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Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
(Ok so my scenes are still not separating. I'll try yet another method. This chapter is going to start off with them back in Konaha. As always please review!)
~Five~
What is love?
Nearly four days later they were back in the leaf village. Kakashi had been taken to the hospital. His chakra had returned but he still had internal injuries from his battle with Deidra. Sakura stayed at the hospital with him while Naruto, Sai, and Yamato were in the Hokage's office giving a report of what happened in the mission so far and why they were back so soon with no Sasuke….again. This time Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji are in there with them as well.
"After Kakashi has healed and can leave the hospital you will be cleared to head back out to resume your mission." Tsunade told them sitting behind her desk. Naruto nodded. "But…when you go back out you will be taking Ino-Shika-Cho with you. You need more bodies just in case they try something else. They also need to go with you because with this unexpected delay is making the mission harder. Remember. The Raikage is having some Shinobi of his own hunt Sasuke down to take him out. He hasn't found Sasuke's location yet. But you can never be too cautious."
"Don't worry granny! Ive said this once….twice….a thousand times. I will find Sasuke! I will bring him back! Believe it!" Naruto said sounding confident in himself as always.
"Good. I'm counting on you. Moving on… Do you all know what time of year it is? "Tsunade said looking like she's up to something." They all shook their heads "No" together.
"We are two days away from the Hidden Leaf Ball. "
Ino and Choji were excited. But they were excited for two totally different reasons. Ino now had a new reason to be girly. Choji had a reason to day dream about all the different foods that would be there. Especially the barbeque. He was really looking forward to the barbeque. Both of their wonderful daydreams were interrupted by Shikamaru.
"What a drag! I'm only going agree to this because I know my mom's going to make me go anyway. I don't even have a date!"
"I can call Temari if you want?" Ino said laughing. Shikamaru went white and jumped behind Tsunade's chair. " NO NO PLEASE! SHE'S EVEN MORE SCARIER THAN MY MOM! NO WAY!"
"Just admit you liiiiiiiiiike her!"
"Admit you like –
"Say it and I'll kill you in your sleep Nara!" Ino shouted in a fit of rage even though she was really just scared because Sai was in the room after all.
"Alright Alright you guys. If you're going to kill each other please do it outside. I don't want ay bloodstains in here!" Tsunade said pointing to the door.
They all took there leave. Once they were back walking the streets of Konaha Choji started talking about everything he was going to put on his plate at the ball. "BBQ pork, A few pieces of ribs, some rice balls…" He continued on while Shikamaru turned to Naruto. I wish I could skip the ball every year like you do. Im actually jealous."
"I think I'm actually going to go this year."
Everyone else immediately stopped walking. "What?" "Why did you guys stop?"
"YOU!" Ino shouted "You NEVER go to the ball. You said you'd rather stay home and eat ramen then put a suit on.
"I guess I just have a reason to go this year." Naruto shrugged. "See you guys later! Gotta get to the hospital to see about my dad!" Naruto took off running headed toward the hospital snatching Sai with him leaving three confused shinobi behind just staring in the direction he was running.
"You guys saw that right?" Ino asked the other members of her team looking totally and completely confused.
Scene
Tsunade and Shizune walked into the hospital room. Kakashi was lying in bed with his sheet covering all the way up to his nose. "Geeze Kakashi you really love it here don't you." Tsunade said walking over to the bed.
"Sorry Tsunade." Kakashi sat up a little bit in the bed much to Sai and Sakura's disappointment that he still had his face mask on.
"Dammit." They both whispered.
"Alright let me look at you." She examined his body all over with her chakra. "Yes very good. "
"Am I going to die?" He said sarcastically
"Eventually."
"What?!" He said now looking scared.
"Everyone has to die sometime." Tsunade grinned at him. "But your time won't be anytime soon. "
Kakashi let out a sigh of relief. "Well that's good to hear. Well then I guess I can get out of here then." He tried to pull back the covers when Tsunade lightly pushed him back down. "I don't think so! I said you would live not that you could leave! Your injuries are still a little rough. You will have to stay here for the week."
