Losing an apartment, gaining a house key

Same set up as everything else. Please note that stories are not posted in timeline format. I write them as they come to me.

Disclaimer: I don't own em, I'm just a spoony bard

Sakura felt horrible. She had a fever, and her head felt like it was splitting open. She had called in sick to the hospital, and sent a message to Naruto that she wouldn't be making it for training. She had attempted to stomach some tea before going back to bed and falling into a fever induced dream.

Naruto kissed her, on her mouth, on her neck. She was moaning and tearing his shirt from his body, trying to get to as much of his skin as she could. She was naked in his arms as he pressed her against the wall, lifting by her waist to bring her breasts into the reach of his mouth. Her hands clutched at his hair.

"Naruto!"

"Sakura-chan, oh how I want you." His hands found their way between her thighs. "So wet for me…"

"Naruto!" his name tore from her throat again in a strangled groan.

"It's alright Sakura-chan, I'm here." A cool cloth accompanied the voice that was no longer only in her dreams.

"Naruto?"

"You have the flu." He answered. Her green eyes opened and she looked at her shirtless blonde teammate.

"Where is your shirt?" she mumbles, fragments of her dream catching up with her. She sat up on the couch, noting that she wasn't wearing the same thing she went o bed in, nor was she actually in her bed. "And why am I on the couch?"

"You threw up. My shirt and all your sheets are in the washer." He chuckled. "For the third time. Your fever is going down." He stood up. "I'll make you some tea,"

Sakura sat the rest of the way up. "How long have I been sick?" she asked. She felt sweaty and gross, there was still an aftertaste of vomit in the back of her throat.

"Four days. You called off work and training Tuesday. It's Friday afternoon now. You were pretty out of it." Naruto came back with a mug of what smelled like lemon tea "Tsunade stopped by a few times or you'd still be sick." He sat on the couch with her, holding his own mug of tea.

"I'm sorry I threw up on you." She mumbled.

"It's ok. I'm just glad you're feeling better."

"How long have you been here?" she asked.

"Oh, well I stopped by Tuesday to see if you were feeling up to lunch. Your fever was so high you were delirious, so I stayed to take care of you."

"Thank you." She whispered. Naruto grinned at her and when the buzzer indicating the laundry was done, he rose and headed for the machine.

"You should take a shower. I had Tsunade give you a sponge bath and change your clothes, but you've been sweating pretty hard the last day or so. I'll get your bed put back together."

Sakura nodded. Well that explained her change in attire at least. She quickly finished the last of her tea and headed for the bathroom, a shower sounding absolutely beautiful right then. She stepped into the bathroom and shed her sweaty clothing. Turning on the faucet she stepped into the spray.

She washed, luxuriating in the feeling of being clean. Halfway through her shower she noticed and extra bottle sitting on her shelf next to her conditioner. She reached for it. It was unlabeled, and she flipped open the cap, taking a sniff of the contents.

It smelled like Naruto. It had that light almost orangey mixed with sandalwood and smoke scent she had always associated with him. Her dream came back to mind in full force and now, with the added bonus of scent to the fantasy. She let out a soft sigh as the warm pooling of arousal began to unfurl.

Banging on the bathroom door interrupted her return to the fantasy of a shirtless Naruto ravaging her senseless.

"Sakura, I really need to get going, but your bed is made, and there's some broth for you in the fridge. You're not supposed to go back to work until Monday And Tsunade said if she catches you at the hospital and it's not for yourself, she'll have you admitted."

"Thank you Naruto." She answered, but she had a feeling he was already gone.

Monday rolled around, and Sakura, feeling much better, returned to work. At lunch, she met up with Ino at a small café.

"So I hear you had a nursemaid the whole time you were sick." Ino stated. "Rumor was that he wouldn't let anyone but Tsunade into your apartment."

"He was just being sweet." Sakura said, blushing at bit.

"Sakura, Naruto is in love you with. He has been since the academy. I know it, you know it, hell, everyone in the whole damnned village knows it."

"I know." She slammed her head on the table.

"So when are you going to tell him that you feel that same?" Ino took a drink form her tea and looked at her best friend. "I know you do."

"I'm not going to tell him." Sakura said sadly. "He still thinks I'm in love with Sauske"

"Are you?"

