(A/N) Hello, loves. I've decided to continue my little Breathing project, but from a new point of view. Naruto's. After all, he has to come home sometime, and for all he knows, Sakura-chan is still free as a bird. chuckle So he'll definitely have a reaction. I want to see it.

Oh. And Hinata's going to appear at some point. Because she's the entire point to this new story. If all goes according to plan.

"Neji-kun says that Naruto-kun will be coming home sometime soon," Lee said, looking up into the sky.

"Yeah. Tsunade-sensei said so, too," Sakura replied, twiddling her fingers in her pink hair.

"Are you excited to see him?"

"Totally. He's one of my closest friends in the entire world!"

Lee smiled. "It's amazing to think that it's really been two and a half years since he left."

Sakura sighed and sprawled out on the grass beside the place where the taijutsu master sat. "Has it seriously been that long? Huh…that means that you and I have been together for about six months, right, Lee?"

Lee smiled a little wider and started tracing random designs into her wide forehead with his rough fingertips. "Our six-month anniversary is in twelve days, love."

"Wow. We'll have to do something special."

"I'll have to ask that you cut that thought off right there. It wouldn't be very youthful of me to ruin the surprise," Lee replied, chuckling.

Sakura stuck out her tongue in his general direction, and the two young lovers laughed. After a few moments, though, Sakura's eye hooded over and her mouth transformed into a nostalgic pout. "Best six months of my life," she murmured.

"I agree whole-heartedly," Lee replied quietly, hunching over to kiss her pale shoulder.

--

Naruto POV

Honestly, as far as I was ever concerned, Sakura-chan was either going to end up with Sasuke or me. As far as I was concerned, no one else even had a chance of winning her heart. (Especially since Sasuke won it when we were all, like, I don't know, five.)

Honestly, I thought I had more of a chance with Sakura-chan than Sasuke did, despite everything she apparently felt for him. I mean, at least I was interested in her. Sure, she wasn't exactly interested in me, but that's just 'cause Sasuke always had her distracted. I was sure that as soon as I came home to my Konoha, Sakura-chan'd see that she really wouldn't mind loving me.

Everything would be great. Sakura-chan would love me so much that she wouldn't be too distracted when we went looking for Sasuke. She'd be able to think clearly and responsibly. And when Sasuke saw how great Sakura and I were, how much better we were than that Orochimaru bastard, he'd see that Konoha was the place he was meant to be. (Or something like that. I haven't really thought the whole thing through as of now.) And after we finally brought my brother home safe and sound, I would pull my pink-haired angel to the side and tell her how I've always loved her, and how much I love her, and how proud of her I am, and then she'd kiss me without letting me finish my sentence.

Life would be good.

No, life would be perfect.

--

The pervy sage told me not to get too excited about Sakura-chan. He reminded me that two and a half years is a long time, and that Sakura-chan might not have thought to wait for me when it came to her love. He reminded me of how Granny Tsunade had chosen Shizune-nee-chan's uncle over her own teammates, but I brushed him off. "That's stupid," I told him. "Or different, I guess. Sakura-chan's different. She'll still be there, waiting for me. She will."

I really hated the unsure look Pervy Sage kept giving me, like he actually thought that it was freaking possible that Sakura-chan had gotten over Sasuke and me so quickly. (Is two and a half years quick? I'm not sure.)

Pervy Sage would congratulate me when Sakura-chan was my bride. He would be happy that cruel history didn't repeat itself, didn't give Sakura her very own Dan to break my heart with. And Sasuke, my best man, would make fun of me and congratulate me at the same time, and then he would smile at whichever little fangirl he had on his arm. And Sakura, my pink bride Sakura, on Kakashi-sensei's arm, would enter the room and finally give herself completely to me, the guy she belonged with.

--

"Naruto! Wait up, wouldja? Konoha will still be there if we just walk!"

"Too slow, old man, too slow!"

"I am not an old man!"

I sprinted ahead of him, laughing as he huffed and puffed. I told him he shouldn't have eaten so much miso this morning. It was his own fault if he couldn't keep up!

Just up ahead. Just up ahead. Almost there. Nearly there. Home. Home, home! Konoha, Konohagakure! Just a little farther! There are the gates, the Village Gates! I'm home, I'm home, I'm…

I'm home.

I didn't really think as I climbed to the tallest pole I could get my hands on. All I could think about was being seen, and seeing everything, everything I'd missed for so long, everything that meant anything to me. The Konoha symbol on every wall, hanging from clotheslines and stuck to telephone poles. The colors, the shops, the smells, the voices. Everything, everything.

"GOOD MORNING, KONOHA! UZUMAKI NARUTO IS HOME! DIDJA MISS ME?"

I could practically hear the village groan in unison to my announcement. I laughed at them and was thinking about what else I could shout out to bother the old biddies and pussy cats, but then, I heard a beautiful sound.

"Naruto! You're home! Welcome back!"

I looked down from my perch to see a little pink blob staring up at me. I stopped thinking again. All I could see was her. This was my moment. This was everything I'd been waiting for. She grinned up at me, smiling a dazzling smile that made my heart pound and my knees shake.

I slid down the pole and stood across from her. She stood about eight feet off, grinning that grin of hers, standing right in front of the sun. She was so…pretty. I really couldn't think of a better word. She was so, so pretty. Tall and slender with her hair in a spiky mess that was definitely deliberate. She was just too pretty.

I don't think I ever really think outside of battle. I just do and hope it works out okay in the end.

That was my policy in that moment, my moment. I could feel my body moving, could see her, could hear the sound of my own breathing and heartbeat. That was it.

My arms wrapped around her slender form and I moved my face towards hers. Now or never, Naruto.

In a moment that seemed to last forever, I pressed my lips to Sakura's.

And then I heard a sickening crunch, and everything went black.

Oh dear. What just happened to Naruto? And why in HELL did he think that he had ANY right to kiss our dear Lee's dear Sakura?

Anyway, I'll see how long updating this one takes...I need to plan out the plot a bit more, but stick with me, and i'll stick with this. :)

Much love.
Miyazaki A2