Note from the Author: Another was-supposed-to-be-a-drabble story. -.- This didn't end like I had expected it to, but to be honest, I hadn't really known how I expected it to end. Haha.

United Unicorn Society: I am so excited for the end of the fillers. Ask my sister (Furuido); I've been going crazy for Part Two. I would love to feature Diedara in a story, but unfortunately, I don't read the manga, so I know very little about him. But if you have another pairing you'd like to see, or if you could give me some idea about how Diedara acts, I would love to write a one-shot for you. And thank you for the lovely review by the way! I love reviewers like you – you up my self-esteem by 20, I swear! And I'm sorry this review reply was so long – I went nuts.

Naash: It's such a weird pairing and I love it so much! I'm addicted. I'm such a freak. -.- Thanks for the review, love!

Cry

"Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura's teacup was warm against her leg, and the seaweed green of the drink successfully masked the forest green of her eye. "May I ask you something?"

The one visible eye of her teacher shifted to her face, the frown on his mouth apparent even through his mask. He didn't speak; she would find her words.

She was fourteen, obviously more mature in both physical stature and mental capacity. Her eyes had filled with wisdom for which she was too young, her permanently serious expression already too tired of life.

Naruto had been gone training for almost two years, and she hoped with everything in her that he had stopped crying, as she had. There was no point in sorrow now; it was a useless emotion.

"It's about the mission to the Land of Waves, when we fought Zabuza and Haku."

After Naruto had gone, Kakashi had told Sakura about the Kyuubi, thinking it wise to inform Sakura of her teammate's greatest strength and weakness. She had never been stupid; she had nearly guessed the source of Naruto's power in that battle.

"Kakashi-sensei," her fingers danced lightly across the hot grooves of her cup, "you said that the seal cracks when Naruto's feeling intensely afraid or angry, when he's under a great deal of stress …" she faltered.

"Yes." It was his first verbal response, his encouragement for her to continue.

"Why -?" Her eyes flitted quickly over the sky as she considered how to word her question. "Why did he lose control when he was fighting Haku? What would he have been feeling so strongly in that moment?"

They were quiet as Kakashi carefully chose his words. Sakura knew better than to press him and so waited for him to speak, letting the warm tea caress her mouth and throat with its sweetness as she so patiently sat beside him.

"I think," his words drawled like always when they finally descended into their silence, "that Sasuke brought a feeling out in Naruto that he wasn't familiar with. They were best friends, in a way."

Sakura nodded. "Right." She waited for him to continue, knowing through years of experience that his explanation would come around.

"When Naruto thought Haku had killed Sasuke, he was angry because Sasuke was the only friend he had." His mouth moved slowly, like this speech would take an eternity to deliver. "He was also very afraid, Sakura. Do you know why?"

She nodded shortly, resenting the way he still treated her like a student. "He was afraid to lose Sasuke-kun."

His smile was soft through his mask. "Yes, Sakura. He was afraid to lose him because he loved him."

Her hair whipped as her head turned toward him, startled. She couldn't think of a word to say, and her mouth hung open. She had always been aware that they had been unusually close but it had never occurred to her that they may have been in love. "How did Sasuke-kun feel?" she finally asked quietly. And why didn't I realize?

"Well," Kakashi scratched at his head with his index finger, his eye narrowing pensively as his pale face lifted toward the glowing warmth of the sun. "Naruto made Sasuke feel. Sasuke, I think, loved Naruto more than Naruto loved Sasuke because Sasuke was that much more alone." His frown reappeared, pronounced in his profile. "I think part of the reason Sasuke left was because he thought he wasn't strong enough for Naruto." His sigh, barely audible, breathed from his lips, his eye clouding with something near sadness or regret. "The only other time the seal cracked was when Naruto went after him."

Sakura's tea was cold against her fingers, her heart sick. "Naruto was angry that he would leave so easily. He was afraid of losing him." She whispered. "And he did lose him. No wonder he cries so much."

Kakashi shook his head. "He doesn't cry anymore, Sakura. He ran out of tears."

0

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto's smile was bright as he embraced her, twirling her off her feet. "I've missed you!"

She wrapped her arms around his neck, laughing as they spun. "I missed you too, Naruto." She smiled fondly as he set her lightly back on the ground. "How's training with Jiraiya-san been?"

He scowled, half-heartedly because he really quite liked his teacher. "He stole my money to get girls and sake five different times."

"It could have been worse." She pointed out. "It could have been six."

He grinned and hugged her close again. "I really did miss you a lot, Sakura-chan." Her murmured against her pink hair, suddenly serious. "You know, you're the only family I have now."

Her heart twanging painfully at the now tacked on the end of his sentence, she held him to her, burying her face against his jacket and finding he still smelled the same – like springtime. Before she thought about it, she said: "Naruto, I'll never leave you, okay? Please don't cry anymore. I love you, you know."

He tensed against the words, afraid of what they meant to him. But slowly, he smiled, and then he laughed, and he danced the startled girl into a confused waltz. "It's nice to know, Sakura-chan!" and then she found she was the one crying.