I Only Have Eyes for You
Chapter 1: With or Without You
Note: A Naruto Team 7 triangle from me. Again! The first draft was started in July 2008, and finished in September 2008. I was supposed to write a Kakashi story, but Naruto kept talking in my ear, telling me that he didn't like the ending to "What Does It All Mean?" And because the original canon is called "Naruto" and not "Sasuke"... Then, right before Comic Con, I was bitten by a muse. About two months later, I looked over my notebook and told myself "Whoa... this is done?"
Music was a huge part of the story. "I Only Have Eyes for You" is indeed that song; it's based on someone's point of view... can you guess who? Each chapter will begin with a lyric that was running through my mind when I wrote that specific chapter. It was either because of the lyrics or the music fit with an important segment in the story.

Sleight of hand and twist of fate
On a bed of nails she makes me wait
And I wait without you -- U2

---

"Are you sure you can't ask for the day off?" he asked. "Or at least come in late?"

Sakura moved a pink strand away from her face. "Sorry, Naruto. I have to perform an autopsy tomorrow and that alone is so much work."

The young man kicked a pebble away from his foot; it tumbled a few feet away into a dimly lit alleyway. "Well, how the hell am I supposed to greet you 'Happy Birthday'? You keep telling me to leave soon! I can't even attend your party! You know, Sai actually asked me what to get you? Sai! Doesn't that sound wrong?"

Sakura stopped in her tracks. "It's just a party," she assured him. "I'm turning 19. No big deal. And besides," her green eyes softened visibly under the light of the lamp post, "the quicker you leave, the quicker you come back."

His blue eyes turned to her neck, right at the junction of her shoulder. He froze in his tracks, standing right in front of her.

"Six months training, huh?"

"Yup," he responded, hands tucked in his pockets. "Are you gonna miss me?" Naruto immediately grinned.

Sakura rolled her eyes starward. "You gotta be kidding."

"Come on!" Naruto leaned forward slightly, matching her at eye level. "I know I'm gonna miss you," he admitted with a soft breath.

It was so strange, Sakura thought. She should have been used to him always hitting on her or his attempted sweet-talk. Usually, he sounded so corny that she could easily punch him for saying stupid things, but there were times when he said sincere things with such a natural face... There was no way she could feel a strong frustration.

Sakura's eyes wandered past Naruto's head, towards a clothing store a few meters behind him. The store's lights were still on, with a large black "Open" sign hanging on its door. To the left, a large window display of clothes and accessories littered the mannequins and floor.

This must have been the twelfth time she caught herself staring at that jacket: a red-orange waist-length piece with elbow length sleeves and four utility pockets, one on each side, two on the chest.

Naruto turned his head and then chuckled. "Geez, you've been looking at that thing for weeks. Why don't you just buy it?"

"I will next paycheck. I can wait another week." Sakura began to walk again; Naruto caught up until he was walking at the same pace. "So, what's Sai getting me?" she turned to him curiously.

"Dunno. His first thought was a gift certificate to a salon--."

"That's nice!"

"--Yeah, something about you needing it."

Sakura blinked. Her eyes widened in surprise and then narrowed in anger in one second flat.

Naruto could feel her chakra glowing fierce, frightening colors. "Wh-what's wrong?!" he twitched.

"Oh! That jerk!" Sakura pounded a fist right into her palm, cracking every knuckle.

"He didn't get that, though!" Naruto waved his hands up and down, trying to calm her. "He and Ino went shopping for yours, I think."

She let her hands fall to her side. "That Sai. After three years, he still calls me 'ugly' or 'cow' or--."

"But that's just him, he's blind as shit," Naruto squinted. "We all know how cute you are."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Cute?"

"Well, yeah," Naruto pursed his lips forward in a frown. "Real cute." He paused for a few heartbeats and opened his mouth. "And I would love to keep telling you that for the rest of our lives," he said with a wide grin.

"I swear Naruto, you say something stupid like that again, I'll throw you into Hokage-yama!"

"Okay, okay..."

They quietly approached her apartment when the moon was bright in the sky. Sakura pulled out her key from her pocket and inserted it into her lock.

"Oh!" Naruto fished out a key from his own pocket and held it to her: a brass key on a keychain that resembled Gamabunta.

"What's this?" she took it from him.

"My spare key. So you can get my mail and stuff."

"Oh yeah." She placed it in her pocket and noticed him turn away. "Leaving?"

"Yeah, I got last minute stuff to do."

Sakura turned back to her door and turned the key.

"Um..."

Sakura paused from her task and looked towards him. Naruto had his eyes on her for a brief moment but then quickly looked away to the sky, the door, then to the floor. "Yes?" she asked.

Naruto scratched his head. "Forget it."

"What? What is it?"

"Naw," he shook his head. "I'll tell you later."

"Alright..." Sakura opened the door to her apartment and took one step in. And suddenly, a weight fell over her body.

He would be gone for six months. Ever since his return three years ago, he was always around... Now... she wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug. She would have to get used to not seeing him, again. "Don't forget to write, okay?"

"I won't," he promised, placing his hands on her waist.

She pulled away and pulled a smile on her lips. "And don't do anything stupid."

He grinned at her. "I won't," and his smile slowly faded as he said, "I'll come back soon so we can go find him."

Sakura's eyes fell to the floor.

"Go on now," Naruto told her. "Lock the door."

"Good night, Naruto."

"Good night, Sakura-chan."

The moment she turned the lock, she heard the wave of footsteps, as if a man broke out in a run.

When Sakura woke up, she came face to face with four familiar faces. They were young, framed in a wooden octagon. A masked silver hair man. A grimacing blond with blue eyes. A pink haired girl standing in the center. A raven haired boy with a discontent expression.

She closed her eyes for just a little longer. When she opened them again, she saw the splash of black. A pair of dark eyes were in her view, illuminated by the morning sun.

Even five years later, Sasuke's eyes were still in her mind.