"No, I don't think I ever really was. I think it was all just a childhood infatuation. Now that Sauske is gone, it doesn't hurt. It hurts more when Naruto talks about bringing him back, because I know it will never happen, and Naruto refuses to give up hope."

"Give it time Sakura, one of these days the time will be right to tell him."

"Are you going to tell Chouji?" Sakura challenged.

"He's coming over for dinner tonight. He thinks Shikamaru and Temari will be there as well."

"And they won't be?"

"No." Ino grinned. "I called in a favor with Temari and asked that she take Shikamaru out, and keep him there. But it kinda does us both a favor really."

"Let me guess, it gives you time to tell Chouji how madly in love with him you are, and Temari to do dirty things with Shikamaru without having to worry that they're offending the roommate?" Sakura giggled. Chouji and Shikamaru had gotten a small two bedroom apartment together a few months ago. Of course, since it was small, Temari's visits were usually announced with Chouji sleeping on someone's couch due to the volume level of their lovemaking the first night.

"Yup."

"Does that mean you have no intentions of making him sleep on that awful loveseat?"

Ino blushed. "He's never complained about it before. But that depends on how things go I guess." She glanced at her watch. "Gotta run, my break is over. And Sakura, you have to tell him sometime." Ino gave her a knowing look, paid her part of the tab and ran off.

Sakura spent the rest of the day pondering Ino's advice. She should just tell him. Of course, the last time her feelings for him had been brought up, Naruto hadn't believed her in the least. Sakura knew that the blonde didn't think he was good enough for her.

When she arrived home, Naruto was sitting on her steps. He had a small duffel bag with him and was dirty, his face bearing a bruise and several scratches.

"Hey Sakura."

"Naruto, are you okay?" Sakura asked, unlocking the door and looking at her teammate in concern.

"What? Oh I'm fine. I just got back form a mission is all. Someone broke into my place while I was out and the whole place is wrecked. So I was wondering if I could use your shower and sleep on your couch tonight?" He grinned sheepishly.

"I suppose. But are you sure you're okay? Did you call the police?" Sakura Held the door for him as he leapt to his feet and picked up his bag.

"I'm fine, really. It happens all the time. And there's no point in calling the police, they won't investigate." The because it's me wasn't said, but implied. "That's why I don't have a lot of nice stuff. " He mumbled.

"Well come on. You look like hell. Are you injured anywhere else?" Sakura closed the door behind her, unaware of her neighbors peering out their window at the pair in curiosity.

"Nope. Let me drop the bag and I'll go clean up real quick." He set his duffel on the couch and pulled a clean pair of clothing form it. He seemed at home in Sakura's apartment, going to the linen closet and pulling a towel to use before closing the bathroom door behind him. He smiled at seeing she hadn't thrown out his shampoo and gratefully washed himself. He did a quick shave and threw on his boxers and pants before walking back out to the living room. His shirt was slung over his shoulder, but it didn't do any good to hide the dark purple bruises on his upper ribs.

Sakura was in the kitchen. She poked her head through the door way when she heard him leave the bathroom "Have you eat- oh my god! I thought you said you weren't injured!" She threw the towel she'd been wiping her hands with onto the counter.

"It looks worse than it is really. " He held up his hands in defense but she reached out and poked him in the center of the bruising. He winced and hissed in pain. Sakura gave him a knowing look and pointed to the couch.

"You have a t least two broken ribs. Sit." He obeyed and leaned back so she could fully assess the injury. "Did this happen on the mission or when someone broke into your house?" She asked flatly. It had happened before, at least once she knew of. Even after Naruto had saved everyone in Konoha from Pain's destruction, there were still people who hated him for the demon that lived inside him. It irked her, frustrated her, made her angry enough to shatter walls, but Naruto just let it slide off his shoulders like it didn't matter.

"The mission." She gave him a skeptical look. "Really I promise. We ran into Some enemy nin. Chouji will be in the hospital until morning and Lee passed out from exhaustion and is crashing at his girlfriend's house."

"Chouji's in the hospital?"

"He's fine really, just chakra exhaustion and a mild concussion."

"Poor Ino." Sakura shook her head.

