Obscure the Waters

Sakura stooped over the dresser and peered into the huge mirror. The assembly was barely going to even look at her during the ceremony, she knew that, but she couldn't stop herself from keeping her vanity in check. She'd never freely admit something like that, of course. Being the maid of honor was a privilege, after all, and it would do no good to sully the position.

As Sakura was evaluating if she had applied too much mascara, a cheerful Ino wrapped her arm around her best friend. "Wow, you look great!" she exclaimed.

Sakura smirked. "Thanks. I like the dresses a lot." Her eyes scanned Ino's current attire. "Why aren't you in your dress yet?"

The blonde shrugged. "I've still got two hours. All those frills irritate my skin."

"It's kind of important that you wear it though," Sakura stated dryly.

Ino folded her arms. "You know, the way everybody talks about weddings makes you feel like you really can do whatever you want. But good ole social obligations kind of ruin that thought."

Sakura giggled. She thought her best friend had already done everything she had wanted to for her wedding. Ino had rented out a huge venue and spared no expense for her big day; even the dressing rooms were ornate and massive. They were currently seated in one of them while the other bridesmaids were getting ready in the adjacent room.

"Well, it's a nice thought to have," Sakura said. She twirled her dress around. "How do I look, by the way? Everything to your liking?" She had accepted the role for the chance to respect and honor Ino, but the gorgeous, light blue dresses were a nice plus. They were loose and lightweight too, so practicality was not neglected (which was expected of a shinobi wedding).

"It looks great on you. Do you need help with your hair?"

Sakura shook her head, allowing the pink strands to speak for her. "No, I should be fine. But can I do anything for you?"

Ino frantically moved her hands to her pants pocket. "Actually, you can. I forgot to get a message to Sai. Can you take this to him?" She pulled out a small slip of paper and extended it out to her.

Sakura took it and shot her friend a wry smile. "So, I'm an errand boy, then?"

Ino let out a snort. "No, silly. You're definitely a girl."

"Alright, I'll make sure your man doesn't see you too early. It'll be nice to see the boys in their suits anyways."

Ino rolled in her eyes. "I'll be surprised if all of them are even here yet. They're punctual for their missions but nothing else, I swear."

Sakura gave her a small smile. "Yes, Ino, I know all about waiting for a man, you know."

Ino's eyes lowered sheepishly. "Sorry, Sakura. I didn't mean to strike a nerve."

Sakura brought her hands to her lips and shook her head. "No, I didn't mean it that way. I'm not trying to be depressing. I'm happy. He's coming today, you know, so there's no reason for me to be bitter about anything." She blinked and added tactfully: "And because it's your wedding day, of course."

Ino smirked and waved her hand. "Yeah, yeah. I'm happy for ya. I'm glad at least one of us could snag the Uchiha. Could you go give that message to Sai, now?"

"You got it. Can I get you anything else?"

Ino rubbed her temples and sat down in one of the dressing chairs with a groan. "Yeah, get me a drink while you're at it."

Naruto finished tying his bowtie and relaxed into his chair. Why am I here so early? Truth be told, he had nothing better to do that day. Most of his time consisted of being Kakashi's assistant ('grooming the next Hokage,' he called it) and the occasional mission. He was being worked to the bone and often found himself tired and irritable most days. He really hated the idea of being manipulated by all the stress, but there was only so much energy a person could possess, even when it was him.

He knew the others wouldn't even be at the venue for another hour or so, except Shikamaru; the guy was getting more responsible over the last few years ever since he was assigned to be Kakashi's personal advisor.

Naruto wasn't sure how he was asked to be Sai's best man. It probably had something to do with the lack of friends on his part; Sai wasn't exactly super normal. The blond was definitely flattered to be given the honorary position, but…

"Naruto?"

Speak of the devil. Naruto grinned up at the groom. "Hey, Sai, what's up?"

Sai nodded but did not smile. He only did that when he felt the pull to. While that feeling was becoming more common nowadays, (especially with Ino around) it was still a sincere gesture on his part. "Kiba just arrived. Could you help him get his tie?"

