A/N: This is a story I made thinking about Sakura's confession to Naruto. Though, it begins the same way there are quite a few changes towards the end. This is a head ups but there will be a lot of drama in this story. The fluff will come in small packages in the beginning but will become better as the story progresses.
This is just a simple warning but there is slight lemon towards the end. It's small not anything too bad.
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Sakura's Confession
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"Eh…?"
"What…did…you say just now…Sakura-chan? I…dunno if…I heard you wrong. Can you say it again…?"
"What I said, Naruto…is that I love you!"
"I'm saying there's nothing between Sasuke and me anymore!" Sakura admitted. "I don't know what I was thinking, liking a person like that. I'm confessing my feelings here, so listen up!"
Naruto remained silent. He was physically stunned. Soon enough his expression grew sad, then confused, then determined. "But how…? Why…?"
"If you tell a joke like that in a situation like this…it ain't funny Sakura-chan…" Naruto added, slightly more harshly than he had wanted which surprised Sakura. "Just…what happened?"
A cold sweat fell down Naruto's forehead. From the moment, he got there Sakura had a look of guilt and shame. She was pushing herself to talk about this. But why?
"Nothing really, I just suddenly realized that there's no sense in continuing to like someone who's a fugitive and a criminal. I can't stay a kid forever…I want to face reality."
"So Naruto there is no need to keep that promise…won't you stop chasing Sasuke…?" Sakura said meekly. In a feeble attempt to hide the expression on her face she smiled slightly.
A spark went off in Naruto's head when those words reached his ears.
"What the hell are you…?" Yamoto tried to interfere but Kakashi held him back.
"Did something happen…Sakura-chan? Why me of all people, all of a sudden…?"
"Nothing happened! If you want to know why I started liking you, I'll say it clearly-"
Naruto furrowed his brow as his mind wandered to the past. An image of Sakura crying her eyes out entered his head.
"Naruto this is all…I want in life…Sasuke-kun…bring Sasuke-kun back…"
Naruto was roughly brought back to the present when Sakura wrapped her arms around him.
"Sasuke-kun just keeps getting further from me…but Naruto...you've always stayed by my side, you've encouraged me..." Sakura couldn't help but smile a bit as the image of a young Naruto grinning entered her mind.
"I finally realized who you really are, Naruto; the hero who protected the village - beloved by everyone in the village. I'm just one of them."
"That mischievous little dummy I knew….little by little is becoming this great and important man and I've been watching from right next to him. But all Sasuke's done is commit crimes and break my heart. More and more, he's becoming a different person than he was, so distant."
Naruto silently listened.
"But Naruto…you're right here where I can touch you like this…you make me feel safe. Right now, from the bottom of my heart I-"
Naruto roughly grabbed her shoulders. "Give me a break Sakura! I told you that joke's not funny."
"Have you flipped? I just switched from Sasuke to you-"
"I hate people who lie to themselves!" Naruto interupted.
"Wha?" Sakura's eyebrows furrowed "You think I'm lying to myself?"
"What else could it be?" Naruto kept yelling.
"Why won't you just believe what I'm saying?"
That ticked him off. This was a scene Naruto had dreamt about happening but why was he so unhappy about it? Why would she lie to him like this? All of this felt wrong in so many places.
"Do I need a reason to ignore the fact that you're lying?" He paused "I know how you feel about Sasuke, Sakura. You wouldn't just blow him off like this."
"I'm telling you the truth!" Sakura raised her arms into the air. She couldn't help but raise her voice. Naruto was angering her.
Naruto, in turn grew angrier with each word she said. "Stop it Sakura. Just stop it."
"Naruto, just listen to me!"
Naruto's eyes narrowed. "I've had enough of this I'm leaving."
"Naruto!" Sakura latched onto his shirt.
"Let go of me Sakura." Naruto brushed her hand off as he stormed off.
Naruto's sleep was restless, and when he woke up, he had a horrible knot in his stomach.
Sighing, he sat up on his bed and rubbed his eyes. Something caught his eye, and he blinked as he spotted the photo on his bedside table. Frowning, he picked it up. It was the old photo of team seven.
"If we fight, we'll both die."
Even Naruto had to admit that was a bold statement. Naruto finally had his fated meeting with Sasuke who seemed none too happy to see him. He had changed so much from the last time he saw him. Like the fact that he was taller than Naruto, but more importantly he could have seen how dark and malevolent Sasuke had become when they clashed.
