:.: :.:

Disclaimer: Naruto characters are not mine. 'Kay. Done.

AN: Please review on my DeviantArt version of this. ^^ Thanks, and enjoy!

"No."
"Aww, c'mon, Sakura-chan."
"No."
"But-"
"NO."
"-Sakura-cha-"
"I said NO!"
WHAM!
Uzumaki Naruto went bouncing across the water, not unlike a skipping stone. Uchiha Sasuke looked on, an amused expression on his face, as Haruno Sakura huffed, turning away from where she had just launched her blonde companion. Beyond, the lake rippled and splashed; waves caused by the strong winds blowing over them gently pulled and pushed at their feet along the bank. The sky was a deep blue, and thin clouds dotted the horizon. Around them, a forest grew, branches swaying and creaking, leaves rustling and falling lazily to the forest floor. Birds chirped and fluttered about happily.
All was calm and peaceful for a moment.
And then Uzumaki Naruto resurfaced.
"Gaaaaaaah!" he yelled, dripping as he splashed back to where Sakura and Sasuke stood. Sand and dirt clung to his legs and feet as he stumbled towards them. "Sakura-chan, that hurt!"
Sakura ignored him, her attention turned on Sasuke.
"What do you want to do?"she asked brightly.
Sasuke shrugged.
"I don't have a preference," he said nonchalantly. Sakura sighed.
"See?" said Naruto enthusiastically. "I'm the only one with a good idea!"
Sakura wheeled on him, eyes alight with fury.
"I am not," she spat, "canoeing! No way, no how!"
Naruto frowned, running a hand through his wet hair.
"Only because you can't swim," he grumbled.
Sakura shot the boy a venomous look and he whimpered, taking an involuntary step backwards.
He proceeded to trip over a rock, and fell backwards with a startled yelp into the water.
"Sakura-chan!" he yelled unhappily, shaking his head back and forth vigorously. He quickly splashed water up at Sakura, who squealed in protest.
"Narutooo!"
Naruto laughed and kicked some water at Sasuke as well. The young Uchiha flinched in surprise, and Naruto let out a cry of triumph.
"Hah!" he yelled. "I gotcha!"
Sasuke glared down at Naruto, and in one swift motion lifted his foot and pushed Naruto's forehead, causing the blonde to fall back into the water yet again.
As Naruto floundered, Sasuke found himself under attack by Sakura, who scooped water into her hands and flung it at his face. He sputtered for a second or two, during which time Naruto managed to right himself.
And the splashing wars began.
For as long as they could remember, the three friends had spent their summers together. Sent away to a sleepover camp, the three had been put in the same day-group from their first day at the camp; it was how they had met. The time they spent together formed a bond between the three unlike any other. They did everything together.
At least, until summer was over, and they all returned home to different parts of the country for another year of learning and exams and school.
Despite this, they were the best of friends.
"But seriously," laughed Sakura breathlessly, collapsing beside an exhausted Naruto. Sasuke soon joined them, and they sat together as water lapped at their toes. "I don't want to canoe."
Naruto shrugged.
"It was only a suggestion, Sakura-chan," he replied.
They were silent for a while until they heard the crunching of sandals on gravel. They looked up as one and saw a figure approaching through the forest gravel path leading to the lake.
"Kakashi-sensei," Naruto called, "Quit reading perverted books!"
The bandana tied around part of Hatake Kakashi's face pulled down in a way that signified he was frowning. Nonetheless, he did not look up from the orange book in his left palm as he spoke.
"Now, now, Naruto," said their camp counselor, "Don't be a hypocrite. You work part-time as an editor for the author of these books."
Naruto grumbled in embarrassment while Sakura gasped in horror and Sasuke quirked an amused eyebrow.
"Pervert!" yelled Sakura, slapping Naruto upside the head. Naruto cried in pain, and then folded his arms.
"Only because I needed Jiraiya's recommendation for college," Naruto mumbled. "That's why you volunteer for Sound Inc., isn't it, Sasuke?" Naruto said hastily, turning the attention to his male companion. "Isn't that Orochimaru guy involved in some shady stuff?"
"Like those books aren't shady," countered Sasuke. "But yeah, his recommendation was necessary for my applications."
"You guys," Sakura said in mock exasperation. "You should volunteer because you want to!" She poked her nose into the air. "I mean, look at me! I'm an intern under Dr. Senju Tsunade, but I actually WANT to help out!"
"Hey, I put my all into it, too!" whined Naruto.
Kakashi coughed, drawing their attention back to him.
"Your free time's over," he said.
Nauto and Sakura groaned as one. Sasuke's shoulders sagged for a moment, before he shrugged.
"At least it was longer than an hour," he said.
Sakura sighed while Naruto began to laugh.
"Isn't it always?" said the pinkette.
"Yeah, Kakashi-sensei can't keep track of time when his head's buried in a book."
Kakashi sighed, snapping his literature closed. He put it in his pocket and turned back to the group.
"Tonight's your last night here," he said, sitting down on the ground.
The three friends grew quiet, shooting glances at each other.
After this year, they would all be going to different colleges.
After this year, they would be too old for Camp Konoha.
After this year, they might never see each other again.
"I just wanted to tell you guys that it's been an honor knowing you," Kakashi continued. "I've seen you grow from children into strong adults. I'll miss you, Sakura, Sasuke, Naruto," he said, "But we'll meet again." He smiled through his bandana. "I'm not particularly sentimental, but it's not going to be the same around here without you kids."
Sakura quickly wiped a tear from her eye. Naruto and Sasuke both looked at her in concern, then turned back to Kakashi.
"I hope you will all be successful as you travel down this new road of your lives," said their camp counselor. "And I hope you never forget the memories we've all shared as Group Seven."
Naruto grinned.
"Of course not!" he replied. "We'll always share an unbreakable bond! Believe it!"
Sasuke rolled his eyes as Sakura giggled. Naruto stood, still grinning.
And proceeded to tackle Kakashi.
"Gah! Naruto!"
"You'll always be Kakashi-sensei!"
Sakura laughed and dragged Sasuke forward, and the four shared a group hug.
"Group Seven," she said softly. "We'll always be Group Seven."

