The devotion that he harbored in his heart had never faltered. Even when insults slapped him across the cheek, and expected rejections socked him in the stomach. He was too used to scorn, and too in love with her to let his heart pump something other than smitten blood that needed Sakura.

And yet, there was something in him that wanted to burst out and beat him until he realized that the girl he was in love with would never care for him in the same way. That the repeated refusals to go on dates would continue forever, and that she would continue to jab his heart with her merciless words.

All because of one boy, who she was hopelessly head over heals with. All because of the village that demeaned him… since she had had their hate for him passed on to her, and nothing would ever penetrate it.

And then one day, when Genin squads were named, he was put on the same team as her. And by a chance of fate, so was the boy who she harbored puppy love for.

He took it as a challenge, then. To surpass the dark haired boy in every aspect as to impress the green eyed girl that held his heart in her palm. The Uchiha would be his rival from the on. And Sakura, would be the fair maiden he would quest for.

Tiresome missions then came and went, and so did the proclamation that the pink haired girl exclaimed when she was asked what the thing she most hated was, and the answer to a goal that labeled his rival as an avenger.

Life then became a pattern. To wake up early and have ramen. To head down to training area seven and wait for Kakashi Sensei to appear. To comply to some low rate task of a mission. To have his heart break anew every day when his love dismissed his offer of a date, and then to break again when hers was shattered when she asked the same of his rival.

But one day a mission of more caliber was assigned to his team seven. And it was in it that he realized that his dark haired rival was not only that, but also a person he unconsciously held dear. And too that he had to work hard to surpass him not only to show Sakura that he was a better Ninja, but also to show himself that he could do it for the his own sake. He learned the value of teamwork on that mission, more so than during that last test that passed them as Genin.

Then, as time progressed and he became more unified with his team, the avenger boy left to seek power that he felt he couldn't achieve in Konoha. And so he left a best friend behind, and a girl who held a flame in her heart for him. He cried inside. And she let her tears run free when she was unable to stop her love from going. She fell apart. And he resolved to find his friend and drag him back because his love's tears drove daggers into his heart.

And so as he left with a pack of friends who he and his team leader had wrangled up on the way; he repeated the promise of a lifetime he had made to the girl behind him. He intended to keep it because he was too in love with her to allow her to suffer. And because the person he would search for was one of his few precious beings.

Then he found his friend. Fought him to bring him back home. And lost in the end. But even as he felt himself being carried back to Konoha, he knew that he would try again. Because it was his promise to keep. And his precious person to save. And so he clutched Sasuke's headband close to him and vowed to bring him back.

He expected something from Sakura as he watched her come into his hospital room. He awaited angry tears because he hadn't kept his word to her… if so he would ask her for another chance. He waited for her savage words, her disappointed yells, her fists on his body as she tried to take her pain out on him.

But she did no such thing. She merely looked out the window and told him in a chastising tone that he looked like a mummy, and said matter of factly that he most likely overdid it. And so he closed his eyes and reveled in the fact that she wasn't blaming him, that she didn't hate him, and that she expressed concern for him even if it wasn't direct. With that in his mind, he vowed to her again that he would bring Sasuke back, because he had promised.

And then time passed, and he went away to train with a perverted Sannin who he knew would teach him well. And left his pink haired flame in Konoha to grow as well. He looked forward to they day when he would come back and see her again. And then together once more, they would seek Sasuke out again. He trained hard for that ideal, and knew that in the far off distance, Sakura was doing the very same.

He came back after two and then some years, and found Konoha pretty much the same, and told Sakura that she looked fine when she asked if she looked more like a woman, since he didn't know how she would react if he told her she never looked more beautiful to him with that pink hair of hers, playful smile, and boots that showed off her legs in a way he found himself very much liking.

Then, not long after, he found himself fighting to bring back another one of his precious people, his rival as well, and now the Kazekage of the Wind, Subaku no Gaara. Lost him to the grasp of Akatsuki and then finally to death, only to watch unknowingly as an old woman gave up her life to save the leader of her country. The very same person who had died for his friend, he found, was the same who had sealed the one tailed monster inside of him, condemning him to a childhood of tears, hate, and blood. He recovered his friend and found that he was more open to people now.

His flame, Sakura, had gained and lost during the expense of that mission. She found a clue that might help them find Sasuke. And lost a friend that she held dear. One that she had held once she died to save her Kage. She learnt to lose and move onward, and Naruto felt glad for that in the depths of his heart since there was still the chance than he might fail in his promise, or so his more rational side told him. And so if that came to happen, Sakura might forgive him if he did indeed fail her and Sasuke. But he didn't dwell on that very much. Because he was certain that he, along with Sakura, would drag Sasuke back home someday.

His promise would be strong even if he fell. His love would always last. He would grow to be the next Hokage…Uzumaki Naruto believes in that.

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Pointless, but I'd rather not delete it off the face of the Earth. :)