A/N: Another Chapter, please note that from now on bold font will be used for both the nine tails and Sakura's inner personality. Help both these things stand out from the rest of the text in a chapter.
I appreciate the reviews so much! I've always been aware of Naruto and Boruto but only recently consumed the entire story, yes including "fillers" in the anime. I have kind of become more obsessed with this universe than Karin was over Saskue😂
"So did you ever think we'd be shirtless together. Naruto asked cheekily.
Sakura smirked, "No, but with where your seal is, it's easier to create the sealing link this way."
"It's easier to do a lot of other things too." He winked.
Sakura had to admit her mind had wandered a lot since she decided to embrace her fast-growing romantic love for Naruto, but now wasn't the time to entertain such impulses.
"Okay, this shouldn't hurt Naruto." Sakura said ignoring his suggestive comment.
"Are you sure you'll be okay, Sakura?" He asked her worried. "The nine tails is…well you'll see."
"I should be fine." She said smiling, "Don't get any ideas while I'm in your subconscious." She added hastily, he blushed but nodded.
Sakura weaved the hand signs for the eight-trigram seal and placed her hands on Naruto's abdomen, speaking clearly, "Sealing Jutsu: Yang Seal Link!"
A thread of what seemed white chakra appeared on Sakura's dominant hand and went into Naruto's seal, still attached to her hand. Sakura guided the thread to the same spot on her body. The moment it connected Sakura felt the tremendous power behind the seal that was contained within Naruto.
"Such immense Chakra," Sakura said in amazement.
Next moment Sakura found herself wandering along an ominous corridor. "This must be where the nine tailed fox is locked away." Sakura continued walking until she entered a dead-end occupied by a cage bared with a seal. "I found it." A harsh voice filled the room.
"How did you get inside Naruto's mind… You are not the Uchiha brat!" The fox spirit said sharply.
Sakura ignored the question. "Sasuke has been here?"
"Yes, but never mind him. I haven't felt anything so openly revolting sinc her and I don't mean your chakra, no, it's your soul…It's the same as Kushina. I loathed being sealed inside of that stubborn woman..." He rose to his feet and growled impatiently.
Sakura couldn't help her curiosity. "So girls can host tailed beasts too… Who was this Kushina?"
"The mother of that brat Naruto, the Uzumaki clan was always too persistent for their own good."
"Naruto's mom— "
The fox roared angrily. "Why are you here,
"Is that supposed to scare me? I'm here for Naruto's sake." Sakura said defiantly.
"You're the brat that he cares so much about, his longing for you, it's disgusts me." He said sharply.
"It figures you love to hear yourself talk..." She said with boredom.
"If you're here you must be trying to protect Naruto from me, it's futile." He was laughing now.
"Just shut up and be quiet!" She said harshly, staring at the sealing link on her hand and then at the seal tag on the nine tails cage.
The fox noticed the thread of light coming from the brat's dominant hand… He was even angrier now. "I don't know what you're planning, but a brat without the slightest trace of the six paths or a significant bloodline can't stop my power!"
"I know that I'm tightening your leash." She said bluntly.
Sakura jumped up in front of the sealing tag and removed it, placing her dominant hand infused with the sealing link over the lock itself, it was engulfed all the way around in a white version of the original eight trigram seal…
"That's that." Sakura said coolly, staring the nine tails right in the eyes.
He was extremely aggravated now. "Wait, what am I sensing…? My Chakra is… No, the connection I spent years nurturing inside Naruto's mind, there's a wall of Chakra it's heavily concentrated!" The fox spirit roared. "What have you done!"
Sakura looked impatient now. "I haven't done anything to your chakra that's impossible…" She dropped her voice to a whisper. "But I will make sure you know pain if you take advantage of Naruto's emotions again, so I suggest you learn how to control your rage and be a nice docile fox, or you will regret it!"
The fox roared again. "Is that a threat? You talentless little brat!"
"No, it's a promise!" Sakura turned her back on the fox and was already walking away. "Besides, you're incredibly annoying!" She said cooly.
The fox wanted to rip this girl apart now. "YOU ARE NOTHING, I WILL KILL YOU JUST LIKE I KILLED KUSHINA AND MINATO WHEN I DROVE MY CLAW THROUGH THEIR GUT AS THEY SHIELDED THEIR PATHETIC NEWBORN SON FROM ME— "
Sakura slowly ran out of patience as her restraint snapped. "I thought I told you before…to shut the hell up, YOU BASTARD!"