Naruto sighed. That mutt was always asking for help with that. Every single wedding they had been in was the same damn thing. "Yeah, where is he?"

Sai beckoned him out of the little dressing room, and they went down a long hall with a few scattered doors lining it. The hall was on the other side of the same building where the bridesmaids were supposed to be, so as to keep the bride's wishes in check. Ino had been pretty adamant about not being seen by Sai until they were on the altar together. It wasn't the regular custom for weddings in Konoha, but nobody wanted to argue with the bride.

As they crossed through the hall, Naruto looked at Sai. "Why am I the best man again?"

Sai merely glanced at the blond. "Because you're worthy of it. Why do you ask? Are you not excited about it?"

"No, it's not that. It's just I don't know if I deserve it, you know?"

Sai shot him an amused smile, one of those rare ones. "And that's precisely why you do."

Naruto liked that answer. His attitude shifted when he saw that smile. It made him feel like cheering on his friend. So, he would.

The two men stepped into another dressing room from the hall and saw Kiba wrestling with his tie. He looked up at them with an embarrassed expression when they walked in. "Hey, Naruto…"

Kiba gave a nervous laugh, and Naruto rolled his eyes. "You never learn, do you?"

After a couple minutes of repeating himself over and over again how to tie a bowtie to Kiba, Naruto was beginning to understand how Iruka-sensei felt during their academy days. The whole time Sai had that stupid amused smile plastered onto his face too. Just when Naruto was about to give up on the groomsman, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," called Sai.

"Uh, hey, Sai?" said a feminine voice. Sakura poked her head into the room and smirked at the spectacle she was witnessing. "Oh, am I interrupting something? Still don't know how to work that tie, eh, Kiba?"

The Inuzuka frowned and grumbled under his breath. Naruto covered his mouth to stifle his bubbling laughter and turned to Sakura. "Hey, Sakura-chan!"

"Hello, Naruto," said Sakura before she looked at Sai. "Here, Sai. This is a message from your cute little bride. She wanted me to be the official messenger." Sakura handed him the little paper she had received from Ino.

Sai took it and bowed his head politely. "Thank you, Sakura. I appreciate your help. If I have any messages of my own, I'll send Naruto out. If there's nothing else, you may go."

Sakura nodded and waved to Naruto before she closed the door. "Alright. Bye, Naruto!"

Sai's eyebrows rose after the door was closed. "That was interesting."

Naruto tilted his head curiously at his former teammate. "Huh? What's that?"

Sai ignored his friend and looked down at the little paper. He read it briskly and nodded when he finished. "So, that's how it is." He smiled neatly and pulled out a pencil from his coat pocket. He grabbed a scrap of paper off the side of his desk and began writing.

Naruto glowered at Kiba in the mirror. "No, you idiot! It's the left side towards your chest and then you pinch! Not the other way around." Naruto indignantly grabbed the tie and helped him. "I swear, it's not that hard."

As Naruto was aiding his thick-headed friend, Sai handed him a folded piece of paper. "Could you get this to Ino for me?"

Naruto sighed and tried to cheer up. It would be wise not to get worked up today. The stress of work had just been so taxing lately. "Yeah, you got it. Beats helping this dumbass."

"Hey!" Kiba called back as Naruto exited the room.

The blond trudged down the hall and out into the open courtyard that separated the two sides of the huge building. Naruto had to admit he really enjoyed this quaint open area. The sun was beaming down, but not too strongly, and the birds were chirping and warbling merrily in the treetops. He felt refreshed just breathing the very air around him.

What the hell am I doing? I've been so out of it lately from work that it's interfering with my down-time. I should be happy. He summoned up some resolve and straightened his posture accordingly. With that inner pep-talk, the blond suddenly felt much better. He had a big, characteristic grin on his mug now, and he still had it when he reached the center of the courtyard.

And that was when he saw Sakura.