It was midnight, and Naruto and Sasuke were standing outside the girls cabin. They wore swimshorts, and the night air made Naruto shiver.
"We should've brought towels," he mumbled. Sasuke shushed him.
"Too late now," his friend said. "Sakura will bring one. Use hers."
"Jackets would've been nice, too," remarked Naruto, seemingly having ignored the Uchiha's remark. Sasuke sighed frustratedly, resigning himself to silence as they watched the cabin for signs of life.
After a few minutes, the front door creaked open; Sakura slipped out, slowly closing the door once more. Her bikini was a pale pink under the soft moonlight, and a black pack was hanging on her back. She hurried towards the two boys, a towel in one hand and flip-flops in the other. She placed the shoes on the ground and slid into them, then nodded to Naruto and Sasuke.
"Let's go," she whispered.
Without any other words, the three traveled along the path leading to the lake. They walked until they came across a storage cabin used by the camp. Inside, the three knew, were life jackets, paddle boards, nets, fishing hooks and lines.
Along with canoes.
Sasuke stepped forward, and Sakura opened the backpack she wore. She pulled out a hairpin, and Sasuke went to work on the padlock on the door.
Naruto hopped from one foot to the other nervously.
"Ne, ne," he said, "Are you sure that's gonna work?"
Sasuke nodded.
"I've done this before, I told you that."
Like clockwork, there was a snap, and the lock fell into Sasuke's open hand. He gently placed it to the side, and then yanked the door open.
Sakura handed the boys flashlights and placed her pack and towel beside the padlock.
They went inside and searched until coming across a canoe. Together, the three friends managed to navigate their way with the little boat to the door. After hauling the canoe outside, Sasuke and Naruto pulled it to the banks as Sakura retrieved paddles.
"You don't have to do this if you don't want to," Naruto said to Sakura as she sat in the canoe.
"Shut up," she replied. "I suggested at dinner we sneak out and do this, didn't I? So we're doing this."
Naruto shrugged.
"Okay," he said, then smiled at her in the moonlight. "It's gonna be better with you in the boat, anyways." He tilted his head towards Sasuke. "That way, Sasuke won't try to put the moves on me!"
"I'm not gay," replied Sasuke calmly as he and Naruto began pushing the canoe into the water. "Or desperate."
"Hey! Was that an insult?"
"Why would I ever insult you, dobe?"
The canoe began to float out into the lake, and the boys hopped inside. Naruto nimbly climbed over Sakura to sit at the front of the canoe, and Sasuke sat in the rear; Sakura sat securely in the middle.
"You guys can steer," Sakura said teasingly, handing each boy a paddle. "Let's go to the middle of the lake."
"'Kay," replied Naruto, glancing over his shoulder to gauge the distance before beginning to paddle. Sasuke simply nodded, already rowing.
Sakura watched the water ripple and splash as the boys silently brought the canoe to the center of the lake.
Once they were there, the boys put the paddles on the floor of the canoe. Together, Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura looked up into the night sky.
"There are always so many stars out here," Sakura said wistfully. "I sometimes forget they exist; the light pollution in my city's really bad. You can never see the stars."
Naruto nodded.
"Same here," he replied. "Sometimes my parents take me out-of-town and we see them while we're driving, but mostly I just have to know they're up there."
"I see them sometimes," added Sasuke. "Whenever I'm running business errands for my brother and father, I try to book night flights so I can see them."
"Rich person," Naruto remarked blandly.
"Middle-class person," Sasuke replied cheekily.
"Rich people," said Sakura, poking the guys on their shoulders.
"Poor person," they replied in unison. Naruto laughed as Sasuke cracked a rare smile. Sakura closed her eyes and stretched, yawning.
"Tomorrow..." she said, trailing off.
"Tomorrow," Sasuke repeated. Naruto slowly lifted his arm upward. A star shot across the sky at that moment, and Naruto closed his hand, as if trying to grab it.
"Tomorrow," he whispered.
Silence engulfed them yet again for a time. Then...
"I don't care that you're a pervert, Naruto," Sakura said. Naruto blinked, momentarily startled, before smiling.