"Why? She's not in the hospital." Naruto flinched as Sakura pressed against his ribs again. "That hurts."

"Of course it does, you have three, not two, broken ribs. I need to set them a bit before I can heal them. And Ino had plans with him tonight. Big plans." Sakura closed her eyes and began to channel her chakra into the fractured bones.

"I'm not interrupting your plans for tonight am I?" Naruto asked, suddenly worried.

"I don't have any plans for tonight. Just dinner. Are you hungry? I was going to make macki."

"I could eat." His stomach growled in agreement and they both laughed.

Naruto helped her in the kitchen. Sakura was surprised to find out that Naruto really did know how to cook, he just usually couldn't afford much more than ramen. They sat on the couch with the food between them as they ate.

"How bad was it this time?" Sakura asked, referring to Naruto's apartment. He sighed in defeat.

"It's totaled. All my stuff is either stolen or wrecked; they smashed half the tiles in the bathroom, toppled the fridge, broke down the wall between the bedroom and living room, and torched the curtains and rug. My landlord is pissed beyond all belief and I'll be lucky if my key fits the locks tomorrow." The old woman who had owned Naruto's building had recently died from old age, leaving her son in charge. Her son hated Naruto and had been looking for excuses to evict him. Sakura wouldn't have been surprised to find that he had been the one to vandalize Naruto's apartment.

They were quiet for a long time after that, staring out the living room window into the setting sun as they picked at the last of the food. Naruto helped clear the dishes and when she went to change into her pajamas he gathered extra bedding from the closet. He was setting up the couch when she came back out to say goodnight.

"Thanks Sakura. I'll figure out what I'm gonna do tomorrow."

"Always. If you need anything, just ask."

"Night." And he leaned over and kissed the top of her head. Sakura didn't move, Ino's words replaying in her mind. You need to tell him Sakura.

"You are too tall for the couch." She blurted. Well that wasn't what she had meant to say.

Naruto chuckled. "Well it's better than the floor." He looked skeptically at the hardwood floor and back at Sakura.

"No, you're an idiot. Maybe I'm the idiot." On impulse she reached for his hand and drug him towards her room.

"Sakura?"

She sighed, and turned to him. "Shut up and get in bed."

"You mean like when we're on a mission?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Something like that. Shut up and get in." She lifted the covers, sliding her legs in and looking at him expectantly. He shrugged and crawled in next to her, surprised when instead of spooning against him she turned and lay her cheek on his chest, her hand resting over his heart. He wrapped an arm around her and closed his eyes.

In the morning, they ate fruit and drank coffee. Naruto went to see his landlord after that, and Sakura headed to the hospital. Chouji was being released when she arrived, Ino on his arm, and a smile on his face. Ino spotted her friend and while Chouji was busy filing out his discharge papers she made her way over.

"Shikamaru stopped by with the news as soon as he found out. They brought him in yesterday afternoon."

"I take it you told him?" Sakura asked. "I mean the two of you looked just so cute when I walked in."

"Actually, I didn't have to. He told me." Ino giggled.

"Well I'm happy for you." Sakura smiled.

She worked her shift at the hospital, and even spent a few hours with Tsunade training before heading home with nothing more than a hot shower in mind. Naruto was sitting on her steps again, looking forlorn and lonely.

"Landlord kicked me out." He mumbled. "Said I was too much trouble." A box sat next to him, and Sakura supposed it held what was left of his possessions.

"Well come on. I'm making Egg Fu Young tonight."

The next week followed the same. They would wake in a tangle of limbs, then go about their day. Sakura would either have short missions or worked the hospital, and Naruto was on training duty at the academy, teaching the kids how to manipulate chakra to run up trees. Each night she would come home to find Naruto sitting on her steps with a sheepish grin on his face. She would cook dinner, they would clean up the mess after together, and then they would fall asleep in the warmth of each other's arms.

Sakura's hormones were driving her crazy. She kept waking up with Naruto's scent in her nostrils, her body wrapped around him, and his morning erection poking her thigh. She'd woken up wet form desire the last two mornings.

Naruto wasn't doing much better. It would have been fine if Sakura would sleep on her own side of the bed, but she slept wrapped around him, with all the right spots of softness pressed against him. She smelled like vanilla. And worst of all, he hadn't had the privacy to masturbate since he'd been staying with her. It had taken all of his willpower the previous morning to simply rise form bed, and not crush her beneath him.

