Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any characters from the manga/show created by Masashi Kishimoto.

Note: I know, it's been forever since I've posted a story. Well, I have been pretty busy with school lately, so I can't really say I was lazy. He he :3 I wrote this because I just thought that we need some more NaruSaku stories out there! So all you NaruSaku fans, enjoy – complements of the chef xD.

Just You

It was a hot day in Konoha. So hot that even Naruto admitted it was best they take the day off from training.

"Seventy-six degrees my ass" Naruto grumped as he drug his feet along the dirt path. "They really need to get a new weather-temperature guy."

"The correct term for 'weather-temperature guy' is meteorologist, Naruto… and stop scuffing your feet, you're kicking up dust!"

"But it's so hot, Sakura-chan! It's almost a hundred degrees outside! One-hundred degrees!"

"Just stop whining, Naruto. There's nothing we can do about it now." Sakura then looked away with a longing sigh and gazed up at the sky. "However, it would be nice if they got the temperature right once in a while. Otherwise I wouldn't have worn a long-sleeve shirt today." She bunched up the sleeves of her red blouse even further past her elbows as if to make a point.

"Exactly! So you see where I'm coming from, then!"

"Just be quiet for a while, Naruto – you're complaining too much."

"But Sakura-chan, you just…!"

"Stop, Naruto, or no ramen for you."

Naruto's lips were sealed.

Once they arrived at Ichiraku's, Sakura turned to stare at Naruto, who had been silent for the rest of the trip to the ramen stand. She grew frustrated when he didn't even acknowledge her glaring at him, and after nearly a minute she brought her fist down hard on the table and snapped, "Naruto!"

He turned around and adorably tipped his head to the side with a wide smile. "Hm?"

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

"Um… you told me not to say anything, or else I wouldn't get ramen," Naruto rubbed the back of his head and gave her a sheepish grin. "I guess I just wanted to make sure I'd get to eat."

Sakura felt her face flush from either embarrassment or anger and she grabbed him by the front of his shirt. "I told you not to complain! I didn't tell you to just shut up and not say anything at all! It… it's… too awkward when you're quiet!"

"Oh. So you like it when I talk to you, then?" Naruto asked, blinking innocently.

Sakura felt her face redden further, if possible. "I-idiot! Don't change the subject! I'm just saying it isn't like you to be so quiet!"

Naruto gave her another innocent look, much to Sakura's unnerving. "Well, ok then – I'll just go on talking – whatever you say, Sakura-chan!" He flashed another one of his infamous, huge grins before he turned to order his usual extravagant amount of food.

Sakura continued to stare at him with a red face and her mouth agape until it was time for her order to be taken. "One small miso ramen, please…" she mumbled before she buried her head into her arms on the counter and let out a groan. She just couldn't believe Naruto sometimes, acting all so oblivious and innocent and cute. Not that she'd admit to him that she found him kind of cute. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction – just because now they were a little bit more than friends didn't mean she had to get all sappy and lovey-dovey. Actually, she was afraid that if she did tell him how she felt around him nowadays, she'd lose that control over him that she just loved to exercise every now and then. Ok, well maybe pretty much all the time.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt Naruto place a warm hand on her shoulder. "Hey, Sakura-chan, are you alright? The food's already here and you haven't looked up from the counter since you ordered."

'Darn Naruto!' Sakura cursed mentally. Why did he always have to be so compassionate and worrisome when it came to her? Why couldn't he be a jerk like some of the other guys she'd met so she'd have a justifiable reason for punching him when she got nervous?

"Don't worry about me, Naruto," she said, barely managing to pull her mouth up to a grin. "You worry far too much. I'm fine!"

Naruto said nothing. His lips pursed and he focused on a spot past her head in the distance. He stayed like that for a moment and then took in a breath and brought his eyes back to hers. Sakura felt herself shiver under his intense gaze and shrunk back as he moved his face closer to hers. Her breath caught when he suddenly spoke in a calm, low voice.

"Sakura-chan… I know something's on your mind… please, tell me what's wrong…"

Sakura felt her stomach in her throat and her heart thudding in her chest. She blinked over and over and opened her mouth, but no words would form. It was these times that Sakura both desired and dreaded. She exhilarated in the way she felt her skin buzz all up and down her body, yet she despaired in feeling that control fading, ebbing away. In these situations she was stuck – she was sure that if he were to kiss her right now, she would run up the Hokage Monument and back if he asked her to.

In her frazzled state of mind, she couldn't decide if she wanted that kiss or if she wanted him away from her.

She chose the latter.

"Oof!" Naruto fell backwards and landed hard on his butt on the ground and gave her a confused look.

"But… wait… What'd I do, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura felt her heart clench at the sound of hurt in his voice, and hastily pushed herself from her stool and helped Naruto back up to his seat. "Oh, Naruto, I'm so sorry… I just don't want you to worry about me…" Once back in her seat, she pressed her hands together and brought them to herself, avoiding his gaze.