"Thanks. I've always liked your hair," he commented.
"I've never meant it when I've called you stupid, Naruto," said Sasuke.
"I know. I've never meant it when I call you teme," replied the blonde.
"Naruto, your smile always gives me courage," Sakura said.
"Thank you, Sakura. Sasuke, you need a new haircut," remarked Naruto.
"No I don't. Your voice is high-pitched for a guys, Naruto," replied Sasuke.
"It's manly enough! I've always thought of you as a brother," Naruto said.
"Same here. Sakura, I still don't believe your hair's natural," Sasuke said.
"Believe it! And I still love you, Sasuke," Sakura said.
"Sorry, I'm gay."
Sakura's and Naruto's mouths fell open and they turned their heads to look at Sasuke.
"I'm joking," he said, huffing. "I know, my jokes suck, shut up." Then, he said more seriously, "Thank you, Sakura. I still don't know what I feel for you."
A pause in the conversation ensued.
"I still love YOU, Sakura-chan," Naruto said.
"I love you as a friend, Naruto," replied Sakura. "But it makes me feel happy to know you've loved me all this time. It makes me very, very happy." She paused. "You guys are the best friends I'll ever have."
"Same here."
"Hn."
A breeze blew across the lake surface, causing their hair to blow in the wind. Sakura shivered, placing her arms around herself. She closed her eyes.
"Do you think we'll ever be this close again?"
Silence.
"We'll probably drift apart after this," Sasuke said carefully. "Most people do. We'll have lives after this, after all."
Sakura sighed.
"It'd be difficult to keep in contact," she said. "Meeting after a few years apart would make things awkward. We wouldn't know each other any more, would we?"
Silence.
"...No,"said Naruto. "We wouldn't."
Silence.
"So we're gonna do our best to try, anyway."
"Of course," affirmed Sakura.
"Mnn," Sasuke replied.
Naruto grinned.
"Believe it!" he said loudly, moving to stand in his enthusiasm.
"No-!"
"W-wait-!"
SPLASH!
The canoe turned over, and the three friends fell into the water. Naruto and Sasuke resurfaced after a few moments, coughing and spluttering. Their eyes met.
"Sakura," said Naruto.
Sasuke dived under, and Naruto followed.
They swam downwards, blind except for the faint glow given off by the moon. Desperately, Naruto reached out.
He met nothing but water.
Sasuke stretched his hand out and touched the slippery scales of a fish; yanking his hand back, he looked around himself, but all he saw was the blackness of the water.
They stayed under until they had to resurface for air.
"No," breathed Sasuke as Naruto gasped for air.
"Sakura!" yelled Naruto. "Sakura!"
"Sakura!" Sasuke's voice joined Naruto's.
Silence.
"G-guys! Here!"
They turned and squinted in the direction where the shore came from. They saw her dim figure dog-paddling fiercely, and the two boys wasted no time in swimming to her side. She latched on to them, and they began to head towards the shore.
"The canoe," she gasped. "We need to put it up!"
"First, you need to get to shore," said Naruto.
Sakura clicked her tongue.
"Watch," she said, pushing away from them. Both boys reached out for her, but she swam away from their hands.
Naruto blinked.
"You swim?" he asked, stunned. "S-Since when?"
"You couldn't two days ago," said Sasuke, equally surprised. "You fell into the river while we were fishing and we had to pull you out."
"You sank like a rock!" added Naruto.
Sakura shrugged, paddling back towards them.
"I don't know," she said. "I'm not really thinking about it. When we fell, I... I just thought, 'swim'...and I did." She floated on her back for a moment, then sat up again. "The canoe?" she reminded them.
"Bah, screw the canoe," Naruto said, swimming closer to her. He looked at her as she peered up at him, and relief washed over his features. Sasuke, too, swam closer.
"So, hey," drawled Naruto. He winked. "Now that you can swim, let's skinnydip!"
She pushed his shoulder.
"Pervert!"
"Didn't you say you didn't mind?"
"I said I don't CARE, not I don't MIND."
"There's a difference?"
"Don't take his side, Sasuke!"
"Hey, he wouldn't mind seeing me in my birthday suit! He's gay, remember?"
"I said it was a joke, you idiot!"
Silence.
And then they laughed together under the moonlight.

AN: For Naru-Fest, hosted by Naruto-Artists. :) Please look at my Deviantart! (same username). ^^

Review on my DeviantArt, please! :D