NS A-Z
Title was chosen by a friend when I said 'cake' or 'couch', and part of the drabble was inspired by the omake where Sakura is in Naruto's apartment and a cockroach wtfpwns her. 'T' rating might come in a bit at the end, btw. It's Nuitari's fault the end is a bit more suggestive than I usually do.
The scene is altered though, because canon Sakura is not that bitchy.
C: Couch
Sakura was not amused.
She'd come to Naruto's apartment, to spend ages knocking on his door to not be greeted by his familiar scruffy blond locks and clear blue eyes. Eventually she had lost her temper and kicked it down, only for her to put her foot down right in something on the inside.
It looked like a concoction of expired ramen mixed with eggs, so Sakura, disgust apparent, had removed her feet of her boots and had tip toed into his house, avoiding whatever else was on the floor.
She had a close call once, where something had gurgled and her nerves had not reacted well. She'd nearly tripped and fallen, but her sheer will power to preserve the effects of her recent bath were too strong.
"Naruto," she had growled with the intent to maul, "if I get to you without going insane or drowning, I will make sure you suffer somehow."
When she finally reached his room, she blinked. It was messy, but not as bad as the travesty she'd endured mere moments ago.
Although seeing him smooch a Kakashi doll was a bit awkward.
'What's going on in that head of his?' she wondered, arching a brow as she began to shake him awake. "Naruto, wake up!"
Devoid of logical thought, a sleepy Naruto glanced up at the intruder into his room.
"Sakura-chan?" he mumbled.
When he puckered up and started coming towards her with fish lips, Sakura gathered he'd been dreaming about her, and the Kakashi doll had to face the consequences.
"Damnit, wake up!" she yelled, bonking him on the head.
If he was going to kiss her, he damn well wasn't going to do it drooling.
Not that he was going to.
Ever, mind you.
"Geez...why is your room so messy? Ramen on floor, clothes everywhere, dish-"
A coackroach decided to make its appearance at that moment, probably recognising the voice of a female to horrify.
"S-Sakura-chan?" Naruto started, alarmed when Sakura had a fit and fell backward, foot planted in the ramen bowl, body an ocean of flailing limbs.
She banged her head on the way down, and a gift from Naruto lay upon her pink head. The owner of the gift freaked out when he saw it, trying to locate an escape route, and failing, miserabley.
"Ow...I...what's...Naruto?!"
His heart burst and he crossed his arms defesively.
Angered, Sakura grabbed the undewear and tossed it away, climbing to her feet...
Only for her frown to lessen into a pained one. Naruto began to lean forward, sweating, as she fell back down to her rear.
"H-hey, Sakura-chan?!" he called out in panic.
"I...ugh. I think I've done my ankle in."
Naruto hopped down from the bed and was by her side in a second. He touched her arm tentatively, as she squinted and looked down at her foot.
"Can't you heal it, Sakura-chan?" he inquired.
"I...don't think so. I've used up most of my chakra," she sighed, and then yawned to emphasize her point.
"W-what? Howcome?"
"Hmm...well, the war that's just occurred on Konoha's border..."
"Yeah?" he prompted, moving closer to her.
"A lot of people were injured. I had...Naruto," she groaned, red in the face, "stop moving forward. You'll end up headbutting me."
"O-oh...sorry, Sakura-chan," he laughed nervously, pulling back with a crimson tint to his tan.
Despite his backward motion, they were nose to nose, Naruto on his knees and his hands between Sakura's legs.
"Ah...back more," she told him, trying to fight off any more heat to her face.
"Ah...sure."
"...Move. Naruto."
"Eh..."
Eventually, with a grumbled noise, Sakura pulled her head back, and cast him a dirty look. Naruto smiled ruefully and finally pulled back.
"So...what now?" she said aloud.
"Um...Sakura-chan...lemme..."
"Let you...? Naruto...hey," Sakura said, pursing her lips when Naruto turned his head away and blushed brilliantly.
They seemed to be doing that a lot lately, nevermind it was around winter time.
"Ah...l-lemme...take you to my bed."
"...Why?"
"Well, I need to go aroud for things to help Sakura-chan...and I can't just leave you on the floor..."
"Yeah...but, I'm alright here Naruto," she said gently.
"No," he replied firmly, frowning. Sakura was certainly a bit frazzled at his boldness. "I...I don't wanna force you Sakura-chan, or upset you...but I'd never forgive myself if I just left you in an uncomfortable place on the floor, even if you said it was fine," he explained, a determined expression covering his features.
"...Naruto..."
"...And that coackroach is still on the floor."
Naruto fell back a little when Sakura practically leaped as best she could into his arms, and his blush, which was seemingly becoming an everpresent habit around Sakura came back in full force.
As Naruto figured out how he'd pick Sakura up, the girl kept her wide eyes fixed on the floor.
Naruto looped one arm under Sakura's legs, and another around her shoulders after a little while, and staggered to his feet.
Sakura remained oblivious to his intense flushing as she remained enraptured with making sure the floor was clear of cockroaches. Naruto hoped she wouldn't see it again, lest she managed to knock both of them down.