Sakura suddenly came charging back at the fox demon punching him through the bars gap, hitting him square in the face with tremendous force, he hit the wall with a heavy thud.
The fox recovered but he had to admit that the girl packed a punch that he didn't expect. "I swear I am going to rip your heart from your chest!" He would save that for another time. Still, something in that unfazed stare made him remember."Think you can stop me all you want, you better watch your back, Sakura Haruno!" He fell asleep moments later.
"You finally remembered my name? Good, because I'm watching you from now until Naruto has complete control…." She said quietly. "You damn fox demon…" Then suddenly, tears fell silently from her face.
Waiting… Waiting… Waiting…
Naruto had never really thought about how it might have looked to others when he entered his subconscious to confront the nine-tailed fox. Now that Sakura was doing just that to connect this sealing link, he was anxious the longer he saw her standing totally still without saying anything. Still, she seemed perfectly okay…
"Sakura…?" Naruto called gently.
Sakura didn't respond until minutes later, breathing hard. "I'm okay, Naruto, just a bit winded." She finally said aware of the worry on his face.
They put on their shirts and sat down on Naruto's bed… He noticed tears rolling down Sakura's cheek…
"You didn't have to fight him did you?" He asked.
"No, but I did punch him for how much he's put you through. I don't think he expected it from me, but it was the least I could do." She leaned into Naruto with a sad smile.
"Oh, so that's why you were crying?"
She realized that her face was wet. "What? Oh, yeah sorry just a reaction from stress I guess." She wiped them away quickly.
"So the sealing link is finished?" He asked.
Sakura nodded revealing the white seal mark on her abdomen. "Look at your seal." She reminded him softly, pointing to the same spot on his chest.
Sure enough, the black seal on his abdomen now had an identical white seal around it, unified at their center.
"That's it huh..." He said.
"Yup." She assured him.
He sighed. "I don't like his chakra, but according to my dad I'm going to need to get control of it."
"Well, you will someday, the sealing link will stop him from taking hold of you when your anger spills over. I'm a shield between the nine tails and your subconscious, or rather my chakra is." She assured him gently.
"I'm guessing that he got mad." Naruto said with a small smile.
"No… Besides, I reminded him of your mom so he didn't like me very much." Sakura couldn't help but blush.
"Wait, the nine tails knew my mom too?" Naruto was taken aback. "Dad didn't say anything when his chakra triggered… He must have known what it would mean to me to know who she was…"
Sakura held her hand against his cheek. "You're mom's name was Kushina Uzumaki; you got your last name from her." She said with a small grin.
"I have my mother's last name? Does that usually happen?" He asked blankly.
Sakura looked contemplative. "It's uncommon, but your father Minato, was very powerful, and enemy ninjas always seek retribution. I don't think he would want his enemies targeting you when you were a kid."
Naruto looked eagerly at her "Did you know that I was his—the fourth Hokage's son?"
Sakura shook her head. "His family history isn't in any of the books I've read; only his feat's as a ninja."
"What about mom?" He asked hopefully.
She frowned. "Ive never read anything about Kushina Uzumaki, even the origins of the Uzumaki clan itself are not in any history books I've read."
"There must be a reason why?" He asked anxiously.
Sakura's face became sad and full of empathy. "I think there is… Naruto, your, she was the previous Jinchūriki of the nine tails."
"My mom… was the nine tails Jinchūriki and the nine tails just told you that while you were placing the sealing link…?" He asked with disbelief.
"I think he wasn't taking me seriously and then he saw what I was doing—plus he sees Kushina when he looks at me which just made him go on an angry rant about that day." She stayed silent as Naruto absorbed her information."
Naruto was in shock. "But… Dad said he only sealed half of it's power in me. If mom had the complete nine tails, how did it start attacking the village?" He grabbed his head with both hands in frustration. "I…just…don't…get it!"
"Oh Naruto," Sakura grabbed his hand tightly, she had a pretty solid guess, but wished otherwise. "I think that the nine tails probably got extracted from your mom just after you were born. The last thing he was yelling at me about was how he tried to kill you as a newborn, but I think your parents jumped in front to shield you at the last moment."