"Of course I worry about you, Sakura-chan." His words caused Sakura to jerk her head from its downcast position. Naruto brought a hand to her face and brushed back a lock of her pink hair. "You're my most important person. Why wouldn't I worry?"

He was so sweet! How had she managed to capture his heart so fully when she was such a harsh and critical person? Of course he wouldn't say that about her. He'd say she was the most wonderful and incredible person he had ever come to know – he told her so nearly every day. She still found the idea that he felt so strongly about her incredulous… then again, Naruto was the one and only unpredictable ninja who never gave up on what he desired. And Sakura could honestly say that she had never been more thankful that he hadn't ever given up on her.

But once again, she felt hear authority crumbling. And it scared her.

"W-well… let's just eat, now, Naruto!" She forced another smile and turned to dig into her now cold miso ramen.

"But Sakura-chan… you never told me what was bothering you."

Sakura sighed. She turned to him and said, "If I tell you… then can we just eat?"

"Of course, Sakura-chan."

She sucked in a breath and rested her elbows on the counter. Then she turned to him once again and spoke plainly.

"I guess I'm just sorry for how I treated you earlier… basically telling you to shut up and calling you an idiot and pushing you off a stool… but I guess I do that most the time anyways… ugh…"

"But that's just how you are, Sakura-chan! And I wouldn't have you any other way." Naruto gave her a small smile, his closed eyes curving slightly. Sakura couldn't help but blush as her heart started to flutter yet again.

"Did I tell you I find assertive women extremely attractive?"

Ok, there was no doubt she was blushing now. In fact, she felt about ready to faint.

"Now you're getting all hot and sweaty, Sakura-chan… are you getting a fever or something? Ow! Now what'd you hit me for?"

After finishing their eventful lunch at Ichiraku's, they decided on going to Naruto's apartment so they could crank up the air conditioning and escape the heat. After making one futile attempt to hold Sakura's hand (which resulted in his hand being slapped so hard it turned red), Naruto just settled for resting his hands behind his head and whistling at nothing at all. Sakura looked at him and suddenly felt sad. That was how he always was – such a lovable fool that calmly accepted Sakura's weird issue with showing affection in public. Sakura just didn't know why she was how she was – so incredibly nervous, high-strung and prideful; a dangerous mix. Naruto's joyful, joking demeanor, however, broke past her sadness, and soon she found herself giggling along with his own boisterous laugh.

"Ne, Sakura-chan, we're here… Come inside and we'll get out of this heat that the meteor-whatchamacallit said would be a good day!"

Naruto was the only person that could make her feel like laughing and crying at the same time.

Once inside, Sakura changed into one of Naruto's old t-shirts, glad to be rid of her long-sleeved blouse. Naruto brought out two bowls of ice cream and handed one to Sakura, who took it gladly. Naruto set his on the low table in front of the couch and picked up the remote to his old television set and began to search for something to watch (Sakura couldn't help but be amused by how Naruto's eyebrows scrunched up when he concentrated).

After flipping through most of the channels, they settled on some romantic comedy on the movie channel.

"You want to see this, Sakura-chan?"

"Sure. Nothing else's on anyway."

With a thoughtful look of understanding back at Sakura, Naruto gave a nonchalant shrug and plopped himself down beside her on the couch. Sakura stole a quick glance at Naruto as he sighed and stretched his arms lazily behind his head and his legs out onto the coffee table before she turned her attention to the movie.

Sakura, as usual, viewed the movie with her well-renowned skepticism. She raised an eyebrow in disbelief at the stoic male character's aloof obliviousness to the overly-flirty female character that was practically stripping down for him whenever she got the chance. The scenes were far too dramatic and very unrealistic, Sakura noted. She felt her nostrils flare at the humorously cheesy line the man, having finally realized the woman's love for him, gave: "Baby, I'm sorry I've been such a fool… let's go back to the start." This time she couldn't help but let out a snort and a burst of laughter.

"Geez, Naruto, can you believe this guy? How corny can a movie get… huh? Naruto?"

It was then that she realized Naruto must have shared her sentiments about the lack of originality of the film, for when she turned to face him after he failed to join in with her mockery she found him dead asleep. She couldn't help but smile as he let out a loud snore and gargled for air like a drowning pig. She laughed a little harder as the snore-fest continued and she took her index finger and prodded him teasingly in the belly.

"Na-ru-tooo…" Poke. "Oh, Na-ru-tooo." Poke, poke. "Wake up, sleepy-head. The movie might be boring but it isn't over yet!"

Naruto mumbled something she couldn't understand in response and groaned a little. Sakura started to giggle uncontrollably at the way his face scrunched up like an upset child's – that was until she found herself pressed up against a wall of orange fabric by Naruto's strong arms.

"N-Naruto! Naruto… Hello, earth to Naruto! Would you just stop it? Hello, anyone in there?"

The only response she received was a tightening of his arms around her upper body and a light chuckle; it turned out he had been awake.

Oh, she was going to kill him.