She was sitting on a little bench, and a falcon was perched next to her. She was gazing down at a message in her hands. Her face was hidden, so he couldn't really make out what her expression was just yet. When Naruto approached her on the bench, the falcon was startled and flew away.

Naruto watched the falcon soar up into the sky, the wings drifting it far away to its master. "A message from Sasuke?" Naruto asked the woman on the bench.

When he didn't hear an answer back, Naruto looked down at Sakura. She was transfixed to the paper. "Sakura? Everything alright?"

There was a long lull of silence until she finally mumbled something.

"Huh?" inquired Naruto. "What was that?"

"He's not coming," she whispered.

Naruto's head drooped, and he crouched down to meet her eye level. "Oh."

Sakura's hair covered most of her face because she was looking down but when she could feel Naruto's close presence, her pink locks skirted away as her eyes darted upwards. She looked straight into his eyes; they were filled with such raw emotion that even she had trouble deciphering it. Was that his emotion or her own, staring back at her with pity? She couldn't really tell anymore. "What?" she asked.

"You look so sad." It was such a simple observation, but she knew it was true. "Why are you always so sad?"

Sakura's tears came then. She wept into his shoulder and tried to let it out, as much as she could. She couldn't be seen crying during the ceremony, so it was best to release it all now. For a while, they both held each other while Sakura could cope.

She was used to disappointment, after all.

Thankfully, Ino's wedding wasn't ruined by Sakura's grief. She made sure of that. When the full service started, Sakura walked down the aisle with Naruto. She kept her head high and was able to muster quite the smile. It was rather easy with Naruto's big grin there to help her.

Naruto kept his own mind in check. After realizing how self-centered he was being earlier, he controlled his behavior and acted as a support for his good friend. Sakura needed him right now, so he wasn't going to think about himself and his own problems. They reached the altar and separated. Naruto stepped right up to Sai and hugged him tightly. The young groom was a little surprised but returned the embrace. After that exchange, Naruto joined the rest of the groomsmen on Sai's side of the altar.

When Ino made her little journey down the aisle, virtually all eyes were on her. It was natural, of course, it was her wedding. There were one pair of eyes, however, that were focused on the maid of honor. Naruto hated seeing his beautiful friend so miserable. He knew she had been struggling with Sasuke's absence for many years; technically, since he left the village the first time when they were kids. That promise Naruto had made that day to her left a sore spot in his heart. The ramifications of that promise still resonated deep in him, as if it was a stain that could never be scrubbed off.

Naruto loved Sakura.

He had for as long as he had known her. It was the main reason why he hadn't celebrated his own wedding yet. Most of their circle of friends were already married, and Naruto could have easily been a part of that group already because of the vast number of women that had thrown themselves at him. Seriously, Naruto was a shinobi, and he understood how powerful they could be, but he had never realized how aggressive they were.

Hinata, while not considered to be one of the aggressive ones, had been a significant candidate for him. They had dated for a little while, but Naruto's intentions just weren't there in the end. He cared too much for Sakura. For a long time, he had been content with the way things were. She was satisfied with her odd relationship with Sasuke, and Naruto decided he could live with that. He didn't push against her or make her feel uncomfortable because he knew she needed the space to breathe and think.

All of this would be one thing if she was happy, but she clearly wasn't. Sasuke kept breaking her heart. Naruto loved the guy like a brother. Hell, he would die for his best friend, but what he was doing to Sakura just wasn't right. She deserved something better. It didn't even have to be him (although, he ached for the chance) as long as she was given the very best.

That's how he knew he loved her.

The ceremony proceeded on without a hitch. Sakura had done a fantastic job of pretending like nothing was bothering her during the whole procession. But Naruto knew better. During the reception, he approached her with a glass of wine.

Sakura had been sitting by the bar while the dancing was in full swing in the center of the huge reception hall. Naruto sat next to her and extended the wine to her. "Here. Drink this."

Sakura eyed the glass. "What are you doing? Trying to get me drunk?"

Naruto chuckled. "No, I'm just worried about you. You're not dancing and I haven't seen you drink anything, so you must be having a lousy time."