Kakashi groaned . "The weeeeeeeeeek?"
"I don't wanna hear anything else about it?!" Tsunade and Shizune left the room.
"Well Kakashi sensei I am glad that you are ok. Sai said standing up from the chair in the corner of the room. "
"Later Sai." Kakashi said as Sai left the room. "Alright Kakashi Sensei time for you to get some rest. Let's go Naruto!" Sakura grabbed Naruto and pulled him out of the room to leave Kakashi to sleep. "Whoah! Later Dad. I'll come by in the morning!" Naruto said getting dragged off.
Once they were outside she still didn't let go of him. She just continued to pull him into the direction of Ichiraku ramen. "Come on. Let's get some ramen. Your treat!" He really didn't mind at all. He had a fools grin on his face. "Okay Sakura!" Then he realized…."Wait What? My treat?! Awe man….okaaaaaaayyyyy." What they didn't know was that in a nearbye bush they were being watched.
"I knew it…." Whispered the mystery voice.
Scene
"Ino why are we here?!" Neji asked looking around the strange forest that Ino had demanded everyone (Ino-shika-cho, Lee, Neji, Tenten, Kiba, Shino, and Hinata, and Sai) meet at all of a sudden.
Ino spoke up " Shikamaru? Choji? Remember when we were walking with Naruto about an hour ago and he said he was actually going to the leaf ball this year?" Shikamaru nodded very bored-like. Choji muffled something that sounded like "yes" through stuffing his face with chips. 'Wait? He's actually going?" Kiba spoke up. "He never goes!"
"Yes but –" Ino started but was interrupted by Shino. "This is rather odd."
"Hey! I have more to say!" Ino said clearly getting annoyed by all of the interruptions. Everyone got quiet and focused their attention on her. "He also told us he was going because this year he has a reason!"
"Ino that's not exactly news"…Neji interrupted. "STOP INTTERUPTING!"
"For the love of God man let her finish!" Kiba said sounding terrified of what Ino would do if Neji wouldn't be quiet.
"ANYWAYS! …. I know the reason!"
"Okaaaaaay?" Ten ten asked. " What is it?"
"It's not a what! It's a who!"
"Ok then who?!"
"Well Im glad you asked….."
Scene
Naruto and Sakura had just finished eating there ramen. Naruto paid for their food and then he turned to her. "You want me to walk you home?" Sakura looked around. "Well it will be getting dark soon. Sure." "You just can't get enough!" Inner Sakura chimed in. They started walking in the direction of Sakura's house. "Naruto?"
"Yea?" He looked over at her. "You gonna be okay all week with Kakashi in the hospital?"
"I'll live. I got plenty of instant ramen! And I should have enough clean clothes to avoid laundry…and….why are you staring at me like that?"
"Because you actually think I'm just gonna sit back and watch you live off straight ramen for a week!" Sakura glared at him. "When I'm not working at the hospital I'll come to your house and check on you. And you will eat an actual meal at least for dinner each night! Made by me! Got it!"
"Yes maam!" He got a little smile in the corner of his mouth. She was acting like his girlfriend and she didn't even know it. And he was going to let her. He loved her. She could boss him around until her heart was content as long as she was there. Her presence was all that mattered. "Sure as long as some of those nights you have to stay and watch crappy movies for a few hours."
"Fine. But do they have to be crappy? We can't watch any good movies!"
"Fine. I'll see if I can find any."
"Good."
"See now you're just barking in dangerous territory." Inner Sakura said. The rest of the walk was fairly quiet. They talked about minor details of Kakashi until they finally reached Sakura's doorstep. "I'll stop by in the morning to check on you. He took a step back. "I don't doubt it one bit. If I don't answer the door the spare key is hidden under the mat.
Sakura laughed "You and the rest of the world. Okay. Later Naruto!"
"See ya."