Naruto sank into his bed resting his hand against his face.
He wanted nothing more than to save his best friend but even if Naruto managed to succeed would that really help with anything? Not only was he a missing-nin but he was now an S-class fugitive with a bounty on his head. Even if he brought Sasuke back to the village, he wasn't even sure he could protect him against the law and the Kages who wanted him dead.
Even if he did manage to change their minds what was stopping Sasuke from running and leaving again? If he did stay, he could have taken his anger and hatred out on anyone. He'd become a danger to himself and anyone around him.
Just what could Naruto do?
Naruto wasn't the only one who wanted him back. Sakura wanted Sasuke more than anything, even more so than Naruto.
It was then that he realized something frightful. His promise with Sakura; he couldn't keep it anymore. There is no possible way that he could have kept it. If he and Sasuke were to fight, he truly believed that the both of them would die.
Sasuke's strength was beyond what Naruto anticipated and it still was growing. Naruto wondered if he could have even taken on the young Uchiha at his current strength.
No matter the outcome, the results would be the same; Sakura would be left behind to endure nothing but grief and sadness. She'd be heartbroken. He didn't want her to believe that he had the resolve or the vision he had when he first made that promise.
Even with his current power, Naruto felt weaker than he had in years. He couldn't save his friend and he couldn't even keep the promise he made with the girl he loved.
The knot in his stomach, he was sure, was because of Sakura. He felt terribly guilty. He shouldn't have stormed off like that. He should have known better, but…
It wasn't yet dawn, but knowing Sakura, she would be up with the sun. Maybe she would be willing to talk to him then, though he wouldn't blame her if she never wanted to look at him again.
He only realized what her intentions were after he stormed off. Sai had told him everything. She tried to shoulder the burden that Naruto had been carrying for years, but no matter what Naruto couldn't disagree more with the way she voiced it. He knew she meant well but it wasn't the right way.
He wrestled with himself and his numerous emotions for the remainder of the night, until he finally made a decision. No matter what he did, Sakura was going to end up hurt.
Making a decision about what he was going to do next made the knot in his stomach loosen a bit. It gave him a sense of control, because right now he feared he had no control. Not that he had always been able to control what happened to and around him in the first place.
Naruto stared at the photo numbly for several long moments, and then jumped to his feet, racing out his door
Things couldn't go on like this forever.
His heart raced and his palms were sweaty when her vision cleared and he found himself standing in Sakura's tiny balcony. He held his breath and stared at the door; half-afraid Sakura would burst out at any second and destroy him for disturbing her so late. Taking a deep breath, he strode toward the door and tapped lightly.
"Hey, Sakura-chan," He whispered, "It's Naruto. I have something to tell you."
No response.
"Hey, Sakura-" Before Naruto could finish, the door slid open and Naruto's head reeled back as he felt his cheek become red hot. Sakura had just punched him in the face.
"Just what time do you think it is, you pinhead?" Sakura groaned, clearly irate and tired.
" Ow!" He rubbed his sore cheeks, "I have something I need to talk to you about."
"Can't that wait until morning?" Sakura glared, and Naruto shook his head in response.
"Fine, come in."
Naruto hadn't entered Sakura's room in a long while but the uneasiness from the first visit was ever present.
"Well? Spill it."
Naruto rubbed the back of his head nervously as he felt his tongue swell up in that very instant. How was he even supposed to tell her? He didn't want to sadden Sakura anymore. Wasn't he just making things worse by coming here? He really jumped the gun on this one.
"You didn't plan on getting this far, did you?" Sakura's anger seemed to grow by the second. A cold sweat fell down his forehead as he scratched his head. She sighed.
"Wake up Naruto!" Sakura shouted as she grabbed his collar and lightly slapped his face over and over.
"Alright you can stop!"
Ignoring his cries, Sakura held Naruto in the air with contempt trying not to punch the daylights out of him.
It was all so sudden. His heart rate quickened as he continued to gaze into her eyes. What he saw in them was so familiar; it was what he had seen in ever increasing amounts the past months. Sakura had grown. Physically, they definitely weren't kids anymore.
It was what he himself had felt whenever he was around her. Because she was Sakura and she was becoming a woman.
Sakura figure wasn't as glamorous as a model's but over the years her body grew beautifully. Her slender curvaceous body would drive any man crazy and even though her breasts hadn't grown to Tsunade's super size he found himself unable to look away.