Sakura smirked. "So, you've been watching me?"

Naruto blinked. "Is that all you heard?"

Sakura sighed and sank her head into her folded arms on the bar counter. "You shouldn't drink when you're sad, you know. It's how someone develops alcoholism."

"Is that your medical side coming out?"

"I guess. Seriously, though, it's not a good idea. Just leave me alone."

Naruto pouted his lips and placed the glass on the counter. He looked behind him at the dancing wedding guests. The live band was really good and were playing an upbeat song that the dancers seemed to be enjoying. He leaned his back against the counter and said: "These never get old, huh?"

Sakura glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "Speak for yourself. I'm already sick of them."

Naruto smiled. "You've been to as many as I have. I know you've found them to be just as fun too."

"Oh, you know that, eh?" There wasn't much bite to her remark. She couldn't get disdainful with him when he was like this.

"Yep. I've seen you celebrate and cheer at these just like the rest of us. Like, that one time where Kiba got so drunk at Shikamaru's wedding that he fell into the wedding cake. I remember seeing you laugh pretty hard at that."

"Well, yeah," Sakura admitted. "It was funny."

Naruto exhaled and maintained a pleasant smile. "It really was. They were all a lot of fun, you know." His eyelids lowered slightly. "I hope this isn't the last one."

Sakura looked at her fingertips idly. "There's still some others. Kiba's got to have his sooner or later."

Naruto laughed jubilantly at that. "You kidding?! That idiot'll never get married. He's too wild and stupid for a commitment like that."

Sakura giggled. "Yeah, you're right." She paused and gazed at Naruto blankly. "What about us? We've yet to have our weddings."

Her face dropped after she said that. Naruto knew why.

She just won't forget about him, will she? "True. We will eventually, though, I'm sure."

"You think so?" she asked, almost sounding like she didn't believe it.

"Of course! Look at us; we're gorgeous!"

She giggled at the stupid, happy grin he was showcasing to her. No matter how negative she could be, this man was very good at showing her it was best not to waste her time on such frivolous behavior. "I guess we are."

Naruto leaned close to her and lowered his voice. "Now then, I'd like to make a proposition: let's go in there and dance. After that, we're going to do some shots. A lot of them, OK?"

Sakura should have said no. A small part of her just wanted to sit here and sulk, but that stupid grin was infectious; it elicited too much wonder and mirth in her. She couldn't refuse him because he was just too genuine.

So, she gave him his hand.

The next few hours were a blissful blur. They danced cheerfully to the music. When there were a few slow songs, they stayed goofy and danced like they were at a far faster tempo (they got a lot of sour looks for that). They returned to the bar periodically in between songs to take shots and at one point, they shared a whole bottle of saké.

After the bride and groom had been whisked off to their honeymoon, Shikamaru tentatively took his advance to visit with his tipsy friends. "You two, alright?"

Naruto shook his head and focused intently on trying to act sober. "Yep. We're just going to turn in now." He looked around. Sakura was spinning around in circles next to them, and Naruto frowned in slight concern. "I thought I drank more than her. Well, whatever. I better take her home now."

Shikamaru eyed him. "How drunk are you?"

Naruto's face became remarkably stern. "As much as I want to be."

The Nara smirked. The blond never ceased to impress him. "OK, then. You good taking her by yourself?"

"Yeah, we'll be fine." Naruto placed his hands on Sakura's shoulders and started leading her towards the venue exit. "Have a good night, Shikamaru!"

Shikamaru watched and waved as the duo left the vicinity with something akin to amusement. He was certain his blond friend was enjoying this sudden development. He wished him good luck and proceeded to help clean up.