Sakura walked inside her house. "I'm home!" She looked around. "Hello?" She saw a small note sitting on the table in the dining room. She read it. "Out with your father. Won't be back till late tonight. Someone stopped by earlier with a present for you. We left it on your bed. I think you should go see it. It's very exciting. I never knew you liked blondes. – Mom"
"Never knew I like blondes? What?" Sakura ran up the stairs. "What is she talking about?" She walked into her room to find a stunning bright red spaghetti strapped dress laying on her bed with a note beside it. Be my plus one to the hidden leaf ball? – Naruto. Her eyes widened.
Scene
"So because you saw them coming out of the hospital together you think there is something going on between Naruto and Sakura?" Kiba asked Ino. "You're losing it Yamanaka. She's head over heels for Sasuke! Always has been!"
"I think that's changing!"
"Ino just because you saw them together doesn't mean you can just draw your own conclusions about other peoples lives." Neji said sitting "criss cross apple sauce" in the grass.
"Neji have you handled YOUR OWN issue yet?" Ino raised an eye brow at him referring to his hopeless crush on Tenten.
"There is no! What does that have to do with anything?"
"Just wondering. ANYWAYS! I know there's something going on here! I just know it! Two people of our social group are dating or on the verge of dating and I'm gonna figure it out! Watch you will see! He's bringing Sakura to the ball. Watch."
"There on the same team." Shino finally spoke up. "Would it really be that weird to see them there together? Would that really mean that they are dating?"
"Yes! Naruto never goes to the ball! NEVER! And this year he just decides to go because he has a "reason. I'm telling you forehead is his reason!" Just then Ino's unintentionally locked eyes with Hinata.
"Hinata you've been so quiet. I forgot you were here. "Next thing anyone knew all eyes were on Hinata.
"Um…. May I help you?" Hinata asked the many staring faces.
"Are you okay with all of this?" Ino asked her starting to feel like the worst friend ever.
Hinata closed her eyes and smiled. "I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" Kiba asked her. She nodded back. "Mhm." She directed her attention back to others. "Listen guys, I'm fine I really am."
"Hinata…." Ino said sounding concerned. Hinata sighed and walked over to Ino and grabbed both of her hands and looked her straight in the eyes. "Ino Yamanaka! I am fine! I promise. It took some time. But really I am." Ino looked into Hinata's eyes and saw something she hadn't seen in months….a sparkle. Ino sighed in relief. "Okay….I believe you. " Now"….Hinata added "You wanna know if Sakura has something going on with Naruto right?"
"I don't think. I know. And im….Were gonna get them to tell us!"
"WE?!" Everyone yelled.
"We is plural!" Shikamaru said shaking his head no. "No way I'm not in this!"
"I wonder if Temari has ever been to a ball before?"
'Fine! Fine! What do you want us to do?
"Simple! Girls! We are going after sakura. Boys! You're going to go after Naruto." Ino said with a evil smile across her face.
"So like girls night?" Tenten asked
"Yes! And boys night for Naruto."
"Tonight?" Shino asked.
"YES!"
Almost everyone groaned. "Come on! It'll be fun!" Ino shouted. "Alright girls. We meet at Sakura's in 2 hours. Same with you boys at Naruto's 2 hours!"
Everyone went there separate ways. Hinata stayed behind. "Peace at last. Maybe I'll train my byakugan for a little bit while I'm here." Just then two strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist and pulled her closer to his chest and whispered in her ear. "I thought they'd never leave." She jumped a little in her skin and turned herself around to look at the whispering stranger and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"You shouldn't be doing things like this out in the open. Someone could see us."
"There all gone. No one's here but us ….right Akamaru?" Akamaru barked in agreement. "Woof!"
Hinata was looking straight into Kiba's eyes. "Why did you ask me if I was fine?"
"Everyone else was I felt I should to."
"You know I was telling the truth right?" She looked down a little bit. She was worried that he felt she had hidden feelings for Naruto.
"I know you were. " He lifted her face with his hand. "I think we should tell."
Hinata got wide eyed. "Wh…What?!"
"I think we should tell."
