Marriage was kind of a big deal, even Uzumaki Naruto knew that, even despite the fact that somehow-between both Kakashi and Jiraiya-he never had a figure in his life to install this into his brain. It was just a fact that was so obvious that even he automatically grasped it.

First, there was the whole proposal thing, what with the really expensive ring and the worry and the general angst over what your girl could possibly say to the most complex simple question known to mankind. Add in some more angst and then you get your favorable (hopefully) answer.

Then, there was the actual wedding, which sounded fun, in theory. A kick-ass party with good food, a huge cake and all your precious people, plus your new in-laws, gathered all around you...

...But, as Sakura so aptly demonstrated (and constantly reminded them all in very loud words) there was secretly a ton of stress in planning weddings-not to mention a terrifying condition known as 'bridezilla', which Shikamaru had muttered under his breath seconds before Sakura attempted to gouge his eyes out with her chopsticks.

Dresses, flowers, seat planning, chicken or salmon... Suddenly, and for no logical reason that Naruto could see, these were all very important details that had to be carefully coordinated to perfection...or else.

Emotions ran high with sudden mood swings and bridezilla madness spreading from bride to the bridesmaids (who knew insanity was contagious?). And then, once every single detail was planned out and executed perfectly, you only had to spend forever together.

Naruto made a face as he tugged hopelessly at the orange noose around his neck, fumbling to tie it into at least a loose semblance of the shape it was supposed to be. He could hear the rough bark of laughter from Kiba, mixed with Choji's deep jovial voice, floating through the small gap of the almost closed doorway; his lips twitched up in an automatic response. But it was short lived, the crawling butterflies in his stomach reminding him of their presence as they crawled up his throat; a nauseating combination when mixed with his inner turmoil and the half digested ramen he had eaten for lunch.

How was it that he seemed to be the only one who was nervous? It wasn't even his wedding for crying out loud!

He let out an aggravated sigh, running his hand through his already disheveled hair (effectively ignoring Ino's less then vague threats of bodily harm if he dared to mess up his hair after she had worked so hard-and had to run, in curlers mind you, to the nearest convenience store to purchase super duty plus hair gel-to work his rebellious locks into submission and style) before attacking his tie again.

Over loop, under loop pull? Or was is under then over or was that just how you tied your shoes?...

Then again, maybe his nerves made more sense than if he hadn't had any. After all, what did he know about weddings and marriage? Hell, what did he even know about romantic relationships in general? Everything he knew he had learned from Jiraiya a la the Icha Icha Series; but Sakura had thoroughly assured him that they weren't love stories but love stories, no matter what Kakashi-sensei so passionately insisted. And that left him...

...well, no where but incredibly lost; a fact he begrudgingly admitted, tucking the ends of his loop-sided tie under his shirt, hoping it would pass by unnoticed; maybe he'd get lucky and it would escape notice.

"Knock, knock?" a soft, familiar voice interrupted as she stuck her head in, eyes scouting the near empty room.

Naruto grinned at Sakura through the mirror's reflection.

"Hey! You're not supposed to be here," he teased, turning towards her, "Bad luck, or whatever..."

He trailed off, the words dying in his throat as the door swung open and she stepped into the room. He blinked at her.

Sakura looked positively radiant, but then again, was there any other way to describe a bride?

Bangs surrounded her lightly colored face (Ino really was an expert at what she did) as cream colored roses were pinned to the top of her head, taking the place of her ninja head band. Gauzy fabric stuff-that he couldn't name even if he tried-made up straps that hung almost off of her shoulders while the beaded top lead down to a poofing waist line; for a brief moment, Naruto almost regretted that he had told Kiba (when asked about it) that the dress looked like Glinda the Good Witch had a crack child with an overly frosted cupcake draped in lace.

Sakura shrugged, clearly less than repentant.

"Since when did you even believe in any of that superstitious stuff?" she asked.

"Besides, it's only bad luck if Kiba was in here to see me..." she continued, her eyes flickering to the door, more specifically, the sliver of space that remained open, allowing her fiance's boisterous laughter to once more echo out into the conjoined room.

Naruto grinned as she eyed the fixture suspiciously, crossing the room to close the door before turning to study her once more.

Well... he may have had a point about the dress being a bit over the top rather than the designer 'masterpiece' that Ino had insisted (rolling her eyes and huffing "Men!"); it was more the entire picture-despite the dress-that made up what he considered to be the real masterpiece. The idea and the situation and her green eyes sparkling at him from beneath tilted eyebrows as she studied him back.

"It's not a bow tie."

Naruto blinked. "Huh?"

Sakura grinned at him in amusement.