As Naruto traversed the streets of Konoha with a beautiful drunk lady around his shoulder, Naruto's heart felt like it was picking up speed. To be honest, this wasn't the first time they had done something like this. They had gone out drinking numerous times in the past, and every time Sakura would get like this (which wasn't too often) it was either him or Ino that would take her back home. Despite this, it felt different this time. Maybe it was because Sakura was feeling some heavy repercussions from her misplaced feelings. Maybe it was because Naruto was experiencing a sudden drive of passion in his heart to actually do something for once, something bold and possibly dangerous for their relationship. Maybe it was just the sheer volume of alcohol.

One thing was clear to the blond then: this night would change things.

When they reached Sakura's apartment, Naruto asked her for the keys.

"Do I look like that kind of woman?" she slurred.

Naruto chuckled. "Not even close. Are you able to open the door yourself?"

Sakura nodded confidently. "Hell, yeah!" She scrambled forward towards her door and launched her key into the lock to open it. They stepped into the living room, and Sakura immediately beelined for her couch. "Mmm…" she groaned when she found it.

Naruto smiled and brought her a glass of water from the adjacent kitchen. She accepted it gratefully and downed it quicker than she had the saké earlier. "Thanks, Naruto! You're so good to me…"

Naruto looked around the room. It had been a little while since he had been in Sakura's apartment. Some of the décor had been moved around. He noticed a framed picture placed on a nearby desk. It was the photo of the original Team 7 members. "Hey, I didn't know you still had this."

Sakura looked up from her stupor and saw what he was looking at. "Oh, yeah. It was in my bedroom for the longest time."

Naruto picked it up and felt the nostalgia sink in. "Things sure have changed since then."

"They sure have! But Sasuke's still a prick!"

Naruto turned back to her presence. "Come on; there's better ways to handle it than that."

"And why should I?" Sakura retorted. "It'd be one thing if he was here, so I could tell him how I feel but I can't even do that!"

"His life is bigger than just you, Sakura. He has a responsibility."

"Am I not part of that? I should be married by now, Naruto! I haven't seen him in years."

Naruto sighed and moved closer to her spot on the couch. Without even really thinking about it, he leaned over the sofa and stroked her cheek with his left, unmarked hand. She's so beautiful. So fragile and sturdy all at the same time. "And you've waited all this time," he professed. The fact that maybe the alcohol was responsible for his sudden boldness was not lost on him.

Sakura's eyes widened at the rather intimate touch, but she did not dismiss him. "So…?"

"So, you're strong, far stronger than I am."

Sakura's visage seemed to soften then. A stirring in her calmed the rigidness in her physique, and Naruto could feel the waves of affection emitting from her.

Naruto was lying on the ground now, looking up at her on the couch. Somehow, the filtered light irradiated her figure, and it seemed like she was sparkling. His hand reached out and clutched hers. He applied pressure to it and rubbed against her skin while maintaining a form of leisurely eye contact.

Sakura smirked. "Why are you on the ground?"

Because I'm afraid. I don't know where you want me to be. "It's actually pretty comfortable," he replied. "You must take good care of the carpet."

She giggled then, and he thought it was such a beautiful sound. She softly beckoned him with his fingers. Despite his fears, he got up and sat next to her on the sofa. It didn't take long for their limbs to entwine. His arms held her, and her hand snaked around his torso. Their legs got tangled up, and he started to feel her pulse. She nestled her head into the crook of his neck, and they both gave one another a pleasant squeeze, as if they were trying to make sure they were both actually there.

"Is this OK?" she asked gently.

Naruto immediately hated that question. The alcohol made his head feel light, so he wasn't sure if he could keep up the control on his thoughts. He had been doing so well too. "Why wouldn't it be?"

Sakura frowned. She knew this should have been occurring under more favorable circumstances, but maybe it wouldn't be happening at all then. It had taken them this long just to embrace each other, and she relished how warm he felt. "I don't know," she muttered. "I'm just wondering if this is a good idea."

Naruto felt a pang there, but his tone did not betray him. "We're just comforting one another. Nothing more." He squeezed tighter. He wasn't going to let go. Not this time.

"I just…hate this…so much. I love him and my feelings just won't go away." She buried her face in his chest, and he brushed her hair with his hand in a slow, delicate manner.