"But that means…" Naruto couldn't bring himself to say the likely truth.
"It wasn't just the village, I think they died protecting you, Naruto." Sakura put her hand on his shoulder.
He fought back tears. "Is this all it means to be a ninja? To be cursed to know only pain, loss, hate and death…" He was shaking from sadness and sorrow now. "I just wish…I had memories of us…being a family. Dammit she never even got the chance to be my mom! Dad too!"
Sakura dropped her head and whispered gently. "I know she must have been wonderful because you are. That goes for both your parents. Everything that you are came from them, Kushina and Mianto loved you unconditionally."
Naruto gathered himself for a moment. "…It's so unfair that I never— " It was all he could manage before tears overtook him again.
"Naruto." Sakura said consolingly, hugging him tightly.
Naruto was crying; his anger quickly gave way to heavy tears it painfully reminded Sakura of his breakdown over Gara's death. Little did she know that he was already thinking of that moment too. "My mom ended up just like Gara...dying just as she became more than a Jinchirki just as she was happy…"
Hearing the exhaustion in his words filled Sakura with empathy. "It's my fault… I shouldn't have told you what the damn fox said— "
Sakura's attempt to blame herself abruptly snapped Naruto out of crying… He shook his head. "That doesn't mean I'm mad at you for telling me, especially when I'm the one who asked you not to lie to me ever again."
Sakura looked him in eyes with a grateful smile and held her hand on his cheek. Of course Naruto would make her feel better. "Are you okay, Naruto?" Sakura asked gently, hoping she did the same.
I'm the son of the fourth Hokage and the son of Kushina Uzumaki the former Jinchiriki of the nine tails; I'll deal." He said with a subdued nod. "Thanks, Sakura. I love you."
"I love you too, Naruto." Their lips met in a tender kiss.
They began making out in earnest, and just as things were about to get more intimate, their was a pop that startled them apart…
Sorry for the intrusion Naruto, I know it's early but—Oh Sakura, you're here too, boy it looks like I really did intrude on something…" He was to his credit able to keep a straight face.
"Kakashi Sensi!" Naruto said with exasperation. "You could have at least used the window like Pervy Sage!"
"OR THERES THE DOOR! SERIOUSLY! WHO THE HELL JUST BARGES INTO SOMEONES BEDROOM UNANNOUNCED?" Sakura yelled with an angry fist, fighting restraint.
"In my defense I thought Naruto would be alone and he's a very heavy sleeper!" Kakashi said quickly.
"WELL NOW YOU KNOW THAT HE ISN'T ALWAYS ALONE, SO USE THE DOOR NEXT TIME!" She shouted.
"I'Il wait for you in the other room then." Kakashi said defensively.
Naruto and Sakura joined Kakashi in the other room a few minutes later; he was just as professional as ever.
"So Naruto, have you had any more panic attacks since the land of Iron?" He asked.
"No, why?" He asked.
"I don't have to tell you, having panic attacks on a war battlefield is extremely dangerous, so I wanted to have a therapy session with you and make sure that you are healthy enough to cope with war," Kakashi said bluntly.
"That was a one-time thing," Naruto said quietly.
"That's what people always believe the first time they happen, and it never turns out well," Kakashi warned him.
"Did you do this during the third great ninja war, Kakashi Sensi?" Sakura asked.
"No, and I regret it; it would have helped me deal with trauma of losing my parents and closest friends from situations caused by war." Kakashi said.
"Not now…" Naruto said evenly.
"Okay, if that changes come see me." He said. Naruto nodded, "Sakura, I make you the same offer."
"I needed to ask you some things Kakashi Sensi so I guess I'll take your offer," Sakura said.
"I wouldn't want you to feel like you can't have privacy, Sakura; I'll go." He gave her a small smile and walked outside via the front door.
"Naruto is selfless…He leaves his apartment so I can talk alone.
"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Kakashi asked.
"How come you haven't told Naruto you were taught by his dad Minato?" She asked bluntly.
"I don't like telling people details about my life which begs the question, how do you know?" Kakashi asked, looking surprised.
"The previous wars, for example, are in history books. There are other books besides the pervy stuff you read." She shook her head.