He congratulated himself when he reached his bed without passing out from heat exhaustion, and gently placed her on it. She flashed him a smile and then he began his trek to find Sakura-chan something helpful.
...After searching, he found an icebag and that the weather outside would make Sai emotionally angry.
It was pure rain, thundering down on every inch of Konoha. Naruto scowled at it, as he knew this would irritate Sakura-chan, and he did not want that.
But, with a resigned sigh, he made his way back to his room, icepack in hand. Sakura was occupying herself by staring at the door eagerly, and her face lit up when Naruto entered the room. Naruto's heart followed suit, but then he dashed his hopes by reminding himself she was probably just jubilant at the icepack.
"You were a while...was it hard to find in all this?" she teased as he handed her the icepack.
Naruto plonked himself down next to her, linking his hands and putting them behind his head.
"Nah...it's just...the weather, Sakura-chan."
"What about it?" she asked as she tended to her ankle.
Naruto gulped.
"Its...raining. Hard. And a lot."
She paused.
Naruto waited nervously.
"I see..."
"And...and with your ankle like that, and the fact you're so tired...it'd probably..."
'Just say it; say it!'
"...Be best, if I stay here?"
"...Yeah."
"Oh..."
Naruto did not know how Sakura would react to having to stay in his apartment for a long while, maybe even the night.
He knew he loved the idea, however.
"...Sakura-chan? Do you-?"
"Ok then," she chirped. "Can you go make me a drink, Naruto?" She placed her hand on his shoulder.
His heart did backflips and he smiled goofily.
"Sure I'll make sure it's Sakura-chan's favourite drink too!"
The rain hadn't let off, and Naruto had tried to impress Sakura all evening.
It had started by putting a flower in her drink when he made it, her favourite.
Sakura had blanched and her brows had risen speculatively. She'd wondered aloud why the hell a flower was in her drink.
When Naruto had mentioned it was her favourite, she'd blanked momentarily, before chuckling at him and taking it out. She then proceeded to put it in her hair and wink at him...
Then demand a new drink because God knows what the flower had done to it.
Happy to oblige, Naruto had zipped away and come back with some more swiftly. Now, they were gossiping shamelessly about their friends' antics.
"Well, Ino made me help her with Shikamaru and Temari, so...do you know what she made me do?"
"What Sakura-chan?"
"I had to change into a little child, and tell them I lost my cat...Shikamaru seemed to sense something was up, because he was uneasy around me, but Temari has him so whipped they did it anyway. Ino's pet cat was stuck up in a tree...or, she was trying to get him up there, but he wasn't having any of it...but rescuing did commence."
"Why would they need to rescue Tai?" Naruto questioned her.
"Who said it was Tai?" Sakura grinned and Naruto, catching on, mimicked her actions.
"What was Sakura-chan doing at the time?"
"I came by, 'unaware', and proceeded to laugh at Ino."
"Sakura-chan, that's not very nice," he admonished her mockingly.
"There was a rule it had to be?" she shot back smirking.
"Heh. How did you get roped into doing it Sakura-chan?"
Her smirk vanished.
"Ah...nothing much. She's just..."
"Wait. Is Ino blackmailing you? Is she making you do this?" he gasped.
"Well, I don't mind..."
"You can't let her do that Sakura-chan! C'mon, tell me what it is so we can stop her!"
"That wouldn't necessarily stop her, Naruto...and it's fine."
"Sakura-chan," he whined.
"I can't tell you."
'Even if I wanted to.'
"Ok Sakura-chan. Heh, it's getting pretty late..."
"Yeah...What now?"
"Ah...does Sakura-chan want to stay over?" he asked her cheerfully.
Both surprised at Naruto's ease with that question, Sakura smiled wryly.
"I wouldn't mind."
"Ok then. It's settled," he said cooly, even though inside his heart was hammering and on the outside his hands were getting clammy.
"Naruto," she said, laughing, "it's not that simple. I need permission from my parent's for a start."
"But Sakura-chan...how do you expect to get to them through this weather with your ankle?" he quizzed her.
"You can carry me," she explained.
"Carry...Sakura-chan?"
"Yeah, and-w-wait Naruto. I was joking!"
The sun hair coloured boy stared at her with confusion, his arm already around her shoulders again.
"Oh..."
"Like I'd make you do that. I'm not that mean, y'know," she sighed.
"A-Ah...of course you aren't Sakura-chan! I was joking when I said that earlier! You're the nicest, coolest and prettiest-"
"H-hey, calm down. I know you were," she waved her hands at him, reddening at his compliments. He copied her facial reaction and then shied away from her, dragging his hand repeatedly through his hair.
"...I don't think your parents will like it if I just let you go home with a damaged ankle and through that weather..."
'...They wouldn't like it if I stayed with you anyway. They don't see you like Naruto. You're not a silly, lovable fool to them who would do all in his power to protect me. You're the Kyuubi...you're the monster that raged in the village seventeen years ago and lost the life of Yondaime,' she added to herself, a solemn expression twisting her face.
