Disclaimer: I don't own Sakura or Naruto, or Sasuke, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto who created them. Naruto Shippuden is licensed by Shonen Jump and Viz. This fanfiction is written out of love of the anime and manga.

Succumbing to the cool shade under the tree, Naruto propped his back up against it. He let out a huge yawn announcing to the world that he was tired. It was rare seeing the hyperactive blonde-haired person worn out, but worth it to the other person sitting near him under the tree.

"Where do you get all that energy?" mumbled the pink haired kunoichi, pulling off her gloves. "It's a bottomless pit just like your stomach."

"Aww Sakura chan, gimmie a break," he grumbled, glancing sideways at her. "We've known each other forever and you're still asking me that?"

If he glimpsed out of the corner of his eye at that moment he barely missed Sakura hiding a giggle behind her hand before she turned on that green-eyed death ray stare. Something she must have perfected and borrowed from Ino.

"Aww now what Sakura chan? I didn't even SAY anything this time!" Naruto stammered, sitting bold upright, eyes white.

"Never mind," she murmured, softening her stare. "It was just that I was wondering something since you mentioned how long we've known each other."

Relaxing, Naruto gave her a nervous but thankful grin. "Oh yeah… what's that Sakura chan?"

Her green eyes may not be glaring angrily but that probing look in them caused Naruto's heart to skip beats. Why did this pink haired girl have such a polarizing effect on him? One moment she wanted to flatten him, the next she was worried sick. Still prone to fits of losing her temper he was used to her behavior but it still shook him up. Yet he would not have her any other way. It was Sakura. A constant like Jiraya being the Pervy Sage, or Shikamaru being lazy.

Blue eyes blinked a bit at her inquisitive gaze. She leaned closer, arms crossed over her chest but Naruto fought the urge to back away. He still did a slight bit, mumbled, "Eh? You ok Sakura chan. Something on my face?"

"I was wondering what it was like back then…" she trailed off, uncrossing her arms and softening her gaze.

"Sakura chan, you said you wanted to know something. But I'm not getting what you're getting at," Naruto reminded her, backing away even more because he expected a fist punching into his jaw or those green eyes to spark like a paper bomb tied to a kunai.

"When… you kissed Sasuke… what was it like?" Sakura asked, breaking another silence.

Cold water seemed to splash down on Naruto, breaking the trance and confusing him even more. Leaping to his feet with a newfound burst of energy the blonde-haired person yelped, "WHAAAT? Sakura chan why are you asking me THAT? It was a mistake! Honesty!"

Sakura's frown made him want to cling to the tree once she leapt to her feet growling, "Just answer the question you idiot! What was it like?"

"I was kissing a guy Sakura chan! What do you THINK it was like?" Naruto blurted out; face mere inches from hers now with his fists clenched behind him.

"And it was an ACCIDENT! Both times were an accident and you and Ino still murdered me for it!"

"Was it bad, good, nasty, what? You didn't answer my question!" Sakura snapped at him. Both their faces blushed bright red. If they were any closer together, their foreheads would be touching.

"HE tasted like revenge! That's what!" Naruto shouted. "It tasted so bitter I wanted to wash my mouth out with soap for a year!"

"What?" Sakura backed away as if he would hit her, turning her back to him so he saw the white circle on the rear of her tunic. Anger faded to more worry seeing her like this. Uh oh, was she going to hit him? Just hurry up and get that 1000 foot punch over with, he silently pleaded. Why did he still want to pull her close, take her arms and show her what first kiss he wanted to give her?

"S… sakura Chan… if I said something wrong I'm sorry!" Naruto instantly blabbered, waving his hands. Still the kunoichi showed her a good view of her back to him, silent. Something Naruto hated even more than seeing her upset or angry. He wished she would turn and scream at him because this was spooky.

"Stop apologizing Naruto. You're telling me the truth right?" Sakura finally said.

"C'mon Sakura chan, I wouldn't lie to you! It wasn't just that he was a guy; it was like kissing someone who'd eaten vegetables! It was yucky! But the second time wasn't SO yucky if you want to know the truth…" he continued, voice less reactive but still charged with urgency to calm her down or at least get her to where she'd act normal and yell at him.

On the other hand, act like the Sakura he knew. At least this time she slowly turned her head to face him, pale green eyes slightly gleaming with what he was glad or hoped weren't tears. "The second time you mean he didn't taste like revenge?"

"Nope. That was an accident too, and he was just pissed," Naruto informed her; giving her a halfhearted grin he hoped would push her back to normalcy.

"That… that's good, I guess," Sakura said, the frown lines lessening in her beautiful face. Many guys would consider Sakura overly masculine, but Naruto looked past that and still saw the girl he'd always loved no matter what.

"S… Sakura chan are you ok? I mean you've asked weird questions in the past but that was WAAAAAY weird!" Naruto worriedly asked, reaching a hand out to her that he expected her to smack away, or accept.

Instead, Sakura reached up and took that hand, sighing. "Naruto I'm NOT going to hit you for pointing that out so relax ok?"