"Okay, I get your point. So you know about The Battle of Kannabi Bridge…" He asked slowly.
"Yeah, I do I'm sorry Kakashi Sensei." She said softly.
"It's okay Sakura." He said.
"I understand why you didn't tell Naruto anything as a kid. "But why not recently?"
He spoke candidly. "Minato was one of the most powerful and intelligent ninja to ever live. I didn't want Naruto's dream or his work ethic to be affected by feeling like he has to measure up to everything his father was."
"Did you know Kushina?"
"Did something happen, Sakura?" Kakashi asked.
"Well, you know what I am doing to help protect Naruto from the nine tails chakra." She said quietly.
"Yes, Lady Tsunade told me these are very noble things you are doing, Sakura." He praised.
Sakura sighed, "Well, I established the sealing link and I met the nine tails. He said I reminded him of Kushina, that he loathed being sealed in her."
"The nine tails was sealed inside of Kushina?" Kakashi could usually keep his reactions unreadable but showed rare shock.
Sakura nodded, her emotions rising slowly. "When he realized what I was doing, in his rage he let slip that Minato both jumped in front as he tried to kill Naruto."
"Nobody, not even me, knew Kushina was the host of the nine tails. In the aftermath of that night, the exact details were confusing, and if Lord third knew, he kept it secret for the village's sake." Kakashi sighed. "But now it makes sense why Minato asked me to guard Kushina and their unborn child. I was in the ANBU at the time."
Sakura frowned. "Why Kakashi Sensei why didn't you keep protecting Naruto?"
"I think my failures with Sasuke prove I would have been an awful guardian, Sakura."
"We kids all failed Naruto back then hating him for something that he didn't even do and has no control over, but you knew both his parents and you still did nothing. You and lord third, leaving him alone for all that time. Adults are supposed to protect kids!" Sakura said angrily.
"Sakura…" He said quietly.
Sakura felt her anger dissolve into sadness, but she wasn't crying. "Just tell him about his parents. He knows nothing about his family, and that hole in his heart will keep getting bigger. He deserves to know them. Not just the ninja they were but the kind of people too."
"I thought it would be too painful." He said
"Not knowing is worse for him, I've seen the toll it's taking." It was a candid statement. Sakura wanted Naruto's dignity to remain unaffected by this conversation so she stayed vague.
"Well, you have gotten much closer so I'll take your word on that and I will tell him but I will wait until after your recovery from your coming Hashirama Cell injections." He smiled.
"Thanks, Kakashi Sensei." She said.
"What about you, Sakura? You've been going through a lot too. Sasuke trying to kill you must have been— "
"I'm fine…" There was no emotion in her voice.
"Sakura, you loved him, it's okay to be upset."
"Yeah, I did, but it doesn't matter now. Sasuke showed me the coward he is and I don't wish him dead or want to kill him but I will if he insists on doing evil he will die." Again there was no emotion in her voice.
Kakashi was worried, he had always known Sakura to where her emotions on her sleeve, but now that the topic was Sasuke she seemed to be emotionless…
"You don't sound like yourself." He said delicately.
If you want me to shed tears for a coward who would rather run away from love because he's afraid of feeling it than even try to allow the three of us to fill the hole in his heart, I won't do it." There was finally something in her words, it was a calm acceptance.
"I thought this could happen?" He said.
"What?" She asked raising her eyebrows.
"You have suffered from loving Sasuke to the point that you've fallen out of love with him." He said, it was almost an apology.
"That has very little to do with anything," Sakura said.
"Oh?" He was surprised.
"I realized that I won't be happy with Sasuke, content maybe, but never happy." She sighed. "It seems like the most obvious thing to realize, but I was blind to it because I wanted to save him from himself, but that's not love. All it is a substitution for pity, which is ironic considering I'm a ninja and l train to recognize deception. I was deceiving myself."
"As long as you have sorted Saskue out for yourself, Sakura." Kakashi said. She nodded. "Well, I'm going now. Before you find Naruto, visit Lady Tsunade so that she can do the necessary pre-check before you receive Hashirama Cells."
"She put you up to this didn't she?" Sakura asked.
"No, she just gave me that message to deliver; the rest was a spur of the moment. I'm going to check in with Sai next." He waved and was gone in a puff of smoke.