She's so vulnerable right now. I'm just here as a shoulder to cry on. He was fine with that, though. He could be that for her as long as it meant he didn't have to leave. "Well, that's how you know they're serious, Sakura-chan."

"I've always known that." Her voice sounded muffled, and her breath felt hot against his chest. "That's not the problem."

He didn't want to say it. If he was to admit it, then he would be forsaking his own code. Then again, they weren't exactly congruent. Maybe he could say it. Even with his mental doubts, his dizzy head betrayed him. "Do you think you should…stop?"

Her head slowly rose up and those brilliant, emerald eyes centered on him. "What?"

It's too late now. "You're hurting and you've always been hurting because of him. No person should be expected to wait like that. He's my best friend and I know how he is. I'm not trying to disrespect him, but I think you need to stop this."

"How can you say that? Weren't you just defending him?" The question was not sharp, (he was grateful for that much) but it almost hinted at being accusatory. "Are you really saying to give up?"

He didn't say anything.

"But you never gave up," she stated. "At one point, I did and then you stopped me."

He shook his head and clutched her arms. His face was so close to hers now. I could kiss her. "Please, understand. That's over now. There's no reason to think he'll betray the village anymore. You can't compare these two things. It's not like you're giving up your friendship with him, just your heart. It's not fair to you." He had to tell her. She needed to hear it out loud, to experience it.

"He doesn't love you, Sakura-chan."

Long tears ran down her cheeks, and her eyes clamped shut. To see her suffer like this was more arduous than he could imagine, but it was necessary. "I…know," she choked out through the sobs. He embraced her, and she bawled into the fabric of his vest.

"You do?" he asked, surprised.

"Yes, Naruto. I've always known that, but it's never stopped me. I kept telling myself that eventually he'd realize that no one else could care for him like I do. All he really has is us and Kakashi-sensei. Every day since he left, I prayed he'd show up and confess to me. He'd finally understand how strong my love is and then he'd just…give in. I thought he'd do that today. I had planned for it. He was supposed to be here!"

"But he's not," Naruto remarked. He pushed her back a little from himself to get a better view of her face. She opened her eyes, and they locked on to him. He was going to lose it if he had to see those eyes, pressing into his very essence, for much longer. "But I am," he whispered.

His bandaged hand drifted up to her cheek. She placed her own there, her fingers caressing his. "Naruto, what are you doing?"

"I'm fighting so hard here," he confessed. "I'm trying to hold back these urges I have for you. I don't want to let you go. I never will, Sakura-chan. Do you believe that?"

Sakura couldn't avert her gaze. "Naruto—"

"Do you?!" His eyes were wide, fearful.

Sakura nodded slowly. "Yes."

"Do you trust me?"

To his bewilderment, she smiled then. It was a frail smile, but it was sincere. "Of course, I do. You wouldn't be here now if I didn't."

"You mean that?" He sounded desperate; he knew that, but that wasn't going to stop him. "I don't want you to look away from me anymore."

Her expression told him that she knew what he was saying now. Something told him she always knew, and he supposed that was for the best. "OK." Her voice was so low that it was just a breath now. "I'm looking at you."

Ever so gently, slowly, gravity seemed to pull, and their lips met.

He wanted the sensation to be longer, he yearned for it, but she wasn't reciprocating; she was only accepting it, as if she was merely receiving a standard greeting from him. So, he released after what only felt like a moment. But it was a perfect one, and he would never forget it.

They stared at each other for a little while, saying nothing. They surveyed their expressions and gauged what the other was thinking. Once Sakura realized she wasn't going to get any more information from just his body language, she said: "I see, but—" She paused and her breath hitched then. It almost sounded painful. "You should go."

Naruto wiped his lips with his hand and stood up from the couch. "I—I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. I'm drunk."

"It's fine. I am too. Just leave, please."

No, please not like this. We need to mend things not ruin them. "OK," he said through his cracking throat. "Have a good night." All of a sudden, he didn't feel dizzy anymore. But he did feel something. He was sure of that.