Hinata stepped back a little bit freaking out a little. "Tell? Are you sure? I don't think I'm ready for the attention!"
He kept walking toward her until he had her against a tree. "You like when I give you attention." He said all smooth like.
"That's different! And shut up!"
He cupped her face. "Why….do you want to tell now?" She asked in a low shaking voice.
"Because…..Hinata….I….." He sighed and smiled. "I love you Hina."
Her eyes widened. You? You? Wha?
" I love you Hinata."
"That's what I thought you said." At that second she fainted in his arms.
"AWE COME ON!" Kiba re adjusted her in his arms. "Hinata! Hinata! Wake up! AWE MAN!" He started fanning her face with a free hand. "Hinata!"
Scene (2 HOURS LATER)
Sakura just sat there in her room looking at the red dress and the note. She kept re reading it over and over again. "Be my plus one at the leaf village ball? – Naruto" What do I do? Just then there was a knock at her door. She hurried and hung the dress in her closet, stuffed the note in her pocket and went downstairs to answer the door. As soon as she opened it there was Ino, Tenten, and Hinata standing in her doorway with duffle bags and PJ's "We brought snacks!" Ino said as she just welcomed herself inside. "What's going on?" Sakura asked looking at everyone like they were crazy people.
"Girls night!" Tenten shouted!
"Come on forehead! We haven't had one since we started the academy." Ino whined while setting up a "chips and dip" station.
Sakura looked at Hinata and chuckled. "She roped you in to huh?"
Hinata giggled. "I didn't mind. I missed having girl time myself. I don't get to have it often since Kurani sensei is the only girl on my team."
"You can easily relate Sakura being that your team consists of Naruto and Sai." Ino said still scurrying all over Sakura's house making it "Girls night ready"
"I know Naruto can be a real pain in the ass to deal with on a day to day." Tenten asked looking too eager to hear the answer.
"He's not so bad." Sakura said while pouring herself some tea.
Ino pretended not to look at Sakura "Really? So he's changed?"
"Actually he has." She got lost in her own thoughts. She just stood there day dreaming about that blonde who just keeps coming into her brain and just won't leave. She thought about when she saved him from Kisame. She thought about him taking her to the festival for her birthday. She thought about all the different things that he has done for her. And then she bit her thumb when she thought about the last "REAL CONVERSATION" that they had.
**FLASH BACK**
Sakura came walking in her room wearing a pink tank top and white shorts with her towel around her neck. When she walked in Naruto was standing in her room facing her window.
"Seriously?" She said walking further into the room. "Really?" He said turning around. They had just shared a bed with her in his pajamas. This was nothing.
"How is he?" Naruto asked about his dad.
"He can be saved. His chakra's low. I healed the outer wounds. But there are still (she sighed because as she was talking Naruto was getting closer.) some wounds that need to be attended to by the hospital. But he'll be fine."
"I'm not giving up on Sasuke." Naruto said looking in her eyes.
"I know you're not." She said looking right back at him.
"As soon as my dad is healed I promise we will leave Konoha again and I will get Sasuke back!"
"I know you will."
He let go of her hands and stepped back. "But before I do I need you to answer one question?" She looked at him as if saying okay?
"Why did you come back?"
"What do you mean?" She folded the towel trying not to look concerned with his question.
"I was in Sage mode. You had already made it half way there. You came back. Why?"
She scoffed. "You were under attack, Naruto."
"Yes but I told you to go to the others. You instead came back. Why?"
"I couldn't just leave you like that by yourself. It was too dangerous." She threw her arms up.
"Were shinobi everything we do is dangerous so what was it?" He did that eye thing that made her go weak. She tried to fight against it but found herself being drawn closer to him. "Why are you being like this? "
He walked closer to her until they were face to face. "Why did you come back Sakura?"
"I didn't wanna see you get hurt or taken okay! I was –"
He raised is eye brows for her to finish. "I was worried about you…" She said looking him straight in the eyes.