Sakura was meeting with the girls for lunch at the café she usually met Ino at. She arrived at the same time as Tenten who grinned at her and asked how things were at the hospital.

"Good. Right now we haven't had too many high class missions so there haven't been too many injuries." Sakura answered as they were seated. Tenten had also been working at the school lately, teaching students how to throw a kunai properly. They chatted about their jobs until Ino and Hinata joined them.

"Temari had to head back to Suna but she said next time." Ino said as she sat down. The girls ordered lunch and when they had placed the orders, Ino turned to Sakura.

"So I hear Naruto is living with you now." Tenten smirked at her and Hinata's eyebrows rose so high they were obscured by her bangs. Ino looked at her expectantly.

Sakura chose her words carefully, blushing regardless. "He's been staying with me since he lost his apartment."

"And?" Ino gave her an incredulous look. "So did you tell him? Is that why he's staying with you? Or are you just to sleeping with him?"

"Is Hinata the last of us girls to lose her virginity?" Tenten grinned again. "Though I think if you leave her around a bottle of sake and her teammates she won't be."

"Tenten!" Hinata blushed and scolded. "I would never-"

"Don't even Hinata, we were all there that Girl's Night that wasn't a girls night a few months ago. You said some perverted things." Sakura shot at her.

"Well?" Ino prodded.

Sakura stared at her. "No! Granted Hinata will probably still be the last of us girls, but that's beside the point. I am not having sex with Naruto. He's staying at my house until he gets everything straightened out."

"Somehow I don't believe you." Ino muttered.

"And since you're not counting yourself on the virgin list anymore, are we to assume that you-"

"Yes, I slept with Chouji. Stop trying to change the subject. I don't believe that you're not having sex with him."

"I'm not! Not that I wouldn't but. Argh!" and Sakura buried her face in her hands. "He's so, so, chivalrous that he even apologizes for morning wood! I tried to get him to start something. I even asked him to sleep in my bed rather than on the couch! It's like the man is a saint or something! I walk around in panties and a t-shirt! Tenten, Neji's like a block of ice, how did you get him in bed?" Sakura grabbed her friend's sleeve. "Please tell me!"

Tenten chuckled. "I don't think it will work the same for you. Neji and I had been dating for aver a year before we had sex. And he's most certainly not a block of ice"

"But still, what started it? Was it just kissing that didn't stop or was there something else?" Sakura looked rather desperate.

"I let down my hair." Tenten answered, blushing a bit. "I mean we'd kissed and stuff before, but it was the night I let down my hair the first time."

"Your right, it doesn't help. Ino? How'd you give Chouji the thumbs up?"

Ino blushed beet red. "Um, well. There were no thumbs. I kinda just showed up at his bedroom naked. He got the clue."

"Well at least that's a little more helpful."

"I can always have Kiba push him your direction." Hinata offered.

"At this point, anything. I feel so pathetic, asking you guys for help with this. I just really don't know what to do. I just, I just, I don't know. My mom and I haven't' spoken since I became a Chuunin and moved out of the house. And she hates Naruto anyway so asking her for help wouldn't actually be a help."

"Don't worry Sakura. I don't have family either, and when Neji and I first started having sex, and I had all kinds of questions, I went to Kurenai. She was a big help. But you can ask us and we'll try to answer." Tenten smiled and put an arm on Sakura's shoulders. "

Naruto was greeted with a "Congrats on moving in with Sakura" from Kiba when he joined the guys for lunch the next day at the BBQ.

"Huh?"

"You are living with her right? Moved in last week? You've slept there every night." Kiba shrugged. "I just thought you'd moved in."

"Yeah I'm staying with her. I lost my apartment."

Shikamaru and Chouji shared an unreadable look.

"How's that working for you?" asked Shikamaru, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Sakura's great. I think she's trying to pay me back for taking care of her when she was sick."

"You're not sleeping on the couch." Kiba stated.

"Um… no, her bed's big enough for both of us."

"So you're sleeping with her, but you're not having sex with her." Kiba clarified.