He casually walked to her door and stopped when his hand touched the doorknob. Sakura sat there, waiting, wondering if he would say anything else.

She barely heard him, but she made sure to remember his words: "Thank you."

He left after that, and Sakura was left alone in the little room. Never in her entire life did a couch seem so big to her.

The next day Sakura did not see Naruto.

And it was for this reason that she was allowed to think. If this was any regular day, Sakura would be focusing on one particular man but, remarkably, today was different.

Sakura didn't leave her apartment that day. She was afraid her feet would betray her by moving over to apologize to Naruto. She hadn't been kind to his feelings at all and that pained her. He had always been kind to hers. She shouldn't have pushed him away because a part of her had not only appreciated it but relished it, as if she was witnessing a scenic view she had never knew existed.

If she was truly honest with herself, there was a part of her that agreed with Naruto. Logically, he was correct. She was putting herself through constant grief by entrusting her heart to a man who had proven himself incapable of treating it fairly. Sure, there was a time to wait and test matters out, but it wasn't healthy to prolong that. There was a point where it became mentally deprecating.

Maybe she was already at that point.

If Naruto was correct and she decided to let go of Sasuke, what then? Would she be able to accept such a decision? Would it destroy her?

Where would her heart go?

The answer to that last question almost came immediately.

An image of a bright, cheery blond bounced along in her head like a fine tune. He represented a light in her life, in everybody's life who met him. His very essence oozed out hope and happiness in a person. She remembered how warm he felt, touching her and holding her. Sasuke had never held her like that. No one had, to be honest. Her body had yearned for a touch like that to a degree she had been unaware of.

It was clear then her heart was split and that made matters extremely ambiguous. If she was unable to fortify her feelings in the right place, then it would be unstable and she would only find more misery. That was the last thing she wanted.

Sakura needed to make a decision.

That afternoon, she decided to be fair to herself. She made herself a warm cup of tea and grabbed a bag of chips to munch on. She dressed herself in a messy T-shirt and a pair of sweatpants that she wore explicitly for those 'R&R' days. She searched around for a scroll and some ink. When she collected everything she needed, Sakura placed all of it on her coffee table, ate a chip, took a sip of tea, and started her list.

On one side of the scroll she wrote: Sasuke, the other: Naruto. After a few minutes of writing the obvious differences, Sakura realized how the two were actual polar opposites. She had been slightly aware of this over the years, but to actually see it on paper was another thing entirely. It was like they were created to contrast one another.

There was Sasuke; he was incredibly hard to read. He wasn't exactly gloomy, (he was a bit back in the day) but he was definitely unexpressive. He was introspective and capable of looking beyond himself for what he believed to be important to him. He was aware of his shortcomings and had a drive that few in this world possessed. He had a good heart and while he had allowed his negative emotions to sway his intent, there was redemption in his character. He felt the need to redeem himself even when the individuals who were closest to him found it to be unnecessary.

Then, there was Naruto, with his bubbly and eccentric attitude. He could be serious and when he was, he was always genuine and forthcoming. His charisma was exponential, and he carried a quality about him that many marveled at. Similar to Sasuke, he also possessed a drive, a working movement that advanced towards an uncultivated path that could only be reached by relentlessly pushing forward. He made a person want to cheer him on and support him with all their might because they knew he would do the same for them. He wouldn't succumb to the allure of giving in or accepting defeat in anything.

Sakura paused there. Didn't he ask her to give up last night? No, she supposed that wasn't really it. He had been pretty clear about separating submission from rationality. Allowing herself to free her heart from Sasuke would be an act of genuine kindness. It wouldn't be selfish; it would be right. It would be a release from a hold that only resulted in suffering and a terrible sense of unrequited love. She always knew Sasuke didn't love her and that was because the Uchiha didn't know what love was. She was certain he cared for her but if he really loved her, then he would be there for her.

She had always known these things, of course, but now she was really listening to the logic.