It was then that her hug from the morning flashed through his mind. Her body was amazingly soft and Naruto couldn't deny that he enjoyed her pressing herself against him. It made Naruto's heart race.
Sudden, instinctive terror crashed down upon him, and his entire body tensed. He almost shoved her away, but managed to keep himself in check by clenching his hands into fists. Sakura noticed that Naruto wasn't being himself and let him down.
"Naruto?"
He pulled away instantly, his face flushed. "I'm sorry. It's nothing."
Why was he staring at her so much? It's not like she was any different than she usually was.
Sakura wore a really frilly light pink evening gown that more than clearly showed off her cleavage. It hugged her body ever so tightly allowing Naruto to see every curve as she moved. Naruto's heart suddenly jumped when he realized that the two of them were alone - a boy alone with a girl in her bedroom at night. Not good.
"Hey," Sakura waved her hand in his face "What are you staring at?"
Naruto was suddenly pulled into reality when he noticed how close Sakura's face was to his. As fate would have it, his senses returned to him. He felt guilty. What am I doing?
"Oh sorry, I blanked out for a bit there." He could still feel Sakura's soft body pressed against him. He shook his head trying to dispel the sudden rush of intense hormonal stimuli that messed with his head.
"I'm the sleepy one here. Why are you dozing off?" Sakura slapped her cheeks lightly to keep herself awake. She plopped down on the edge of her bed, crossing her legs while Naruto followed suite sitting on her rug.
"Ok, I'll just come out with it. I have a few things to tell you. Sakura-chan, I want you to know I didn't come hear bearing good news. So I want you to brace yourself. "
"What's wrong?" Sakura unconsciously moved closer to Naruto.
"Sakura-chan, remember what I said to you this morning?" Sakura rather not remember, "I came here to apologize about that."
"Naruto…"
"I'm sorry. I meant to say something else but it just ended up coming out that way. It was harsh and uncalled for, so I'm sorry." Naruto bowed.
"Naruto…I-"
"But, there is another reason I came here. You must have realized it to from my conversation with Sasuke but," Naruto's confidence was suddenly nowhere to be found "No. I can't say it."
Naruto quickly got up and made his way to the balcony but Sakura grabbed the sleeve of his shirt. She looked up to him with her green pleading eyes
"I'm sorry Sakura-chan, but I can't tell you. I'm sorry for wasting your time." Naruto grabbed the ledge but then he felt warm hands wrap around his back preventing him from leaving.
"Naruto!"
Sakura wasn't about to let him go. Naruto could feel her breast pressing against him. In the dark corner of his mind he wanted her. He wanted her nothing more than to grab her, throw her onto the bed and have his way with her. But he couldn't just lay his hands on his friend like that.
This wasn't why he was her. He was here to deliver a message but…
He forcefully removed the dark thoughts from his head, grabbed the ledge and prepared to jump.
"Sakura-chan…I…I have to go." Naruto had to leave and fast. If he didn't he was afraid of what would happen if he stayed.
"Naruto! Talk to me!" Sakura tightly wrapped her arms around his waist pressing her entire being into his back. Naruto could feel his urges surfacing again.
"If I fight Sasuke, we are both going to die!"
"Huh?"
"You heard me at the river! I can't stop him without losing my life in the process. I can't save him. I can't bring Sasuke back to you! I can't keep our promise anymore!" He said it.
"I…"
Of course she wouldn't have anything to say.
"I'm sorry for being so weak. I'm sorry that I couldn't make you happy. I'm sorry for making an empty promise with you. Just let me go and I'll be on my way."
Naruto felt low. Lower than low. He didn't deserve to be friends with her. He couldn't save his best friend. He couldn't make her smile like she used to. He couldn't do anything. "Sakura let me go."
"No!"
A tear slid out from under Sakura's eyelid and traced a path down her cheek. She didn't move to wipe it away, hoping he wouldn't see it in the darkness of the night.
"Sakura-chan…?"
"You don't have to keep that promise!"
Naruto didn't know what to make of the situation. The promise that they made meant the world to her. How could she say something so irresponsible?
"But-"
"No!"
Naruto, against his better judgment, realized that talking to her about it became useless. Rather than argue with her for hours, he thought that maybe calming her down would help. And so, he managed to turn around with Sakura's vice-like grip on his body, only to be greeted with the streams of tears were dripping down her face.
This was what Naruto wanted to avoid at all costs. The scene was similar to the moment he made his promise with her. How could he possibly calm her down when his actions only served to bring back the feelings that she wanted to bury?