"He's never going to use a door…." Sakura said to herself, shaking her head with annoyance.
Sakura met her master in the leaf hospital; it was surprising how quickly the village was recovering from Pain's assault; this place was one example.
"Well, based on all of my observations and tests you have no underlying health conditions that would cause rejection of Hashirama cells," Tsunade said calmly.
"Does that mean everything will be fine?" Sakura asked hopefully.
"We can't predict until we introduce the cells into your body. People find themselves dealing with various symptoms, so staying in the hospital throughout the process is an absolute must." Tsunade told her student bluntly.
"I understand, milady! What kind of symptoms?" She asked.
She did not sugarcoat things. "Basics are fever, and nerve pain. You may struggle to stay awake and your body will likely trigger wood release involuntarily as it tries to adapt to the Hashirama cells. Worse symptoms will show if your body starts rejecting the cells. Vomiting, seizures, loss of consciousness and finally…"
"Death." She finished for her. Sakura looked serious now. "I'm not afraid of dying as long as I know that I did everything possible for Naruto, the war, the village, and myself."
"You might lose Naruto; it's a war," Tsunade said.
"No, not if I have anything to say about it." Sakura said defiantly.
"Your conviction is strong, Sakura, but other people can protect Naruto— "
"No, I have a plan and nobody is going to stop me from seeing it through. Besides, nobody has done a good job since the first day after Kushina and Minato died, so forgive me if I don't have faith in anyone but myself." Sakura said coolly.
"I'm Hokage." She said frustrated.
"I know, but so was lord third, and all he did was toss money at him and shove him into a bare-bones apartment." Sakura had an edge to her voice.
"Listen to me, Sakura; I want to move Naruto to a haven; it's a moving island in cloud village territory. You can go with him when it's time." She said quickly.
Sakura narrowed her eyes. "Wait… You want to keep him out of the war indefinitely. He is the most powerful ninja in the leaf, even without the nine tails. You are risking so many lives before the war even starts, including Naruto's!" Sakura was stone-faced now.
"Sakura don't let your emotions keep you from thinking rationally!"
Sakura implored her master. "With all due respect, Lady Tsunade, please don't get this accomplished like that way; the immediate cost is too great. Necessary deaths are one thing but think of the lives you'll cost if you keep Naruto off the battlefield!"
"Give me one reason why I should trust your judgement over mine." She demanded bluntly.
Sakura was blunt. "I know Naruto better than you, milady. You were not awake when the seal all but broke last time. He will feel crushing guilt and anger if he's lied to and it costs lives he could have saved. You cannot isolate him somewhere and hope he gains control of the nine tails while the war is happening without him knowing.
"What exactly is your plan, Sakura? A seal link isn't something that I've ever heard about." She said anxiously.
Sakura explained. "While studying seals, I came across it; it creates the perfect yang of a seal on a second object or person. It's another layer to keep seals from breaking."
"If you are the link, aren't you in danger?" She asked.
"That doesn't matter… I know a lot of people will probably agree to keep him hidden, but he's going to be sought out if he's on the battlefield or not. Besides, taming the nine tails will take more than meditation." Sakura said intensely.
"You are not wrong, but if the nine tails gets extracted the world will be at the mercy of the the Infinite Tsukuyomi." Tsunade reminded seriously.
"Yeah about that, the seal link will prevent the nine tails from being extracted, because it's protecting the integrity of the actual seal itself." Sakura clarified.
"That's dangerous!" She said.
"Not really, I don't think any of our enemies in this war will see me as a threat and by the time they do. I will have stored enough chakra to manifest the hundred healings seal. Sakura said bluntly.
"What is your current capacity?" Tsunade asked.
"About eighty percent, milady. I should be at full capacity when we go up against Madara." Sakura said confidently.
Tsunade sighed deeply. "I see… well I was worried that you didn't think things through considering we're going to be at war, but you've shown me otherwise. I will mention this when I meet with the other Kage; that is as much as I can promise, Sakura."
Sakura bowed her head, quite apologetic. "Sorry for getting angry, Lady Tsunade. It's just that I'm tired of Naruto suffering because people don't stop to consider his wellbeing in the way that they should." She was anxious. "I am guilty of that, but I'm going to do everything I can to be his person in the future."
