"What Is Wrong With That Kid?"
by operadeglace
"You look really tired, Naruto…"
Sakura comments as the blonde Hokage throws himself on her couch.
"Bolt," Was the only word he groaned out, and the only thing Sakura needed to hear to understand the entirety of his frustration.
Naruto rubs his temples and slides his legs to a comfortable position on the arms of the couch.
"What is wrong with that kid?" He grinds out, fingers gnawing at his aching forehead.
Sakura climbs down from her dusting perch, lifting Naruto's legs so she could sit next to him. He playfully replaces his legs to the same position to 'lock' her into her seat. Sakura smirks at him before continuing to speak.
"Bolt is acting out." She holds a finger up. "When Sasuke and I split up, Salada would call me a 'witch', and refuse to come out of her room when she came back from school…"
Naruto nods in agreement, which looked a little awkward from his lying position on the seat.
"I guess he's been different since the divorce, but, I can't visit him that much… " He sighs and closes his eyes. "I'm Hokage now."
Sakura throws him a knowing look, to which he blushes and stutters.
"A-and Himawari gives me that look of hers, and I want to stay forever… and Hinata…" Naruto's voice grows smaller and tapers out.
"Naruto... Hinata is a kind, beautiful, pure hearted woman." Sakura starts very slowly and cautiously. "She can cook, clean, mend, fight, and she loves you and her children with all her heart and soul."
Naruto's eyes stay closed, but his brow is furrowed with worry and thought. He knew what was coming next…
"Why exactly did you get a divorce from the perfect wife..?"
The orange sleeves of his coat were thrust over his eyes as he stayed silent in response. The silence was a little unsettling for Sakura as she was fatally curious about his reasons for separating from his ex-wife.
Suddenly, Naruto was up on his feet. He had a stoic look on his face as he picked up a startled Sakura, and started to run out of the open sliding doors with her in his arms.
"Naruto! What are you doing!?" She screeches as his zips along the rooftops of Konoha.
"I'm explaining myself." He grins, the wind whipping through his blonde hair.
When Naruto stopped, he gently put Sakura on her feet.
"You idiot! You could have just asked me to follow you!" She yells at him angrily, putting a fist up to punch him with.
The young Hokage winces and puts his hands up defensively to receive the blow, but it never came.
He opened his eyes to see Sakura slowly surveying her surroundings.
"Why have you brought me here?"
Why is this place so important to Naruto? It's just the entrance to our village…
Naruto smiles softly and walks a few feet away from her before turning on his heel and giving her a thumbs up.
"I kept my promise, Sakura-chan. I brought Sasuke back for you." He says brightly.
Oh…
She simply smiles and bows her head in acknowledgement. Naruto suddenly gets fidgety and nervous.
"Naruto… I—"
"I love you." He says abruptly to Sakura whose eyes shoot wide.
Her mouth opens as if to say something, but he quickly cuts her off again.
"I've always loved you. I always will. I've wanted to tell you that for years and years!" Naruto's eyes water, as well as his nose. In that moment he looked like he was a genin again.
"I was going to tell you once I brought him back and kept my promise, but you looked so happy. You were so happy that I couldn't do it!" The tears started to flow down his face. Sakura was taken aback by his words.
"I didn't care if you started to date him as soon as he came back from his journey. I didn't care if you married him. I didn't care if you had his children instead of mine… as long as you were happy, and I could protect that happiness, I was fine with watching over you." Naruto used his orange sleeves to wipe away the trails of tears.
"Look at me… I'm a grown man, crying like a baby…" He jokes, making light of the intensely terse situation. In the silence that transpired between them, Sakura's face was unreadable, and it made Naruto even more nervous.
"Now I had the chance to truly tell you." He says, sniffing as some water trickled down his nose. "I love you. I love you so much, Sakura-chan."
His comment jogs her from her blank thoughts.
I still cause him pain, even to this day… Sakura smiles sadly.
The pink haired kunoichi walks forward and hugs Naruto's midsection, resting her head against his chest. He nearly crushes her to him with his own arms and starts to sob into the top of her head.
"Shhh… Naruto, everything will be fine."
She whispers into his chest with all the tenderness she could project.
"We will fix everything together… promise of a lifetime…"
-story by ODG