"Naruto, I love you!"
Naruto gave her a blank look. This again?
"I love you! Is that so hard for you to believe?" She queried, her large emerald pupils peering into his cerulean orbs. He couldn't answer her as his sense of self decayed long ago. He wasn't sure of what to believe in anymore.
"I've known you for years, and not for one minute have you thought that I wouldn't fall for someone like you? A person who's always there for me, a person who always thinks of me first, and a person who saves me from the messes I constantly get myself into."
She was suddenly, irrationally angry at Naruto. Angry that he had followed their promise like a way of life, angry that he had been hurting himself for so long just for her, and she allowed her anger to wash over her for about ten seconds before she shoved it away. But shortly afterwards, a torrent of 'discouraging' emotions filled her.
This was not his fault. She was the one who selfishly pushed her desires on him; she had been the one who always relied on him when she was too weak to do anything for herself. But she had always felt safe with him, even walking through deadly forests and deserts. Even when facing monsters and homicidal ninjas.
"I know how dark and evil Sasuke has become. I saw it with my own eyes." She bit her lip and looked up to him, "I know, ok? I know that I still have feelings for him but Naruto…please stop hanging onto that promise!"
"You don't have to protect me anymore! I'm not the same little girl I was 2 years ago! So please…just stop it…"
He was finding himself increasingly frustrated, both at himself and at her. Frustrated at himself because he wanted to help her and he wasn't sure anything he did actually helped at all. She was trying to convince herself-and him-that she was okay, and he knew she wasn't.
He knew because he was the one who saw her crying for Sasuke in that hospital room. He was the one who saw the look of utter devastation that came into her eyes when she woke up the morning Sasuke had left. He was the one who saw her, practically a walking mess, after he left.
He gritted his teeth roughly, deciding that he couldn't let her do that to herself "I just wanted you to keep smiling! That's the only reason I made that promise in the first place!"
"You don't have to let that one promise rule your life!"
"I don't have a choice! I just want to make you happy!"
"Naruto by holding onto that promise you're only hurting me!"
"Then what am I supposed to do!"
"Let it go! Just…let it go…" Sakura felt her body momentarily weaken, and with that her legs gave out. But before she could collapse to the floor Naruto caught her in his arms.
"Sakura…" Naruto looked at her with a solemn expression on his face.
Just what was he hoping to accomplish? He was confusing himself. His original goal was to tell Sakura that the promise was now impossible to keep but just now he was defending it. Did he want to keep to the promise or not? He didn't even know anymore. All that mattered was the girl who silently cried in his arms.
"Why are you going so far for me…?" She asked as Naruto carried her back to her bed. He couldn't read her expression, since her head was still downcast even after he put her on the bed.
"…because we're friends…" Naruto replied, almost automatically, as he plopped down on the far side of the bed.
"Liar."
"Sakura-chan! I want Sasuke back as much as you do but-"
"Aren't you the one who told me you hated people who lie to themselves?"
Naruto froze.
In a matter of seconds, Sakura got on all fours and closed the distance between the two as she crawled over to him. Sakura placed her hand on his shoulders, pushing him against her bedroom wall and slowly tightened her grip.
"You're such a hypocrite, Naruto."
"I'm telling you the truth." Naruto retorted angrily.
"No 'friend' would go this far."
"Of course they would!"
"How many times…how many times have you almost died…died to protect me?"
He didn't respond.
"You can't answer, can you?"
Naruto still couldn't see her face. He had no idea where she was going with her current line of questioning. But what truly scared Naruto was the fact that she sat over his thighs, bringing her face only a few inches away from his. What was she planning?
"And now you're going to kill yourself again, for me. I want to know why."
"...It's because...I…"
"Say it, loud and clear."
"I love you dammit! I've loved you ever since we were kids!"
After a long moment of silence, Sakura began to speak up as if a heavy burden had been lifted off her shoulders. (Naruto was the one who should have felt like that.)
"There. Was that so hard?"
Sakura pressed her forehead down against his chest. Naruto didn't respond. He didn't move. He didn't think. He just sat there, not knowing what to think or feeling. What he did feel however, was emotionally numb.
What did Sakura hope to achieve with this? She said it herself that she still had feelings for Sasuke. In the end, she was just tugging at his heart strings.
"Now it's your turn. Do you remember what I said today?"
"…about what?"
"I said that you didn't need to bring Sasuke back for my sake."