"From what I've heard recently you are committed to Naruto and this conversation proves that you are already thinking about your future with him," Tsunade said bluntly.
"Maybe a little," Sakura blushed and sighed, "But, I try not to think past our immediate future which is a war." She frowned.
"Fighting a war isn't the most difficult thing because of adrenaline; it's who survives and what will be left of them when a war is over that's the real price we pay." Tsunade said quietly, putting her hands on Sakura's shoulders.
"When do you think we will start fighting the war," Sakura asked.
"I'd guess about 4-6 weeks; there is a lot of prep work amongst the five great nations that I must be present for, which means I need to return to the Hokage's office." She said with formality as she began to leave the room.
Suddenly, Sakura ran to and embraced her master in a tight hug. "I'm glad you're awake, Lady Tsunade…." Sakura was emotional now.
Tsunade was momentarily caught off guard, but she returned the hug emotionally, a rarity. "Sakura, I'm glad to have you as my student but more than that, you are the daughter I never had…"
Sakura felt a tremendous rush of affection toward her master at such a comment. "That means a lot." She said gratefully.
"Take the rest of the week to be with Naruto; I'm sure he misses you," Tsunade said encouragingly, breaking the hug.
Sakura nodded and blushed again. "Thank you for everything you've done for us."
"Meeting you and Naruto saved my life; I may have to be impartial as Hokage but I will always consider your opinions and ideas." She assured. "I'll see you on Monday, Sakura."
Sakura nodded and watched her mentor leave, realizing that she was closer to Tsunade than her parents...
Naruto had spent most of the remaining morning doing more planning for his first date with Sakura… Ino had advised doing something more casual so as not to create unnecessary pressure now than they were a couple, and after a bit of thinking, he came up with something that he thought fit well and still be memorable. Sometime after, Naruto decided to head to Itchiraku for lunch and then to the training grounds, where his thoughts drifted to Sasuke; this seemed to happen at least once a day. The fact that his friend had fallen so low as to kill Donzo—not that Naruto felt sorry for someone so unethical… It was more than Sasuke treated the act of murder so casually. Worst still was it didn't matter who was in his way, be it former and current teammates or friends…Kage, or strangers.
Working on his shuriken training, Naruto suddenly yelled as he threw the last one in his pouch at its target. "Dammit, Sasuke, you idiot!"
Sakura finally announced herself after watching Naruto for a while from a short distance away. "You still don't have consistent Chakra control." She walked up to him with a smile as he turned; it pleased her that any anger on his face immediately vanished.
Naruto sighed as Sakura closed their gap. "I was doing fine before the last one."
"Sasuke has a way of staying in your head even if he isn't around." Sakura said quietly.
"I can't help it." Naruto shrugged.
Sakura sighed. "Yeah, I get it; every time I see him, I think we're all 13 again, but," She sat down, and Naruto did the same. "But I finally realized… We're not 13 anymore, and we can't let memories keep us from killing Sasuke if he insists on being evil."
"You don't really think he is beyond saving, do you Sakura?" Naruto asked. "I mean, I thought you of all people…"
"No, but it's irrelevant because you can only save someone that wants to be saved and Sasuke doesn't right now." Sakura looked at Naruto and holds his right hand squeezing it. "Trust me it wasting energy on Sasuke will only hurt you. I just have this feeling that we won't see him again unless he wants to be seen." She said quietly.
"I guess you're right." He squeezed her hand and intertwined their fingers together. "So you have been busy today, did everything go well?"
"Yeah, a lot of talking with Kakashi and Lady Tsunade… I've done a lot of that today." She smiled. "By the way, you didn't have to leave your apartment this morning."
Naruto shook his head. "I may not have wanted to talk but I wasn't about to force you out, besides it gave me a chance to work on putting together our date for tomorrow night." He said with a grin.
"Are you going to keep me wondering about that until tomorrow?" She asked with a playful pout.
"It's not anything fancy, but there is something that I wanted to surprise you with, that's all." He said vaguely.
"And it's not ramen?" She was at least determined to eliminate particular possibilities.
"No, not ramen." He said pretty casually.
"Are you taking me somewhere?" Sakura asked eagerly.
"I'm planning a little trip," It was all he would say. "Trip, what kind of trip?" She was highly excited now.