"Naruto! Take your hands off of me before I rip them off myself! Naruto! NARUTO!"

After a few more minutes of struggling, she gave a long, exasperated sigh and finally gave in. When Naruto was determined about something, there was absolutely positively no way to get out of it. Besides, there was no way she'd want to actually kill Naruto.

Instead she tilted her head to the side and rested it on his chest. She slipped her arms around his abdomen and breathed in his scent. There was always something so familiar about him. Even back when she was a little girl, back when the neighborhood kids used to make fun of her, she remembered seeing him sitting alone at the playground. She remembered a feeling welling up inside her heart, and she hadn't known what it had been, nor had she been given the time to figure it out, because her mother suddenly grabbed her by the hand and pulled her away from the playground, saying, "Come on, now. It's getting dark and I don't want you alone here with that boy."

Sakura felt a deep sadness come over her and she hugged Naruto tighter. Back then, she hadn't understood why they had to leave, and she simply trusted her mother's judgment and left. Now, she cursed herself for it; why hadn't she gone back another day to try to talk to him? Why did she choose not to act on that feeling inside her heart when it came up again and again each time she saw him? She gripped Naruto's shirt and pressed her face into him to conceal her tears; she now knew what that feeling had been. It had been the feeling of love, and comfort – the feeling you get when you encounter a beloved long-lost friend after years of separation. Before she met him, she felt like she had already known him.

Sakura trembled a little and this did not go unnoticed by Naruto. Concerned, he raised an arm and gently brushed her pink hair behind her ear. She brought her eyes up to see the seriousness of his expression and immediately felt guilty.

"What's wrong, Sakura?"

She shook her head lightly and her voice shook.

"Oh, Naruto… nothing ever gets past you, does it?"

She brought her head up off of his chest and gave him a meek smile. Taking her hands from behind his back, she reached up and ran her fingers through his blond hair, a look of love apparent in her green eyes. Her hands traveled all over his head, from the back of his neck to his whiskers, which she stroked softly on both sides with her thumbs. As she did these things to him, Naruto tilted his head back slightly and let out wavering sigh.

"Sakura-chan…" he muttered weakly.

Sakura, feeling rather daring, brought her face up to his neck and softly kissed the shallow dip in his neck near the collarbone. She wasn't disappointed when he gasped lightly and pressed her body closer to his.

"Oh… Sakura…"

Then he quickly raised his head up and lifted hers from his neck to stare at her with wide eyes. They stayed like that for some time, his breath mingling with hers, and Sakura couldn't tell where she ended and where he began. Her heart was thudding wildly but she wasn't blushing. Instead she felt as if she had been on a year-long mission and had finally returned home. The feeling welled up inside her, just like on that day when she had first caught a glimpse of his unruly blond hair and deep sapphire eyes. The climax of the movie was playing on the television, but neither one took notice.

And then he suddenly smiled – but it wasn't one of his typical, over joyous humungous grins. This time it was something much softer, where the corners of his mouth just barely curved upwards. And his eyes… oh, his eyes… never had Sakura been so enamored with their depth and beauty. She hated to be cliché, but she really did feel as though she would drown in his gaze. In his eyes he harnessed so many feelings, from a hint of passion to a sparkle of lust, but mostly, mostly…

"Love."

The word escaped her pink lips before she could stop them; but she realized that if she had had the chance she wouldn't have stopped them anyways.

"Love…"

And so she said it again. Feeling defeated, she slowly closed her eyes and lowered her head to once again hide her face from his…

And without warning she was pushed over onto the other side of the couch flat on her back. Before she could so much as blink he was inches from her face, their foreheads pressed together and his shaky breaths coursing down her face and bare neck. She felt herself grown tense with anxiety and she was all about ready to explode. She tried hard to grasp for control of the situation but found no footing. Oh no, not this, not this, oh please not this, anything but…

"I love you."

Her mind went blank.

Determinedly, he moved his lips to her forehead and gave a soft kiss.

"You have such a large, charming forehead, so beautiful I could just kiss it and I love you."

At that moment, everything Sakura had worked for, all she had done to build up her reputation and pride, didn't mean a thing. All reasons why she had tried to keep this from happening in the first place vanished as quickly as a puff of smoke in the wind. Damn the need for control. Why did she care what others thought if Naruto constantly got her into such a state of dependency on him? She'd just give them a classic punch to the face and laugh her entire way up to the Hokage Monument, rejoicing in the fact that she was head-over-heels, insanely, passionately, crazily in love with a certain charming, adorable, sexy blond man that was hers and all hers. Never once had she felt more free than she did now; and with that feeling she finally gave in to the things she'd wanted to do to him, with him, ever since that afternoon at Ichiraku's.

With an evil grin and a vicious look in her eyes she yanked him by the collar and once again brought his face centimeters from hers.

"Come here, Big Boy, and give Momma some sugar."

THE END

I honestly hope you all enjoyed it Not much, but a little something I kind of wanted to write. Hope you have a nice day and God bless! 3