"It's not supposed to be a bow tie." she repeated, gesturing at the orange mess that hung uselessly around his neck.

He grimaced, hands automatically flying up to tug at the silk material impatiently.

"Idiot..." she muttered fondly, stepping forward to take over the task when the hopelessness of the situation became almost immediately obvious. Expertly, she twisted the rebellious orange material into a knot before smoothing it down, ignoring that it still crinkled beneath her hand; remements of his previously failed efforts. She glanced up at him through her darkened lashes.

"Kiba has a bow tie..." Naruto sulked, cheeks red in embarrassment as he conveniently forgot to mention that he has also informed Kiba that bow ties were for waiters and trained monkeys.

"He is?" she asked, a blush rising hot on her cheeks as her eyes flashed at a memory that caused her color to deepen.

Naruto decided not to ask; chances were that he really didn't want to know what she was thinking about if it could cause that sort of reaction.

She shook her head slightly.

"Idiot..." she muttered again, this time towards her fiance hidden in the next room, her smile growing softer.

"Are you doing okay?"

Naruto blinked, eyes squinting as he grinned down at her.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" he asked, rubbing the back of his head, further mussing up his gel infused hair. "You're not getting cold feet, are ya'?"

"What? No!" she said, mock scowling at the blonde, gently elbowing him in the stomach. "We kunoichi are made of sterner stuff than you shinobi. We don't know the meaning of the term 'cold feet'."

Naruto nodded, studying her. It was tempting to rise to the bait, to fall back into the teasing camaraderie that enveloped the remaining members of the original Team Seven (plus Sai, on one of his 'emotional' days) but he had to ask her... he had to make sure...

"What if he came back?"

There was no need to clarify who 'he' was, they both knew who he was talking about.

Naruto wondered if he was being selfish, asking this question now just minutes before she would be walking down the aisle. Maybe it was something he shouldn't be asking at all, period. But he couldn't deny that part of him (the small forgotten part of him that childishly wanted to believe that everything would one day go back to 'normal') desperately wanted to hear her answer.

For closure? For some reason he doubted that was really why he was asking this, now... Maybe it was just that he simply wanted to be positive. Oh, sure, Kiba was one of his closest friends but Sakura was... well, Sakura. His teammate, best friend and sister all rolled into one. He didn't want her to be unhappy a year or two from now, wishing someone had asked her this question as she wondered how her life could have turned out...

...Even if deep down, in a place they never never dared to voice, they both knew that 'he' was never going to come home.

Sakura's smile softened as she shook her head. "Not even then. I love Kiba."

"You loved Sasuke." he pointed out.

Her smile became sad. "I still do."

Naruto furrowed his brow. It was official, he was confused, a fact he eloquently alliterated with a well placed. "Huh?"

Sakura rolled her eyes.

"There's more than one type of love." she explained falling into her lecture mode out of ease of habit, poking him in the forehead.

"I know that." he scowled lightly. After all, there was love for your friends, your village, ramen... "But, if you love Sas-..."

"I love him." Sakura firmly interrupted, "I love him like I love a friend. But, I'm in love with Kiba... And I want to spend the rest of my life with him."

Naruto nodded, even if part of him didn't quite get it.

It was a strange concept to him, spending your whole life with someone. He had only recently began to have people in his life, after all. Forever seemed like such a foreign idea to him, even if he couldn't deny a certain...longing for just that.

Dammit, he was starting to sound like a girl.

He mentally gave himself a small shake, trying to erase pessimistic thoughts like his brain was a giant (or at least he liked to think it was giant) etch-n-sketch board. He had people, he reminded himself; a rag-tag family made of awesome'ttabayo. He had Kakashi and Iruka-sensei, Baa-chan and his friends. And, even if she was getting married, he still had Sakura.

"But that's not the love you were thinking of..." a soft voice hissed in his mind.

He promptly ignored it; he really was starting to sound like a complete girl. He could just imagine what the guys would say if they could hear him.

Lost in his (manly) thoughts, Naruto didn't register that Sakura had moved until her small fingers laced with his, causing him to jump at the unfamiliar contact. He curiously glanced down at their joined hands.

"I'm really..." Sakura said, her voice uncharacteristically soft as she deliberately blinked her misting eyes, determined not to let the moisture fall. "I'm glad you're here, Naruto."

He wondered if she felt the small tremor that ran down his arm at her words as he struggled to find his own. His near signature grin stretched across his face.

"I wouldn't be anywhere else."

a/n.

The second chapter is already being worked on. Depending on reviews and interest (and possibly what's being featured on Shark Week), it will be up sometimes late this week or early next week.

Reviews are love.

Cheers!