Sakura's POV
We continue walking, I eye him a couple of times making sure he's able to keep walking and isn't falling over.
And then from a small distance I notice lights illumining an area and lift an eyebrow.
"What's that?" I ask him, but he only smiles down at me and continues limping towards the lights.
I eye him more closely, well as close as I can in the dark. I notice that as we get closer to the light his jaw tightens slightly, revealing his prominent bones. His hair is slowly beginning to grow back, and it breaks my heart to see him so underweight and vulnerable. It almost seems as if the wind will just blow him away into a pile of dust.
Stepping out of the woodland, my eyes widen at the sight.
Lights are hung from the poles in the park, creating a beautiful scene that illuminates the small blanket placed on the fluffy grass.
It's something you'd imagine in a romantic movie.
I gasp in surprise and look up to see Naruto smiling at me, his eyes bubbling with happiness.
"Y-You did this?" I breathe out, completely fazed at the fact that he could pull this off.
He averts his eyes, blushing madly, and rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.
"Well, I had a bit of help." He chuckles, and takes my hand, leading me to take a seat on the blanket.
Upon sitting, I notice his posture immediately relax, and he tightly closes his eyes shut. His breathing slows and I squeeze his hand a little.
"You alright? That was quite the walk." I ask, worried.
He nods, inhales sharply, and opens those bright eyes of his.
"Yeah, it just feels good to rest." He says lightly, squeezing my hand before lying down on his back. He pats the spot next to his head, motioning for me to lie down as well.
And so I do, resting my head on his shoulder. I make sure that he's comfortable, fearing that I'll crush his bones. He's so delicate, and I'm almost afraid of keeping my head on his bony shoulder.
"It's okay Sakura, I'm fine I promise." He says, as if reading my mind. Turning his head slightly, he stares into my eyes.
Then he says something that causes my heart to dance inside my chest.
"How was I, a guy who's practically falling apart, able to get a girl like you?"
I feel my heart squeeze and my cheeks heat up.
He continues, smiling softly at my expression.
"You never once gave up on me. Even the first time we met, when I was practically dying at the mall, you didn't get scared or feel awkward to help me. You didn't view me as a guy with a disease, someone who wasn't able to take care of themself."
He moves his left hand so that it caresses my cheek, causing them to heat up even more.
"You were the only one who really believed I would get better."
He moves his thumb in small circles against my cheek, and I notice a single tear fall from his oceanic orbs.
"How could I give up on someone I love?" I say, smiling softly and wiping his small tear. His eyes widen, and before he can reply I lean in and feel his lips on mine.
He's startled for a moment, but a split second later he's kissing me back. Gently, I prop my elbows so that my hair hovers over his face and tickles his nose. He smiles against my lips, and soon enough I pull away and he begins laughing.
So light, his laugh is so light. It's like a breath of fresh air to hear his laugh.
And I begin laughing as well, overjoyed that he's smiling and not hurting.
"I'm so lucky." Naruto says, still laughing as he pulls me down. Our lips crash yet again, and we kiss through the sweet laughter.
"And I'm lucky." I say, against his lips. He smiles upon hearing that, and gently bites my lip.
"I'm luckier." He says playfully, pulling away so that our noses brush each other's.
I open my mouth to protest that I'm the luckiest when he cuts me off.
"And don't say you're the luckiest 'cause that position is already taken." He smirks, his eyes shining.
I whack his arm in a playful way, and he only laughs at my childish reaction.
"That's no fair." I pout, plopping down beside him. My head rests on the blanket and I stare up at the stars. He chuckles beside me, slipping his arm behind his head.
A comfortable silence settles in, our breathing the only thing to be heard. The stars gleam in the night and they fascinate me to no end as I continue staring into the vast void of space.
"You know I thought I was going to die one night." Naruto suddenly speaks up, his voice uneasy.
I snap my eyes open even wider about to exclaim something loudly, but take a deep breath. I keep my mouth shut, not daring to pry any farther.
"But, then I thought of you. Your smile, your eyes, your laugh, your weird face-"
I snort at the last comment, but he ignores it and continues talking.
"And for some strange reason, I actually felt something. I actually heard my heartbeat, and my eyes snapped open. I-I saw my parents, all teary eyed, hovering over my bed saying something I couldn't quite make out." He takes in a sharp breath, his eyes glossy with tears.
"It was the most painful thing to see, and imagining you crying like that over me…well I felt like the worst person on the face of the planet." He finishes, his voice cracking. The warm tears trail down his bony cheeks, and my heart shatters right then and there. I feel like crying myself, just staring at his helpless face and the many tears flowing from his eyes.
But, I take a deep breath and decide that I shouldn't break down, it would only make it more painful for him.
My hand finds his, and I curl my fingers squeezing his hand in reassurance.
"Without you, I probably would have stopped fighting. I know cheesy," He chuckles, embarrassed, but continues, "Gosh, I love you so much Sakura. Thank you."
And our lips crash yet again, this time so passionate and hungry that I moan in pleasure. His tongue trails my bottom lip, and soon enough they're clashing.
And it's in this kiss that I realize, if Naruto had actually died I wouldn't have been able to go back to my normal life.
What would have happened to me?
I'd become an empty being, living life with a blank space in my heart.
Because quite frankly, the blonde sucking my face already stole my heart, probably the moment he laid that stupid McDonald's crown on my head.
What a weird way to fall in love.
AN: I really enjoyed writing this chapter, the narusaku fluff is just too cute! I think they're developing nicely in this story. I hope you guys like it. :D
Please leave a review, and I know it's on the short side but it's FULL of fluff so that should make up for it, ne?
Oh, and Merry Christmas everyone! Enjoy your times with your family and have fun! :DD
Until next chapter, toodles~