"You mean your confession?" Naruto remembered clearly, turning away from her. "It felt less like a confession and more like a huge lie."
"What I said about you wasn't a lie but what I said about Sasuke…that was a lie. I'm sorry." Sakura looked up to him with dewy eyes, "I can't forget about him and I do still feel for him but I do love you. I really do."
Naruto took some time to respond but when he did his face faltered. "What are you saying…? Which one is it? Me or Sasuke?"
"He still has a place in my heart. I don't deny that. But rather hope for a love that will possibly never come true I rather have love from someone in my reach." Her hand reached for his face and gently stroked it. She stared at him for what felt like an eternity, pondering about what he had been through for her sake. She took a long breath to calm herself down and slowly brought her face closer, allowing her lips to make contact with his.
Sakura slowly pulled away noticing that Naruto had his eyes opened. It was to be expected that he'd be surprised. Sakura gingerly touched where Naruto's lips had been as she spoke, "It's rude to keep your eyes open during a kiss."
"What..?"
"All I'm asking is a little more time to sort out my feelings. I can't let go of him. I don't have the strength to. I know that I don't have the right to ask this of you since I rely on you so much as it is. But I have one finally request from you Naruto. Could you please help me forget?"
How could he have answered that?
"Please?"
Naruto felt his chest tighten when he noticed that her slender shoulders were shivering. Without, conscious thought wrapped his arms around her tightly pulling her into his chest. Soon enough the tears began to pour out and Naruto found himself squeezing her tighter.
Seconds turned into minutes, minutes into hours. The two stayed in that position. No words were said. No words needed to be said. Sakura occasionally nuzzled deeper into Naruto's neck and Naruto in turn kissed the crown of her head. Finally Sakura couldn't take the uncomfortable silence.
"Hey…"
"Hm?"
"I want to show you how serious I am." Sakura notched her head up; allowing Naruto to see the questionable look Sakura was giving him.
"Huh?"
"I want to show you that I'm all yours." She grabbed his large warm hand and hesitantly brought it to her chest. "You can do whatever you want."
"Sakura what are you-?" After years of wanting to touch her, when provided with the chance (after all those punches she gave him for even thinking of it) he choked up. His face colored red and so did hers.
"Don't make me repeat it…" Sakura's eyes wandered around the room trying to avoid his.
"Are you sure this is what you want?" Naruto asked, suddenly afraid that if he went too far, he would hurt her. Sakura slowly closed her eyes and nodded.
"But-"
"Naruto…" Sakura's voice had none of its usual roughness; her voice was sultry and weak.
Without hesitation he gently pressed his lips against Sakura's. A spark flashed in his brain. It was like a sudden rush of electricity. His gentle kiss suddenly became rougher, deeper and more affectionate.
After only a moment, a sweet moan escaped from Sakura's mouth when Naruto moved his hand up and down the back of her leg. Her skin was smooth and impossibly soft. He let his hand wander to the edge of her panties, feeling the well-toned cheeks of her ass before dragging his fingers back down to her knees.
Naruto changed his target from her lips to her ear, while he slowly undressed her. Naruto moved down from her ears to her neck kissing her softly before he increased the suction.
His kissing and sucking were making fluttery sensations much more acute inside of her stomach. The combination was making Sakura forget about everything except his touches. She wasn't sure what to do with her hands, so settled for grabbing the blanket. She started making small noises, her breath catching in her throat every few seconds.
Oops, he thought that's going to leave a hickey.
"Be gentle with me…"
"I will." Naruto grinned as the two continued into their passionate night as they embraced each other.
The light shone through brightening the dim room. Naruto was half-asleep wondering why he couldn't move his upper body. When he looked to the side, he noticed that Sakura had claimed his right arm as her own personal pillow. Sakura groaned as she turned in bed. She slept soundly with a small smile on her face. She was probably dreaming about something amazing.
"Sakura! It's time to get up!" A knocking came at Sakura's door.
"Ugh, five more minutes mom…" Sakura automatically responded, still half-asleep.
"No way young lady, you get up right this instant!" Her mother commanded. Since Sakura didn't respond, she went ahead with opening the door.
Naruto would have disappeared from the moment he heard Sakura's mom's voice, but Sakura currently had him pinned down to the bed with no hopes of escaping in time.
Well, this should be interesting…
A/N: I don't know about anyone else but I truly believe if Naruto and Sakura ended up together their conversation about it would be similar to this. So I'll try to keep the characters and story as canon as possible to stay true to the Naruto story.