A short chapter this time still no lemon but I assure you it's coming and oh boy when it does...well yeah, I do love yaoi so you can know what to expect.

_To all of you who reviewed Oh God why didn't you tell me how horrible the grammar was in this chapter! it didn't even make sense at parts it was bad! I'm so sorry I reread through it and was appalled! I (hopefully) fixed it and made it make more sense but gosh if a chapter doesn't make sense or has spelling errors please tell me. I want you guys to be able to focus on the story not get caught on how terrible my spelling is.

Sakura left Sasuke standing there outside the apartment "Be gone by the time we come out," she said darkly before shutting and locking the door with the audible click of the chain sliding in place. The message was clearer than even the words: You're not welcome here. She didn't look back, but once inside the apartment (with the door secured behind) her she let out a sigh at the pain that thrummed through her chest.

She still loved Sasuke, she could admit that at least to herself, but she loved Naruto more. She would endure all the pain in the world before she'd betray him by allowing Sasuke to use her again. They were more than fuck buddies; they were each other's closest ally. The intercourse was secondary because the friendship came first. The friendship meant that they each cared about what happened to the other almost more than themselves. This meant that Sakura took better care of herself so that she could take better care of Naruto.

Tonight as with most nights it would be friendship not sex. Naruto was hurting in a way that good sex wouldn't fix. He needed to be held tonight, held and accepted the way he was. Sakura knew that and was fine with it, sex was never the priority between her and Naruto, and besides, she was dating someone else at the moment and while he relationship was open it was still better that the rosette kept her legs closed for the night.

Her apartment was dim, but even the dim lighting showed that she was someone who cared for her living space. The area was pristinely clean, the ultra-modern sharp corners softened only by the multitude of flowers she brought fresh daily from her job in a floral shop. Sakura didn't bother to cut on a light but listening, she clearly heard the sound of her home's one shower running. She walked down the short hallway towards the one bathroom, however, at the door she gave pause and hesitated, hand raised as though she would knock. Her hand was frozen there as she listened to the sounds emanating from within the room; Naruto had attempted to drown out his screams by cutting on the water but the sound of running water could not drown out the ragged animal sounds emanating from within. Frankly the screams were so loud it made Sakura glad that the previous owner, a musician, had sound-proofed the one room-apartment.

Deciding not to knock after all, the rosette instead softly pressed the door open. Naruto was standing under the spray of water with the curtain wide open as though to display his pain to all who entered.

Or perhaps he'd simply wanted more light, shying from the dimness that came with a closed curtain, the isolation that he was so desperate to avoid. There was a mixture of emotions on his face and looking at Naruto, Sakura found that she wasn't certain what her dear friend was feeling. There was not only a burning expression of anguish plain on his face, but also a burning anger as well as other emotions that flashed like fish beneath the surface of a meandering river. As the blonde stood nude underneath the cascading water, Sakura knew that her decision to remain abstinent tonight with Naruto was the right one, but even so she could easily see what Sasuke would want from the blonde.

All his hours at the dojo and dancing the night away showed, his skin was naturally tan and taut over muscles that had been well used, it was a body built for a good fuck if nothing else. That good fuck would be what Sasuke saw Naruto as useful for, not the good laughs and the good times, or even the bad times where Naruto would still be there smiling and making everything better. No. Sakura might let Sasuke use her again, but not Naruto. Never Naruto.

Sakura did not want to fuck Naruto tonight however fuck-able he might be. He was tragically beautiful tonight and needed to be held. Still, even as he screamed the droplets of water glistened as they slid down his every crevice. Even as his hair plastered to his face erotically, Naruto stood there trembling, eyes closed to the world as he cried out in both anger and anguish.

He looked like a furious heartbroken deity, and he was a sight to behold. His clothes lay tossed angrily upon the usually pristine cleanness of the bathroom floor, and the puddle of water coming from the open shower inched closer towards them with time as the water ran on.

Sakura heart hurt at the sight of Naruto and she had to bite back the tears that built at the sight of his pain. He was so beautiful even in his agony.

Naruto seemed to sense the movement of Sakura bending down to pick up and move his clothes from the floor. The keening stopped almost instantaneously and Sakura looked up to see Naruto smiling lecherously down on her as though he hadn't been in pain only moments ago. "Care to join me?" he asked suggestively.

Knowing that Naruto needed to pretend nothing was wrong at least for the moment Sakura played along, "Hmm, you do know my weakness Naru, there's nothing like an attractive man all ready and willing beneath steamy water, but I want cake tonight not sex so hurry up and get dressed, the destruction of my girlish figure is calling me and I want to take you with me in a blaze of chocolate glory."

The sincere smile she got in return was worth even a decade of abstinence.

The duo ended up on the couch snuggled together, watching corny horror movies and laughing as they downed coffee and ice-cream, cake and cookies Naruto produced from the dough in Sakura's fridge. They fell asleep early in the AM's with the kitchen a disaster that only the blonde could produce and the living room a mess of empty dishes and unconsumed popcorn, popped for the sole purpose of chucking at the TV when the actors did or said something unbelievable. Neither Naruto nor Sakura thought about the pain Sasuke had caused with his return, and Sakura didn't mention the plot that Sasuke had made against Naruto.

It could wait…

Until the very end when they were both drifting off in exhaustion. It was then that Naruto brought up Sasuke.

"I didn't cry," he said, "I wanted to but I screamed instead. I haven't broken my promise, I haven't cried." he said it as though asking for something, though Sakura had no idea what, still she nodded against his arm where she was resting with her eyes closed against the oncoming dawn. She fought to find the words he needed and settled for:

"I know you didn't Naruto, you're the strongest person I know and I know you didn't cry." she opened her eyes to look at her friend, but her faith seemed to have been the last thing the blonde had needed to reach a restful sleep as his breathing had deepened into that of true slumber, Sakura smiled softly and closed her eyes again, fighting the fear in her heart that Sasuke and his charm were stronger than them both.

To all of you who expected a dose of Naruto-Sakura action I apologize, I write yaoi if you weren't aware.