In that moment everything he suspected he knew to be true. She was starting to care about him. He smiled at her. He knew that wasn't all she was feeling but instead he said "Thank you." He did that eye thing that makes he go weak at the knees then turned to walk out of the room. She turned toward him and scoffed again. "Yes Naruto, I worry about you. Why do you need me to say it?" He turned back around and walked toward her. He wasn't playing games anymore. He cupped her face in his hands and placed his forehead on hers. "Because when I drag Sasuke back from the edge kicking and screaming like a little girl and deliver him to you I want you to remember the things you felt while he was gone."
In that moment it hit her like a wave pool. She had feelings for him. She was about to say something when he touched her face and said "Good night Sakura." He walked out of the room and passed by Yamato in the hall before going down the stairs. Yamato stood in the door way and looked at Sakura. "You know what you're doing there?" She looked at him nervously. "No….I don't."
**END OF FLASH BACK**
"Sakura? Earth to Sakura?!" Ino shouted waving her hands infront of Sakura's face
Sakura quickly dropped her thumb. "What?"
"I asked if you wanted a rice ball. You're really out of it forehead."
"Oh right? She said "Sure."
Scene
Naruto sat on the edge of his bed watching TV with a bag of chips before he heard a knock at the door. He thought it was Sakura coming with an answer so he jumped off the bed. "One second! He quickly threw his jacket on and ran down the stairs and answered the door to be sadly disappointed.
"Guys? What are you doing here?"
Shikamaru quickly asked the question on everyone's mind. "Who are you taking to the ball?"
"All of you had to come to ask me that?" Naruto looked at all the boy's faces.
"Unfortunately yes." Neji said.
"Well then….I asked Sakura. I'm waiting on her answer."
"So your taking Sakura?"
"That's the plan yes."
"Ok cool! Now I can go home! Goodniiiiiight!" Shikamaru said before turning to leave.
"That's seriously all you guys wanted?"
They all looked at Naruto and gave him their best Naruto impressions by saying "BELIEVE IT!" it unison.
Later bro! Shikamaru said as he walked off.
"You guys are weird. Later I guess." Naruto shut the door and went back upstairs. Guess I'll go back to watching TV."
Scene
The next morning Sakura kept her promise. Before going to the hospital she headed for Naruto's house to check on him. She knocked on the door. "Of course. He's sleeping." She remembered where he said the key was and grabbed it and walked inside. "Naruto?" She shouted from the staircase. "I know your asleep you lazy baka!" She went upstairs and headed straight for his room. Once inside she saw the mess that yesterday he deemed clean enough. She gathered all the clothes off the floor and put them in the basket that was conviently located in the corner of the room that Naruto was just too lazy to use. She picked up all the empty instant ramen cups and threw them in the trash. She wiped down the dresser and TV. She saw him stirring in the bed. She quickly noticed him clutching a little brown bear.
"Awe cute." She thought. "Wait! Does that bear have silver hair? It's a Kakashi doll!" She sat in a chair close to the bed. She looked closer at the doll. "It's got his face mask and everything." A green stuffed doll stuffed in a corner caught her eye. "Is that….Guy Sensei?" He started stirring again which caught her attention. She was grinning because she could tell he was waking up. He rubbed his eyes. His vision was blurry. All he could see in front of him was a pink blur.
"Good morning!" The pink blur came into focus. Naruto yawned "Sakura?" He looked down and noticed that he was still holding the Kakashi doll. "AHHHHH! He tossed the doll to the other side of the room and jumped out of the bed. "Whatcha doing here?" He looked nervous. "Awe crap she saw me sleeping with a stuffed bear. She's not gonna let me live this one down! She's definitely not gonna go to the hidden leaf ball with me now."
She laughed and got up from the chair and walked over and picked up the Kakashi doll. "I told you I was coming yesterday remember?" It all came rushing back to him. "Oh yeah! You can just put that old thing back on the dresser." Sakura looked at it and fixed his "Kakashi hair", and then walked back over to Naruto. "Naruto you don't have to be embarrassed about anything with me. You witnessed my nightmares, I heard you talk in your sleep –
"What?!" He interrupted but she continued on. "You've seen me at my least attractive. What could I possibly judge you for? Besides I think it's cute. You love your dad. I already knew that. I actually want to hear about it. If you don't mind sharing that with me." She sat back down on the edge of the bed.