"How do you know that?" Naruto asked. Kiba tapped his nose in response.

"I can smell things. Like I can smell your sexual frustration." Naruto blushed. "No dude, seriously, I can. And I can smell her all over you, and let me tell you-"

Shino slapped a hand over Kiba's mouth suddenly and looked directly at Naruto. "Sakura is in love with you. She isn't paying you back for anything. I doubt the invitation to her bed was just for sleep. You are either too chivalrous, or too stupid to take it." He then sat back and released Kiba's mouth from his hand.

Chouji, Shikamaru and Naruto stared at Shino in shock, but Kiba just laughed. Neither Lee no Neji were joining them today, they were out on a mission together with Gai.

"You don't say much Shino, but when you do say something, you sure as hell say something." He draped an arm across the bug master's shoulders and received what could only be perceived as an icy stare in return.

"I simply cannot watch this anymore. It has been going on for years. Naruto loves Sakura. Sakura loves Naruto. They should be together." Shino turned to Naruto then. "If you do not tell her by next week, I will lock you both in a closet until I am certain that you have either copulated, or died." He brushed Kiba's arm off his shoulder, dropped some money on the table and left.

Naruto sputtered into his drink and Shikamaru and Chouji just stared after him.

"He's serious you know." Kiba told him. "Look I hate to run, but if someone doesn't calm Shino down before he sees Sakura, he'll probably go through with his threat right then." He too dropped some money on the table to cover his part of the bill and headed out.

"Well it looks like lunch was on them." Shikamaru said as he picked up the cash. "They both left more than enough to cover what they ordered. And since they left, Naruto can have Kiba's."

"Hey!" Chouji protested.

"You can have Shino's."

After lunch, Naruto sat in the park to do some thinking about what Shino had said.

Sakura finished her shift at the hospital and walked home, stopping at the grocery store for dinner on the way, and the hardware store where she found herself getting a copy made of her house key. She smiled when she saw the orange splotch in the distance that was Naruto waiting for her on her front steps. He grinned at her when she got close, taking the grocery bag form her as she unlocked the door.

"How do you feel about udon tonight?" Sakura asked.

"Sounds good." He set the groceries on the table and began to put them away as Sakura started diner. The night progressed like every other night in the past week. They ate dinner, cleaned up, played a game of shou gi and then sat on the back steps for a while watching fireflies. Bedtime came and once again they were settled into the warm sheets, Sakura's head resting on Naruto's chest.

"Sakura." Naruto spoke into the darkness. Sakura could hear his heart speed up just the tiniest bit.

"Yeah?" she answered. Her own heart started hammering in her chest at the sudden nervousness that pervaded.

"I'm still having trouble finding an apartment." What he wanted to ask her was if he could stay. He was happy here with her.

Sakura swallowed and looked up at him in the darkness. He looked down and met her eyes. "You- you don't have to." Sakura whispered. She pulled away and leaned over the side of the bed to dig in her pants pocket form earlier. When she found what she was looking for she rolled back to his side, propping herself up on his chest. "I had this made for you today." She pressed the key into his hand and looked back into his eyes. Naruto stared at her, making her feel slightly uncomfortable under his gaze.

"Naruto?"

He didn't look at the key she'd pressed into his palm. He reached with his empty hand and ran his fingertips across her cheeks. "Sakura-chan." She felt his heart speed up again as his hand wove its way into her pink locks. "Sakura-chan, I love you." His voice was slightly harsh.

He leaned up, and she leaned down, their mouths meeting in a desperate open mouthed kiss. He rolled over, the hand holding the key reaching wildly for the bedside table to drop its prize as he kissed her. His hands slid over her skin, up her thighs and buttocks, pressing her against him. She ran her hands over his back as he kissed her neck. She kissed his shoulders and wrapped one leg around him, holding him tight to her. His skin was hot under her hands and he was hard against her.

He tugged her shirt up with one hand and Sakura lifted herself off the bed to allow him to remove it. Her heart still pounded in her chest, her breath came in gasps, and she found herself overcome with the desire to touch him, all of him. He turned his attention to her chest, kissing and nipping at the skin as her hands found purchase on his boxers, pushing them down his hips.

