Err, sorry about not updating. I, umm, forgot. Guys, if I don't update at least once every two weeks, feel no qualms about giving me a little poke, okay?

#3: In Our Town

Fandom: Naruto

Pairing: Naruto/Sasuke/Sakura. Yay, Team Seven!

Rating: PG

Word Count: 977

Summary/Description: A night watching over the town, with the heroes of the town, and justice never sleeps.

Warning/Spoilers: A little OOC, I think. No spoilers.

A/N: Future! Sorta abstractly angsty. This one is more centred on Naruto than anyone else, but still mostly Sakura POV. A little choppy; emotions never stay consistent. Sorry about that.

Sakura slid down the Third's nose, and onto the Fourth's jagged locks. From there, she hopped across to Tsunade's head, where the moonlight ran in shimmering paths. She stopped when she reached the edge, and looked over to the Sixth. The corporeal Rokudaime was perched on the ridge of his hitai-ate, staring out at the wide, unmoving expanse of Konoha. The kunoichi smiled, and made her way over to the last stone face.

The blue eyes flicked briefly to her when she sat next to him, on his right. There was no loud and exuberant greeting like she had expected. He only gave her a soft smile, before redirecting his gaze to the vista.

"Back already?" he commented, chin resting on his folded arms. Sakura beamed at him fondly before replying eventually. Seeing him like that, quiet and peaceful and relaxed, reminded her of the earlier days, of Team Seven. These days, Naruto barely had time to laugh or smile or pull one of his idiot pranks. As much as she appreciated the fact that he had finally grown up and matured – to some extent, at least – she still missed the clumsy, single-minded baka of old.

"Yeah," she said. "It was easier than I expected. The Stone ninja put up very little fight." She extracted a scroll from her waist pouch, and slapped it to his chest. "Here you go. The mission report."

The Rokudaime eyed the thing moodily before slipping it into his pocket.

"Paperwork," he said dryly, eyes gone back to scanning the city. "Thanks."

She grinned, and pulled her legs up to her chest, locking her arms around them.

"No problem. Anyway, what are you doing up so late, Hokage-sama?" she drawled, a wry little smirk curling her lips. "Don't you have a meeting with the Kazekage early tomorrow morning? Gaara-san might think you're deliberately trying to goad him into anger if you keep nodding off to sleep." She giggled a bit, trying to coax one out of him also.

He only smiled a little distractedly, however, and his gaze never strayed.

"I'm just keeping watch a bit." A quick glance. "You know… just to make sure that… nothing happens." The periwinkle orbs caressed the Konoha skyline fondly, protectively.

The medic felt her heart swell with an almost irrepressible urge to hug her friend, her Hokage. Konohagakure no Sato had to be the luckiest shinobi village in existence. The Rokudaime loved this town; it was evident in each battle he fought, each war he commandeered, each negotiation and peace treaty he drafted and signed. The Uzumaki orphan had done justice by this village like no one had ever thought he could have.

"Stop lurking in the frigging shadows, will ya, ya bastard?" Naruto growled abruptly. He twisted his neck to look behind them. "I hate it when you do that."

Sakura sensed Sasuke seconds after Naruto did. She turned just in time to see her old team-mate step out of the darkness just beyond Tsunade's stone head.

"'Night, Sasuke-kun," she greeted as the blue-haired avenger walked over.

"'Night," he replied shortly, but then stopped, and looked up at the moon. "'Morning," he amended, before dropping to sit on the left side of his best friend. He gave the pink-haired woman a momentary glance. "You're back early."

"Yeah. It was easier than the mission statement stipulated."

"Did you finish patrolling the perimeters?" Naruto asked a little impatiently before Sasuke could respond. The dark-haired man glared at him.

"Yes. And just like the last seven times you asked me to, it's clear."

"Go home, Hokage-sama." Sakura laid a hand to rest on his shoulder as she gently said this. "Your village is safe."

He gave no reply. His cerulean orbs were once again fixated on Konoha, seeping through the darkness and the crevices, searching out trouble and danger.

"Leave him be," Sasuke said shortly, though not unkindly. "If the idiot wants to be late for his biannual meeting with Gaara for the third time consecutively, let him."

"Don't call me an idiot," the Hokage mumbled absently. "Have some respect, jerk-face." It was said with a furrowed brow and a scowl, but the blond didn't put any real effort into the insult. All of his attention was focused on what lay spread out before him like a reposing woman. Sasuke and Sakura shared a look.

"Come on, Naruto." Sakura curved an arm around his broad shoulders. "There are no less than twenty-five ANBU guards stationed around the village. If, beyond all probability, we are ambushed or attacked during the night, we will be ready."

The Rokudaime offered no answer but a muted sigh, and leaned slightly into the kunoichi's embrace.

"Meanwhile," Sasuke picked up, speaking in a level tone, "You have an important meeting in the morning, and unless you want to be even more addled than usual, you should get your ass in bed. Give this a rest. Konoha is safe."

Sasuke's fingers were interlaced in front of his face as he said this flatly. Naruto looked over at him, grunted exasperatedly, hooked an arm around his neck and pulled him closer. Livid, the Uchiha's face turned red, and his eyes were fast following. He was about to wrest the Rokudaime off of him when Sakura stretched her arm further out and laid a calming hand on his shoulder. Sasuke frowned tetchily, but did not attempt to fight off Naruto anymore. His features settled into remote passivity, and he did not resist when Sakura nudged him so that his head lay on Naruto's shoulder.

A few moments later, Sakura felt a hand come to rest hesitantly on her waist. She smiled.

"Give what a rest?" Naruto was saying quietly. His friends he pulled closer, but his village, he never took his eyes off of. Not once. "Justice doesn't sleep in our town. The heroes never sleep."

A/N: Naruto deserved a less lame ending line than that, but it's what I originally wanted to end with, and I just really like it. (shrug)

Come to think of it, this is the most in-depth I've ever gotten into Naruto. Go me.

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