Sakura scanned her list. There was a wide variety of attributes between the two men. The only similarity they had in her opinion (not excluding their passionate drives) was they were both handsome. She smirked at that revelation. Suddenly, she felt a warmth in her abdomen at that thought as well. Naruto was attractive. She would also be lying if she didn't feel a slight twinge of envy and understanding whenever she saw other girls flirting with him.

Well, then. If she was evaluating everything, then it was important for her to not overlook the fact that she had some feelings then for the blond. They weren't exactly new either, just unearthed, as if they were hiding all this time. Sakura was reflective enough to understand how affections worked. Romantic feelings weren't solely reliant on time either but more on disposition. It was all about how the mind accepted and acted on its impulses and that could happen quickly or slowly, depending on the individual.

And she was feeling an impulse now.

The ridiculous notion arose like an absurdity, emerging from the subconscious. At first, it was unclear and murky in structure, then it grew and became so distinct that she pondered why she hadn't considered it sooner. However, the general social construct that had been placed within her society was making that difficult to fully play out.

For the rest of the day, Sakura contemplated and mulled over every angle of the idea. Was there a better way to handle this scenario? But it sounded so inviting, she thought. Plus, she considered herself as a rather brazen woman, and it wouldn't exactly be out of her character to do something so spontaneous. On another note, was it really necessary? If she went through with it, then that would solidify her self-image as a capable and confident woman. That was something worth looking into and acting on if the results were favorable enough.

Sakura was so lost in her speculations that it was well past midnight by the time she made her decision. There were only so many moments labeled for thinking; now it was the moment to act.

When her determination stabilized and was able to create a form of tangibility, Sakura ran.

She ran fast.

She ran out her door. She ran out in her grubby clothes. She ran down the street in the dead of the night where there was virtually no one out and about. She ran past the lights of the city and to the place where she could find some solace. She ran up a flight of familiar stairs. She ran to his door.

Before she knocked, she questioned if this was the best time to do this. Too late now, she supposed. She was expecting to have to bang for a while too, considering the man's nonsensical way of being unable to get up. Despite this, he answered the door on the second knock.

"Sakura-chan?" asked Naruto incredulously. He blinked at the image of her but didn't appear to be too sleepy.

As soon as she saw him, Sakura embraced him. She was a head shorter than him now, so her face rested in the upper part of his chest. He didn't push her away. He simply stood there, probably in shock, and remained speechless. "You couldn't sleep, huh?" inquired Sakura. "It's been eating you up all day, right?"

Naruto was a loudmouth. Everybody knew this, but he honestly couldn't form words right now. Her eyes dazzled up at him and captured his attention, his entire being. "I'm sorry, Naruto. I wasn't fair to you. To myself too. I've thought about it all day, you know and—"

Naruto stopped her with his bandaged hand. It grazed her lips softly, and she welcomed the touch. "If you're going to give a long speech about what I think you're going to say, then you're stealing my thing." His grin was prevalent, and she had never found it to be so beautiful. "You're also kind of stealing my thunder really."

She leaned up and kissed him. He was right; now was not the time for talking. They had plenty of time for that. All the time in the world.

Naruto shut the door and carried her into his bedroom. It was there that they were allowed to openly express themselves for the first time. There was no pain or suffering, and they discovered a shifting affection that morphed in them to become something worthy of delight and wonder. They were in awe of its splendor and held it above themselves to glorify and believe in. They knew it wasn't misplaced nor undervalued and that was magnificent to them.

They loved each other as best they could and knew only bliss. Sharp electricity buzzed through them, and they awoke the next morning to find it had all been real. The air was no longer murky for them, and they had time to sift through the details.

One verifiable truth was definite to them and was kept so for the rest of their lives: they were there for each other.

Finally! I've been meaning to write a one-shot for these two for a long time! I love this pairing a lot and found it to be really fun to write about. I hope you all enjoyed reading this. I'll be getting back to my other fics now, but expect some more scattered one-shots in the future. Please, shoot me a review or PM to express your thoughts about my writing.

Thanks so much!

-CM