Naruto met her face with a smile. "I can't just give away the surprise Sakura." He quickly looked away. "I mean, you've already got more stuff out of me about it than I meant to tell you."
Sakura smiled, whispering as she snuck up behind Naruto. "That means you can't resist me much longer."
"Yes, I can..." He insisted quietly.
Sakura's hands found their way onto Naruto's chest, wrapping slowly around him. "You know Naruto; we did get rudely interrupted this morning,"
"I remember…" He said slowly.
"We could pick up where we left off…." Sakura was kissing Naruto's neck now, lingering on it with every kiss.
"I know what you're doing..." He said laboriously trying to keep his voice normal even though the heat was rising fast in his whole body.
"I'm just kissing my boyfriend," Sakura said innocently.
Oh man… Sakura is sexier than my sexy jutsu will ever be! Don't crack; turn the tables and catch her off guard...
Naruto turned his head to face Sakura again; he captured her in a sudden kiss which quickly escalated as though both were trying to tackle each other by mouth, making out unrestrained… Soon Naruto was gently pushing Sakura onto the ground hovering over her in admiration.
"I see we had similar ideas." Sakura looked amused by Naruto's boldness.
"You didn't leave me with much choice." He said quietly. "You are so beautiful."
"I'll let you have your surprise; I'm more determined to finish what we started in your apartment this morning since we're alone again." She said intimately.
"You are so beautiful." He said quietly.
That was it; Sakura pulled Naruto against her body and started kissing him again; it didn't take long before her tongue sought Naruto's mouth. He granted her desire while her hands were actively trying to take off his shirt; she could feel herself getting wet now; it had been so long since that had happened that she gave an audible moan at the sensation this seemed to remind her that they were in a very public area.
"Naruto, not here; people might notice us." She whispered anxiously.
Unfortunately, she remembered this too late as several people came upon Naruto and Sakura glued intimately together; it was Team 8.
"NO WAY!" Kiba shouted.
Shino was no different than usual, though he was quite surprised. "It appears that Naruto and Sakura are engaged in more personal training; the reason is because they are together now…"
Hinata was devastated but worked hard to keep a straight face. "We didn't think anyone else would be out on the training grounds…"
They both looked up awkwardly, "We were about to leave." Sakura said quickly.
Sakura's inner self was rilled up for the first time in quite a while. "If one more person interrupts Naruto and I from starting our sex life I'm going to start my own war; dammit!"
They both stood up, the urge to yell at them all was strong, but Sakura restrained herself because Hinata was a good friend and had been in love with Naruto far longer than herself.
"Get a room!" Kiba said in annoyance. "These grounds are for serious ninja training, not make out sessions! What's worse is I can smell the sexual hormones all over you both!" He looked green in the face.
Sakura's inner self had no problem raging about the situation. "COME ON LET ME AT HIM! IF I BREAK HIS NOSE THEN HE CANT SMELL ANYTHING!"
Naruto knew from a sideways glance Sakura was barely keeping her cool. "Kiba, I wouldn't push her." He warned seriously.
"That's a broken shrunken target." Hinata said quietly, trying to move the subject to anything else.
"That was me. I was angry about the Five Kage summit with Sasuke and lost my focus." Naruto said anxiously.
"That was pretty aggravating." Kiba agreed.
"Yeah and that's when Sakura found me and took my mind off everything; we're together now." He was as casual as possible.
"But Sakura lied… I don't get you two at all." Kiba was skeptical.
"I was trying to protect him, I just did it the wrong way!" Sakura said angrily.
"We've talked since getting back to the village and sorted everything out, and so we're a couple now." He grabbed her hand, asking, "You ready to go, Sakura?"
"I wanted to borrow Hinata for a while if that's alright?" Sakura asked.
"Really?" She looked shocked.
"Yeah, if it's not too much trouble," Sakura said.
"Um okay… Bye Naruto; Kiba, Shino, I'll be back soon." Hinata said, and they all nodded.
"See ya Hinata, Sakura. I haven't had ramen all day. I'll stop before heading home." Naruto went back towards the village.
Sakura started walking with Hinata, searching for a way to begin this conversation…
"You know Hinata, if only they put more than one girl on a squad, it would have been so much easier; we could have been squad mates." She said cheerfully.
"I would just drag you down, Sakura and you would end healing me." Hinata dismissed.