Naruto sat down next to her. "I've had it ever since he adopted me. Apparently in my real dad's will he said that if anything ever happened to him and Kushina my mom that I was to be given to Kakashi because he wanted me to be a leaf shinobi and as one of his best students he knew that Kakashi would raise me after his own heart. He said it would have been Jiriaya since he's my godfather but Jririaya travels too much ya know? So it was convenient for the third Hokage when dad was the one that found me and brought me into his office just after he finished reading my real dads will.
"How did Kakashi Sensei respond to the news at first?" she asked him.
"He said he was really scared at first because he was still so young. But he said he loved Minato and would do anything for his Sensei. So he took me in. He said it was hard at first. But he just took it one day at a time and then it just got easier and easier. Then before he knew it he learned that he loved me not because I was Minato's son…..but because I was HIS son." Sakura smiled at him and before she knew it her head was on his shoulder. And for the first time. He didn't flinch. He wasn't surprised. It was almost as if he didn't even know. He just felt so comfortable. So he just continued to talk. "Once dad realized I was getting just as attached to him as he was to me he realized just how much I missed him when he went on overnight missions or ended up in the hospital on one of his missions so he had this doll made for me. He made sure he had constant contact with it. He even slept with it a few times." He tilted his head so that his head was on hers. "Don't tell him I said that though?"
She smiled. "I won't."
He continued on. "After about 3 weeks of constant contact with the bear he managed to put some of his chakra in the bear. That way whenever he was gone it wouldn't be so hard. After a while it just became a habit. And now…it's just second nature. But the feeling never changes though. It's just not as hard to deal with."
"That's beautiful Naruto…. And that explains the Kakashi doll….now I do have one more question?" She looked in a corner of the room and pointed. Is that Guy Sensie?"
"Hn?" He sat up and turned and looked. He saw the Guy Sensei doll in the corner of the room and laughed. "Yeah it is! Bushy brow thought that I just had to have his doll. Said something about a Rival collection that I could play ninja with. It's a VERY LONG story."
Sakura smiled and before she knew it words just came out of her mouth before she could even snatch them back. "You really are amazing Naruto."
He was up and ready for the day now at those words! "Me? Why?"
She got wide eyed realizing she said that out loud. "YOU DUMMY! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Inner Sakura was dying laughing. "Oh, uhm, its nothing."
"Okaaaay. So did you get my gift?"
"Yes I did. "
"So will you be my plus one?" He smiled at her blushing face.
She tried to brush it off and roll her eyes but he wasn't falling for it. "Well you've never been before. I guess I really can't turn you down for your first visit to an actual ball now can I? "
"No I guess you can't." He grinned.
"Just as your teammate though!" She pointed at him hard.
"Of course." He scooted closer.
"So don't go getting any ideas!" She slowly moved her finger.
"Mhm" He looked in her eyes listening to her increased breathing.
"Good becau-!"
"Sakura?" He interrupted her.
"Huh?"
Without even thinking about it he kissed her forehead. She went extremely wide eyed! She gasped for air. Then he looked down at her shocked face and smiled. "Aren't you late?" Her shell shocked face quickly dropped. "Shit! I'm late! She jumped up and ran down the stairs. He followed behind. She went on. "I'll be back by here later. I straightened up your room. And when I get back I have another question."
"Oh? And what's that?"
"Where'd you get the dress?"
'Well now you have a reason to look forward to coming back." She was about to dart out the front door when he used his speed to get infront of her and kiss her forehead again. "Goodbye Sakura!"
She gasped "Stop doing that! That not a thing. That will not be a thing!"
"Mhm Sakura?"
"Huh"
"Late!"
"Shit I'm late! She ran off! He stood there until she was out of his sight and he closed the door feeling like the happiest human being alive.
Scene