After writing my SasuSaku Oneshot and NejiTen Twoshot that were just fun, I decided to write one on another of my favorite pairings, NaruHina. So here it is:
Summary- Several months after the end of Akatsuki, Naruto feels Sakura falling away from him. Sasuke has been home for some time now, and things are slipping back into their old rhythm. Can a certain dark-haired girl pull Naruto from his despair?
Disclaimer- I don't own Naruto. Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto
NaruHina- People Like You
This has been one hell of a day, Naruto thought sadly as he made his way to the training grounds where he'd become a Genin. He didn't know why, but it usually made him feel better. Maybe because it was where he'd started a new life, where he had become a part of a family. Team 7.
It was where, all in one moment, he'd gained three companions: another father-like figure, a brother, and a best friend. Not to mention, Sakura was the girl he'd liked since he was a child.
But that best friend had betrayed him. His second father was replaced by the perverted Sannin. And he was taken from Sakura for two and a half years.
Those years were torture. True, he felt himself getting stronger, and he knew it would help in the long run. But meanwhile, Sasuke could be getting farther out of reach. All the friends that Naruto had made in his time as a Genin were far away. He especially missed Kakashi and Sakura.
When he came back, Kakashi welcomed him back as an equal, not a student. Sakura had blossomed into a beautiful young woman. She was so pretty now, and she'd been training with Tsunade to be an excellent medical ninja. If it was possible, Naruto felt like he loved her even more. Over the next few months, their bond grew deeper. He felt her grow closer, and he dared to dream that maybe she was beginning to return his feelings.
It all shattered the minute she laid eyes on Sasuke once more. She was never any less kind to him, but the spark that had been growing was snuffed out. Sasuke dominated her thoughts as he had in the days of his youth. Naruto should have been happy after Sasuke killed Itachi and rejoined Team 7. They fought the Akatsuki leader side-by-side as best friends once more. It had all gone more perfectly that Naruto could have wished for.
So why… Naruto thought dismally, do I feel so bad?
But he knew the answer. He had tried to avoid thinking about it all day and all night. Sleep eluded him, so he decided to go for a walk.
Sasuke was back in Konoha to stay. And even though he had been there in the end to finish the battle against Akatsuki, he faced charges of treason. Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi fought for a lighter sentence, and the council had finally accepted that Sasuke would be under house arrest for six months, with two ANBU guards stationed at all times. During that time, Naruto and the rest of the Konoha 11 visited him often.
Especially Sakura. Every waking moment she wasn't at the hospital or on a mission, she spent at Sasuke's. Naruto felt like he was losing her again, this time for good. It was becoming more and more like the old days, when Sakura ignored Naruto and only cared about Sasuke.
Earlier today, Naruto had returned from an A-rank mission with several cuts and bruises. Before he made his report, he went to Sasuke's. First of all, to rub his wounds in Sasuke's face, showing him what kind of excitement he was having while Sasuke was cooped up. Secondly, to get Sakura to heal his wounds, so when he got to the Hokage, she'd think he'd managed to come back unscathed. But most importantly, because he'd missed Sakura more than usual on this mission; he just wanted to see her face.
But as he was running down the street to the Uchiha's house, he saw the thing that had made him stop in his tracks. She was standing on the porch with Sasuke. As she turned to leave, he had grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. He leaned in swiftly and kissed her.
"See you tomorrow, Sakura," he said as he turned back inside.
"I get off at two o'clock!" She said excitedly as she ran down the steps.
Naruto had ten, agonizing seconds to watch her walk towards him before she spoke. Ten seconds to watch her smile and blush for him. If she was worried that he'd seen her, she didn't show it.
"Hey, Naruto!" She called.
"Hey, Sakura-chan…" he replied softly.
"Naruto! You're all cut up!" She suddenly yelled. "I gotta get to the hospital in a few minutes, you wanna head over with me so I can help?"
He didn't say anything. He just stared at her blankly.
"…Naruto?" She asked again, softly. "You should get those fixed up."
"Y-yeah…" he felt sick. He had to get away. He couldn't just stand there after seeing the young woman he cared so much for kiss his best friend. "Sorry, I gotta go! Bye, Sakura-chan!"
He ran away as fast as he could. She was yelling something, but he didn't hear.
He didn't want to hear.
Chapter 2 is already written, I just need to edit it, which I'll do tomorrow hopefully. If you found any mistakes, tell me about it. If you just plain liked it, you can tell me that too! If you hated it... sorry. Either way, devote a minute of your time to sending a review, it really makes an author's day. I try to personally respond to each and every review I get. If I miss one, it's because I got a bunch all at once and somehow lost my train of thought.
If you like this, I ask that you check out some of my other fics. If you don't want to spend a lot of time on a fic and are a fan of NejiTen, then check out NejiTen- Burdensome, a Twoshot. It's gotten some really great reviews so far. If you enjoy SasuSaku and are in for the long haul, then read The Eyes That See All, Except What Lies Within. It's an ongoing fic.
Thank you for taking the time to read this!
-Ryken