"That's the job of medical ninjas; I've learned to take pride in it." Sakura said confidently. She turned serious now. "Speaking of, you seem to have recovered well after Pain… That was very brave to jump into battle."
"What happened to Naruto after I fell unconscious?" She quickly asked; it had been bothering her for weeks.
"Lady Katsuyu must not have mentioned what happened with the nine tails so as not to cause panic amongst the villagers…" She thought to herself.
Sakura knew this would be quite the long conversation. Luckily, she had coincidentally walked into a place Naruto often visited within the surrounding forest.
"Let's sit. It's a long story." Sakura said quietly.
"At a grave?" Hinata asked, confused, as she watched Sakura pay her respects.
Sakura sighed. "Naruto comes here often; it's his master Jirayha's grave; Nagato killed him—that's who all six Pain bodies were for… To be honest, he nearly killed Naruto too; he would have all because of the nine tails."
"That organization wants the nine tails. Naruto would be better off without it." Hinata said empathetically.
Sakura nodded but was somber. "Unfortunately, that's impossible, please who have a tailed beast die instantly if it's extracted form their body."
"They die…?" Hinata repeated in shock. "So Naruto has to have that thing for the rest of his life?"
Sakura nodded sadly. "Separating such powerful Chakra from the host is a massive systemic strain on their body. If one of the sand elders hadn't reanimated the Kazekage by giving her life in exchange, he would be dead now."
"Oh no…" Hinata frowned.
Anyway, Naruto lost all reason after Pain struck you down; I think he thought you were dead and, in his anger, succumbed to the nine tails, he grew four tails instantly… He wasn't Naruto anymore and by the time I knew what was happening he'd already broke the necklace with the sealing jutsu and grown six tails. I'd only seen him with four." Sakura said. "I was sure that after he broke out of captivity from Pain's powerful jutsu, Naruto's mind and soul were gone forever. Not that I had a clear view of the worst of the moment, but it's impossible to miss fire raining from the sky as nine tails bust through a rock almost as big as the moon."
"So then how is he alive?" Hinata asked wide-eyed.
Sakura decided not to mention that Naruto met his father because it wasn't relevant. "The Fourth Hokage doesn't do anything without a purpose; he put the last of his chakra in the seal to calm Naruto's psyche and stop the seal from unravelling to the point that the eighth tail sprouted."
"Does Naruto remember anything before then?" Hinata asked nervously.
"I think you said I love you too quietly," Sakura said gently. "But Naruto doesn't understand girls." She added with a smile.
"You know?" Hinata turned pale red.
"I'm jealous you always knew how you felt. Meanwhile, I just figured out how I feel recently. Plus you are so much more beautiful than I am."
"Oh umm, thanks, but I'm not even pretty enough for Naruto to notice me so I think you're just trying to make me feel better." Hinata was both flattered and embarrassed now.
"Well, like I said," Sakura chuckled. "Naruto doesn't really understand girls that is just how he is. It's got nothing to do with you, Hinata."
"I wish I knew why you and not me." Hinata said sadly.
For the first time things were genuinely awkward between them. "Well, he's been in love with me as long as you've been in love with him—since we were all little kids… I can't help how Naruto feels about me Hinata." She said more apologetically than she felt.
Sakura's inner was tired and grumpy at this point. "I swear if this was any other girl, I would not even bother being this nice but Hinata doesn't have a mean bone in her body so I'm being nice…
"Oh yes I know." Hinata flailed both her hands apologetically. "I want Naruto to be happy and he is in love with you."
"I feel the same way." She assured her as they both rose to their feet.
Hinata was anxious now."Then please, succeed where I failed, protect him!" She emphatically pleaded.
"Don't worry, Hinata…I will!" Sakura said seriously.
"Well, I must get back to the others; excuse me." She nodded in her usual low bow and then left, heading back towards the training ground.
"Master Jirayha, Lady Tsunade misses you." She said quietly, once alone.
Then Sakura put her hand on his grave for a moment before she left for the village, realising it had been a very long and somewhat awkward day.
A/N: I know these beginning chapters are not super eventful but we'll get there. Being new to the fandom your thoughts are important and helpful to me. i probably won't include killer b dialouge because I can't do the character justice but he'll be around when I feel it is necceary.