Sakura was making little noises of pleasure every time Naruto licked, kissed or nipped at her skin. He wanted to hear more of them. He wanted to see what other noises could issue form that soft mouth that was working its way down his neck. When her hands pushed at his boxers he paused, looking down at her, her face was flushed, lips swollen; her usually emerald eyes had darkened to deep jade. He didn't stop her from stripping him of his only article of clothing; instead he knelt over her, shifting to make her task easier.

She looked over him, running her hands along his body as she took in the man kneeling over her. He was well defined, as any shinobi was, and small scars littered his skin. She traced down his abdomen, skipping over his groin and tracing the muscles on his legs. He reached for her again, pulling her lips to his as he settled himself over her again, her panties the only barrier between them.

Naruto ran his hands over her legs again, lifting one ever so slightly to trace his fingers down the inside of her thigh. He groaned when she gasped, his fingers not stopping their trail and brushing against her still covered clit. Liking her response, he did it again, adding more pressure to his caress. Sakura cried out, pressing herself further against him. Her response stoked the burning arousal in him, and he stripped her panties from her before continuing the pleasurable petting, delving his fingers into her and making Sakura's head spin.

Sakura reached between them, wanting to feel him in her hands, but when her fingers touched his erection he grabbed her wrist. "If you do that I'll be done before I can start." He whispered in her ear. "And I'd rather you come with me." His fingers slid against her clit against and she arched her back, his name a throaty moan on her lips.

He kissed her again, and Sakura clung to him like she was drowning and only his lips would give her the air she needed. He continued to kiss her, fingers playing havoc on her until she felt like she would explode, or die. She squirmed against him, wanting more of him.

Sakura's writhing, and moaning was pushing Naruto's self-control. He wrapped an arm under her, fingers relenting in their torment and she whined at the loss of contact. Pulling her to him he adjusted himself so that he was pressed against her, but not yet pushing himself into her, giving her the silent option to object. Sakura wrapped both legs around him and pulled him down to smash her mouth into his in anther bruising kiss as she used her legs to pull him into her, her breath hitching at the tearing of her hymen.

"Sakura-chan." Naruto buried his face in her hair, willing himself not to lose it and come right then. He'd felt her tense at the intrusion and was grateful that she seemed to need a moment to adjust, giving him time to calm himself before starting to move with her.

The fire burning within her grew as he moved, pooling in her groin, white hot and throbbing. Naruto supported his weight on one forearm, the other still wrapped around her waist pulling her into him with each thrust. He made quiet sounds that weren't quite moans against her neck. She couldn't seem to get close enough to him, legs pulling him back to her each time he pulled out, arms snaked around his neck and shoulders as she rode the waves of pleasure crashing into her senses. Something snapped in her, and her orgasm washed over her, her nails biting into his back as she stiffened, shuddered and cried out. It undid him, and as she started to unravel in his arms he crushed her to him and came with her, groaning her name.

He stayed there, breathing hard, slightly sweaty, and momentarily terrified that he'd screwed things up. She relaxed around him, legs dropping to the bed, fingers releasing their death grip on his skin. Her arms came back around him and held him against her, easing the apprehension he felt. He lifted his head and looked at her, hair spread across the pillow, eyes closed, and a small smile on her lips. She opened her eyes and looked up at him, his apprehension clear on his face. She smiled shyly up at him, reaching to wipe some of the sweat form his brow.

"I love you too." She said. Then she giggled. "Sticky, I get it now."

Naruto looked momentarily confused and then chuckled. Disentangling himself form her arms and legs he reached for something to wipe away the 'sticky' before climbing back in bed and wrapping her in his arms. As she drifted off to sleep she felt him drop a kiss on the top of her head and pull her closer.

Sakura showed up for lunch with Ino and Tenten the next day, Hinata was out on a mission. Tenten took one look at the pinkette and grinned.

"Ino, do you see what I see?" the brunette asked.

Sakura sat and looked slightly confused.

"Oh you don't mean that ginormous hickey on her neck do you?" Ino smirked as Sakura blushed, her hand flying up to her neck.

"So did Naruto find an apartment yet?" Tenten asked casually after they'd ordered.

"He doesn't need an apartment. He's living with me. I thought you knew." Sakura absently drank her tea as the other girls raised their eyebrows at each other.