Chapter 16 - Sakura's Confrontation

Summary: War is over. Feelings will slowly be realized, as the world tries to recover from the damages of the war. Dreams and happiness will be realized. But what will happen if the game of love will involve 3 hearts? NaruHina with one-sided SasuHina

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

"speaking"

'thinking'

"Kurama speaking"

Naruto and Hinata had just finished showering together. They had some fun splashing each other and playing with the bubbles. But now that they were clean and out of the shower, the awkwardness was starting to creep in.

Naruto was standing in front of the mirror, toweling off his hair. He glanced over at Hinata, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, drying her hair with a towel. She was blushing furiously, and her eyes were downcast.

"Hinata?" Naruto said. She didn't look up. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she mumbled. "Just a little... you know..."

Naruto smiled. "Me too," he said. "But it's okay. We're both naked, right?"

Hinata looked up at him, her eyes wide. "What?"

"I mean," Naruto said quickly, "we're both not wearing any clothes. So it's not like there's anything to be shy about."

Hinata's blush deepened. "But it's different," she said. "This is the first time we've ever showered together and did…. those things we did"

"I know," Naruto said. "But it doesn't have to be awkward. We can just relax and enjoy each other's company."

Hinata nodded hesitantly. "Okay," she said.

Naruto finished toweling off and walked over to Hinata. He sat down next to her on the bed and put his arm around her shoulders.

"So," he said. "What do you want to do now?"

Hinata thought for a moment. "I don't know," she said. "What do you want to do?"

"I don't know either," Naruto said.

They sat there for a moment in silence, just enjoying each other's company. He just remembered what he and Kurama talked about. The mark…

"Hinata," he said. "I need to tell you something."

Hinata looked at him curiously. "What is it, Naruto?"

"During the battle with Pain," Naruto said, "I umm unconsciously bit you."

Hinata's eyes widened. "You bit me?"

Naruto nodded. "I know it was strange," he said. "But my instinct told me I had to do it."

"Why?" Hinata asked.

"Because I needed to mark you," Naruto said.

Hinata was even more confused now. "Mark me? What do you mean?"

Naruto took a deep breath. "Hinata," he said. "I'm in love with you."

"Naruto," she whispered. "I'm in love with you too."

Naruto smiled. "I'm glad," he said. "But that's not all."

"What else is there?" Hinata asked.

"Hinata," Naruto said. "Kurama said that it was a special trait of Uzumaki, we are known for our seals and we mark our mate the first time we feel like they are in danger/dying, to protect and to claim them y'know"

Hinata's face still showed confusion. "okayy..?"

"And y'know if we didn't complete the mating we will experience some discomfort," he said, "I don't know what it is, Kurama is being so vague about it and won't give me a clue."

"H-how do we complete this m-mating?" Hinata asked

Naruto blushed, he looked away before he answered. "Umm.. y'know we have to continue what we did in the bathroom… I'm not trying to pressure you into this y'know… Please know that I will wait until you're ready, I just don't want to keep this from you and I still need to know everything about the mark y'know"

"Naruto," Hinata said. "I want to be with you."

"Me too," Naruto said. "But I want to make sure that you're ready."

Hinata blushed. "To be honest, I don't know if I'm ready," she said.

"That's okay," Naruto said. "I don't know if I'm ready too, I guess let's just go with the flow for now. And I told you I'll wait for you"

Hinata smiled. "Thank you, Naruto," she said. "That means a lot to me."

They leaned in and kissed. It was a soft, gentle kiss. But it was also full of passion and promise.

When they finally pulled away, they were both smiling.

"I love you, Hinata," Naruto said.

"I love you too, Naruto," Hinata said.

They were so consumed with passion in the bathroom earlier, but now they would like to enjoy the slow and steady pace of their relationship. Things that are supposed to happen will happen in due time.

They lay down on the bed and held each other close. They were both tired, but they didn't want to go to sleep. They just wanted to stay there together, enjoying each other's company.

After a while, Naruto fell asleep. Hinata stayed awake for a little while longer, just watching him sleep. She smiled to herself. She was so happy to be with him.

Finally, Hinata fell asleep too. They both slept soundly, dreaming of each other.

Sakura had had enough. She couldn't take it anymore. She loved Sasuke, and she had loved him for as long as she could remember. But he didn't love her back. He loved Hinata.

Sakura knew that she couldn't force Sasuke to love her. But she also knew that she couldn't stay away from him. She needed to tell him how she felt, even if it meant getting her heart broken.

Sakura found Sasuke in the training grounds. He was practicing his swordsmanship, as usual.

"Sasuke," she said, approaching him.

He stopped practicing and turned to look at her. "Sakura," he said. "What is it?"

"I need to talk to you," she said. "Alone."

Sasuke nodded and led her to a secluded spot under a tree.

"What is it, Sakura?" he asked again.

Sakura took a deep breath. "I love you, Sasuke," she said. "I always have."

"I know that you don't love me back," Sakura said. "But I had to tell you how I feel. I can't keep it bottled up inside any longer."

Sasuke sighed. "I'm so sorry, Sakura," he said. "I wish things were different."

"I know," Sakura said. "But I'm willing to be with you even if you don't love me. I just want to be with you."

"I don't want to be unfair to you, Sakura," he said. "I don't think my love for her will ever fade. If it could, I would've stopped loving her all those years ago."

"I know," Sakura said. "But I'm willing to take that risk."

Sasuke looked at Sakura for a long time. He could see the love and devotion in her eyes. He knew that she was serious.

"I don't deserve you, Sakura," he said.

"Yes, you do," Sakura said. "You deserve all the love and happiness in the world."

Sasuke smiled sadly. "Thank you, Sakura," he said. "But I can't accept your love. I don't want to hurt you."

Sakura nodded. "I understand," she said. "But I just want you to know that I'll always love you."

She turned and walked away, leaving Sasuke alone with his thoughts.

Sasuke watched her go, his heart heavy. He couldn't love her back the way she loved him.

Sasuke sighed and turned back to his training. He knew that he had to move on with his life, but it would be difficult. His heart was already taken, even if she wouldn't love him back, he decided to support her and Naruto.

Sakura walked home with a heavy heart. She couldn't believe that Sasuke had indirectly admitted that he loved Hinata. She had always known that he had feelings for her, but she had hoped that maybe, just maybe, he would eventually come to love her back.

But now she knew that it was never going to happen. Sasuke's heart belonged to Hinata, and there was nothing she could do to change that.

Sakura felt like she had been punched in the gut. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. She just wanted to go home and cry.

When she finally got home, she collapsed on her bed and sobbed. She cried for everything she had lost. She cried for the love that she would never have. She cried for the future that she would never get to have with Sasuke.

Sakura cried for hours until she had no tears left. Then she just lay there, staring at the ceiling. She felt empty and numb.

She didn't know how she was going to move on from this. She didn't know how she was going to go on living without Sasuke.

But she knew that she had to. She had to find a way to pick herself up and start over.

Sakura took a deep breath and sat up. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were red and puffy, her face was pale and drawn. She looked like a ghost.

But she wasn't a ghost. She was still here. She was still alive.

And she was still Sakura Haruno.

Sakura stood up and walked to the window. She looked out at the village below. She saw people going about their lives, laughing and talking and loving.

Sakura knew that she would never be able to love someone the way that Sasuke loved Hinata. But she also knew that she would never give up on love.

She would find someone who would love her back. Someone who would cherish her and protect her.

Sakura smiled. She knew that she would be okay.

She would be okay.