

Naruto lazily opens one blue eye to examine the serious question before closing it again, "Because." He lightly shrugs his shoulders brushing off the subject.

"But, didn't you have a date with Hinata? That's what you said yesterday." She pushes. One side of her knows the answer and she knows that it doesn't have to be said. Another part of her, the girly, insecure, and lonely part of her, is aching to hear those reassuring words from his lips.

Naruto's eyes open. She can see the blue, but they aren't looking at her. He isn't frowning, but he isn't smiling. " I did." Sakura is frustrated. He has never been this tight lipped. She opens her mouth to push further, but decides against it. Instead, she bites her lip and turns away.

She hears shuffling and a slight rumbling of the kotatsu blanket. "Sakura-chan…"

Sakura dares to look at him from the corner of her eye. He is finally looking at her, his bright blue eyes steady and piercing. She struggles to not look away at the intensity.

"Sakura-chan," he starts again, "You know we're family, right?" Sakura nods automatically, and it seems to frustrate him. "Do you really?"

Sakura doesn't know what other answer she's looking for, so she verbally affirms his question again.

"Really? Because I had to hear from Ino that with your dad dead, your mom moved away and you were living on your own."

Sakura grimaces. It's not that she was trying to hide it, but how does one bring that up? She never found the right moment – or the justification. "It's not really a big –"

"Yes, it is!" Naruto slams his hands on the table and Sakura jumps slightly. They have a moment of silence - blue eyes bore into green until Naruto finally removes the intense stare by clamping his eyes shut and rubbing his hand over his face. "Ino pointed out that you've been lonely and that's probably why you haven't been home and at the hospital even though it's starting to calm down."

She doesn't deny it. "Naruto, everybody is having trouble. Yeah, it has been lonely, but it's nothing no one else is going through."

"'No one else' isn't my family. You are." He is staring back at her again. "Hinata-chan is my girlfriend, but you are my family, Sakura-chan." He scoots over and wraps his arms around Sakura's shoulders, pulling her into a tight hold. Sakura is frozen only for a moment, "You can always come to me when you're feeling lonely, okay?"

In his tight hold, Sakura can feel herself trembling and the tears leaking out uncontrollable. With a wet sniff, Sakura buries her head in Naruto's shoulder and nods. "Okay."

(Chapter End)

…So… Naruto's chapter got a lot more emotional than I originally intended. I suppose I was just in that mood. Hope you enjoyed!

Next chapter will be in a few days. Next up – Sai!

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