Wounding

Naruto, whenever his group of friends went out, would be at one end, and Sakura at another. They wouldn't speak, wouldn't share glances, would stay as far away from each other as possible.

Despite that Naruto still heard what she said. Even from a young age he had always had better senses than most, perfect vision and good hearing and even a noise poised to smell where people had been. Jiraya, weirdly smelt better than most, especially better than those who came stumbling out of bars or the red district at night, when Naruto like to go on walks to clear his mind.

He didn't take note on her conversation usually, preferring to actually socialise, to talk to the people that actually bothered with him, that enjoyed his presence, but occasionally she would talk and something important would happen.

This time was one of the few where Shikamaru joined Sakura's side of the restaurant they had booked out, shinobi owned and built to handle multiple squads coming together for parties and meet-ups. They talked, normal for a while, until Shikamaru poked at her, prodded at her.

"Are you still hung up on Sasuke? A troublesome guy like that shouldn't matter."

He couldn't see his pink haired former teammate, but he could image the face she was making, imbued with fury and rage. He wanted little to do with her though, so he sat back and let Shikamaru get berated.

"He doesn't. It isn't like he is overriding my life, ruining me. I am Tsunade's student; I have all my friends around me. I am safe and getting stronger, so clearly, I'm not getting hung up on him."

Shikamaru, showing a motivation rare for him, continued his pursuit.

"You are though, don't pretend we don't know. You haven't pursued anything else but your work, trying to distract you from him, running away from the fact you still know, that you would want him to come back despite that."

"And so what? He was my friend! Of course I feel bad about it, I want him back, but that's normal. You just want to attack me for ever liking him, for being close to him, because you feel betrayed, when I was betrayed the most! I don't see you attacking N-"

And then she stopped, and looked around. The rest of her friends were looking at her, surprised yes, but slowly her eyes were drawn to the Uzumaki, an unimpressed look, boring blue eyes, half lidded staring straight at her.

"Sorry for the disruption, everyone." She said to the room, then walked out the door.

Ino followed after her.

And Naruto knew she would never get over Sasuke, that he would always be a part of her. That it didn't matter how strong she got, she would always be his.

If she became… In that insane universe where she got to be hokage, what guarantee would Naruto have that Sasuke wouldn't come back, and she wouldn't give him everything? That she wouldn't hand his head on a platter to the Uchiha lord, loved by all and celebrated despite his actions, despite his crimes.

What would Sakura being hokage end with, except death?

…

Naruto had managed to do it yet again. Yet he was still apprehensive exploring the sewers of his mind, cracked pipes and horrid smell, and dripping water the only sound aside from a low breathing. He followed it, further and further in, seeming to walk miles, hours, until he was in front of the cage itself.

And two deep red eyes stared back, unblinking. Furious.

"Why are you so angry, Kyubii?"

It huffed, the power so much it blew up Naruto's jacket by a bit.

"What is it to you, human? You think you can talk me down like you did that Tanuki child? You failed with your brother, the Uchiha, you have no chance of succeeding with me."

That burned Naruto. If he was a year younger maybe he would have yelled, screamed.

But now he was just filled with a cold, seething anger.

"You are weaker now than before, fox."

"Oh? You claim to know of my strength, scum?"

Then the beast rose, the darkened figure in the black of its cell rising and rising until the only thing that could be saw was a huge mountain of shadow, towering above, its paws the only evidence it hadn't transformed.

Naruto wasn't impressed though. Because he remembered it being bigger.

"You are weaker than before. You preyed on my insecurities, my faults, but I confronted them, defeated them, and bit by bit you have been starving, because I haven't been feeding you."

And then it fell silent.

And slammed itself into the bars of its prison, the fox orange and deranged forced grin slamming through as the gat shuddered, water splashed and sloshed, the walls creaked.

"You humans always think you are more than you are! Scum! Nothing! Pitiful creations of the earth which serve little purpose! You think you will defeat me! Destroy my immortality! Never. We are eternal, and you are temporary, and foolish and idiotic and true evil! You will never beat me!"

And then the beast stopped. Seeming to calm down, and in the end his outburst had done nothing.

Naruto turned around, shaking his head. He woke up the next moment, covered in his own sweat. He got up and showered. Only then did his heart, filled with fear and excitation both, calmed, and his smile fell.

Bit by bit he was beating the fox, he could feel it.

…

One day, Uzumaki Naruto was walking. It was a bit dark, the sun had set but it wasn't too late, and a thought sprung to his head.

He really didn't want Sakura to be hokage, but the possibility rolled itself around his head and he couldn't dismiss it. He knew she wouldn't do well, she would ruin things, herself even. He knew Sasuke was too dangerous to be let live, that Sakura had always been weak. Yet all she needed was a trump card, and in say 5 years-time she would be ready if she didn't fail.

So all he needed, was her guarantee that she wouldn't be hokage. That she wouldn't steal it from him. Then, he would leave her alone. 100%.

She used to live with her parents, chunin both, war vets but not very accomplished, but he heard from others that she lived in her own apartment now, to get away from her parents, and to get closer to her teacher, set up near the north end of the village in the senju quarters.

He simply walked in. He was just going up to meet her, to talk.

The corridor was a mint green hue, and his footsteps against it were loud, echoed because he didn't care to silence his footsteps. Then she walked out, spotting him, surprise filling her green eyes.

"Naruto?"

He tried to regain his composure.

"Sorry for missing your 15th birthday."

"That isn't the only reason you're here, surely."

He had a grim kind of smile.

"No. I…"

"Well?"

He coughed.

"I have heard that people- that you have a chance to become hokage. And I want you to tell me you won't, that all you want to be is a great kunoichi, a great medic."

Sakura squinted her eyes at Naruto, and he couldn't decipher what she wanted. If what she felt was fear, or confusion, or offence.

"So you are scared that you won't get to be hokage because what? I am tsunade's student? Shizune must be next on your list then?"

"Don't ridicule me, you know you have at least a chance."

"I am not being groomed for hokage. If anyone is, it's you, Naruto."

His eye twitched.

"Just tell me you won't."

Now Sakura looked angry, unambiguously. She was pissed.

"Won't what? Pursue a life where I'll be the most respected and loved Kunoichi, no, person in the village? Become the best ninja I can be? If I get picked as Hokage, it is because I am the best candidate and you aren't. You're a brat, an idiot, you always have been. You let Sasuke get away, you let-"

And then Sakura didn't get to finish, as Naruto had sunk a kunai into her stomach.

She looked up at him, and she saw pure rage.

…

A/N plot twist I guess. If you feel this isn't justified from Naruto know this version of him is basically if he accepted the darker, more hating version of himself. That is an oversimplification, but it works. The idea is Sakura pushed him to his breaking point because she was pissed he would want to invalidate her possibly being hokage, and is insecure to the point where he thinks she could usurp him. Because normally, in canon and this world, she wouldn't be able to. Naruto is just that more powerful than her.

Also Kurama is gonna get fucked sob.

If you get angry at anything in this story that is probably on purpose.

Anyway, have fun, I will have part two in like a day.