Naruto gazed at her. "Sakura-chan?" he said quietly.
'It'll be so hard to get home, but they'll yell at me so much when I tell them where I've been. They'll probably punish me too, if they're in a mood...'
She was snapped out of her musings when Naruto's fingertips skimmed her forehead. "Sakura-chan," he said louder, stronger.
She chose to stay quiet, and instead regarded Naruto in the silence.
'It's my choice. I don't want my parents angry at me...'
Naruto's look stayed intense.
'But I want to stay. I want to stay with Naruto.'
His eyes were really beautiful, she subconsciously acknowledged.
'I want to stay warm...and I feel warm here. I feel safe here. I want that security.'
They portrayed all his emotions so clearly, and even if she wouldn't admit it, she'd studied his eyes a lot.
They flashed when he was in pain or angry.
They wavered when he was overcome by sadness.
They sparkled when he was being mischevous.
They darkened when he was determined.
They were smouldering, despite their clear, ocean colour.
'I want to stay with Naruto.'
"Ok, Naruto," she said in a small voice.
He looked bemused for a second, before he caught on and beamed.
"I'll take the couch, Sakura-chan," he offered.
"You sure?"
"Yup. You can take my bed."
"Ok then." She smiled and then fell back, sprawled over the bed. She remained unknowledgable of the sulkly demeanour her reply had created for Naruto.
They talked a bit more, before he bid her goodnight and made his way to the couch. Sakura settled onto the bed, and winced.
It was uncomfortable to lie on.
'He sleeps on this everyday? I...nearly Christmas. I'll buy him a new matress at the very least along with the present he's already got from me,' she made a note to herself.
Eventually, sleep took her, but the cold woke her.
It was early morning, and bitter.
Sakura shived under the sheets, tossing and turning, until she stayed still and glared at the ceiling.
It was so damn cold...
'Naruto...I bet he's even colder,' she mused, a pang of guilt hitting her. Sighing, Sakura moved her foot. Her ankle still ached a bit, but...
A while later, she was at Naruto and his couch, panting a bit because of the effort it took finding it in the dark, surrounded by junk and with her bad ankle.
'I'll clean this place up as a Christmas present too.'
She gazed at him. Unbeknownst to her, a gentle smile curved her lips. "At least you're not drooling," she commented to no one in particular.
After a bit, she pulled touched his neck.
It was hot.
She leaned forward so her hand slithered up to his cheek and her arm rested on his throat.
"Hmm...Skura-chan?" he moaned.
She blushed heavily, but found her arm unwilling to retreat from the warmth it had located. Sakura stood there, bent over him, debating what to do.
The idea she came up with made her chuckle.
"There's something about this place. I swear it's making me nuts," she joked to herself as she pulled up Naruto's blanket.
When he woke in the morning, to his amazement, he felt the warmth of something pleasantly not the blanket, and, not so not pleasantly but not very pleasantly some pink hair in his mouth.
Arms were wrapped around his mid section, and legs were tangled with his.
His undoing though, would be the hot puffs of breath fanning his ear. Something twisted within him.
'Stay still, stay still...do not do anything,' he mentally croacked, grounding his teeth as Sakura began shifting. One of her legs rubbed up his, and he had to bite his tongue so he didn't moan.
'Shit, she has to wake-but what if she kills...why is Sakura-chan even here?'
"Naruto," she sighed dreamily, squirming nearer to him.
His face was enflamed in seconds.
'S-S-Sakura-chan...dreaming about me? No way!'
"Naruto...," she sighed again, in a more saddened tone.
"Sakura-chan?" he whispered.
"Naruto," she said simply, voice quickly happy again.
Naruto gulped and steeled himself.
"What are you dreaming about, Sakura-chan?" he asked in a breathily.
"Hmm. You," she yawned.
Blood pounded in his head and all the way through his body.
"M-me? S-Saku-"
"I want to tell you Naruto," she whimpered.
"W-wha? Tell me what, Sakura-chan?" he pressured, desperate for an answer.
"That I l-"
"Oi, Naruto! Why aren't you-oh."
"K-Kakashi sensei!?" the Jinchuuriki exclaimed.
The pinkette's eyes snapped open.
"I was wondering where Sakura was. Her parents are going nuts, you see. I was going to ask you where she was, but obviously we all know now."
"Kakashi sensei?" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes as she cast him a blearly look.
He gave a closed eye smile at her.
"Did you have a good sleep, Sakura?"
"Yeah," she yawned loudly. Naruto blushed again.
'Damnit, look at me and my tomato impersonating. At this rate, people will be asking me why I'm not in the ground being plucked. So uncool in front of Sakura-chan.'
"Oh ho Naruto. Was it something Sakura said?" he teased.
"S-shut up Kakashi sensei!" he snapped, bristling.
Sakura's eyes popped wide open, as she recalled the events of last night, and her current position.
"Oh...I..."
Naruto turned his attention back to her, bashfully.
"Eh heh. Mornin', Sakura-chan."