"Thank the will of fire," Naruto sighed in relief, letting his shoulders slump a bit with his pounding heart easing a bit.

Still holding his hand Sakura pondered his slatted eyes looking down at her. He always got that look when he doubted something. "I guess you're wondering why. I can see it written all over your face."

"Well yeah… why ask me what it was like to kiss Sasuke? I mean geez…" Naruto mumbled, not questioning how soft and warm her hand felt in his, but hoping that he wouldn't wake up from whatever nap he must have fallen into.

From beneath her soft pink hair, she peeked a them; looking a lot like the Sakura he saw when he'd pretended to be Sasuke all those years ago. This time his heart pounded for a different reason. "Well… it's because you're the only one of us who ever kissed him. Whom else could I ask? I know I couldn't ask Ino pig."

Laughter bubbled up from Naruto's belly so Sakura tilted her head up at him with a shocked wide-eyed gaze. Still he could see the corners of her lips twitching up from what he thought were a contagious good genuine laugh. "You're still calling her names now, Sakura chan?"

"It's not funny! She still calls me billboard brow!" Sakura grumbled, giving him an evil glare at the same time she clenched his hand.

"I'm sorry, it's just so silly cause your forehead's the perfect size for me to kiss it!" Naruto blurted out before he snapped his mouth shut. Whoops.

Again, Sakura's face twisted into that deadly glare. "WHAT did you say?"

"Uh nothing Sakura chan it's just that I think your forehead's cute! It's part of what makes you so pretty!" Naruto quickly stammered, stepping back. However, Sakura jerked him towards her with that iron grip on his hand.

"It was YOU pretending to be Sasuke that day, wasn't it? You idiot!" Sakura yelled at him, forming her other hand into a fist.

"Now Sakura chan, don't get mad! I was only 12 back then!" Naruto protested. Sweat blistered on his brow in anticipation of that fist cracking into his jaw. Since she grabbed the front of his orange and black jacket with her other hand he knew it was looking more likely.

"I knew there was something fishy about that! Damn it!" Sakura ranted, holding her other fist at her side.

"I'm sorry! It was the only way to get you to notice me! You were always going on about how important he was. That's why I promised to bring him home! Because I knew it was what you wanted!" Naruto shouted back in his defense, something he didn't usually do, but it shocked the heck out of her.

Releasing the jacket Sakura took two steps back, her eyes still wide. Dozens of emotions crossed her face that Naruto could see.

Unsure of what else to do, Naruto bent down and took hold of her cheek. Seizing the time to move in and place his lips on top of hers. It was a chance of a lifetime and he took it despite the consequences. Sure enough, he felt her body stiffen but his hands grasped her upper arms gently. He knew she could escape if she wanted. Nervously her lips fluttered under his kiss he kept chaste but full of the love he'd always wanted to show her.

Sakura didn't respond, but she didn't push him away either. That was promising. Naruto turned his head to the side, brushing his lips over hers left and right. He focused his love, and longing into the gesture before he had to pull back to catch his breath. Releasing her arms, he stepped back and tipped his head down.

"Sorry Sakura chan, but I always wanted to do that. You can hit me if you want to now," Naruto said in the silence, afraid to look her in the face. He opened his eyes anyway to see the top of her head and eyes shaded by her hair.

"I'm sorry Naruto," she mumbled.

"Eh?" Naruto asked, not expecting that answer or the expression on her face that swung up to meet his. Sakura had tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry that I don't love you like I love Sasuke," Sakura admitted to him sadly. "Because that's the kiss I always wanted him to give me."

"Yeah… I guess that's what you'd say cause I know you love him," Naruto said sadly, giving her a smile that caused her eyes to release those tears. After he stepped back, he felt her step close to him and wrap her arms tightly around him.

"I wish I did love you like that," Sakura whispered. "With all my heart."

"So do I, Sakura chan, so do I," Naruto muttered. "And that's why I won't give up on my promise no matter what."

Still their arms tightened around one another while they felt the sting of tears. Sakura wouldn't let go, and Naruto didn't want to, winding his arms around her so he held her against his body. She buried her face in his chest, something she had never done much of but she was turning to him for comfort, the sort he always wanted to give.

"I'm so sorry I don't…" she repeated.

"Sakura chan, it's ok. He's my best friend, and I want to bring him back for BOTH of us. You don't have to apologize so please stop ok?" Naruto urged her, rubbing her back.

"We'll both bring him back," Sakura corrected him, leaning up to press a kiss to his cheek. "Even though I'm in love with Sasuke, you mean a great deal to me. And the thought of not having you in my life scares me to death."

Hearing that Naruto's heart skipped beats, along with her soft sweet kiss. Yeah, it was second place and it hurt like a bitch. Nevertheless, Sakura cared for him, and it was more than he could hope for in the absence of love. Therefore, he mumbled, "You're a precious person to me, Sakura chan. I'll always love you even if you don't love me."

"I won't ever leave you, Naruto," she mumbled. He could imagine her filling in the last words, not as Sasuke did. It wasn't what either wanted at that moment, but it was enough. They needed each other to get through this dark time.

Friendship and love weren't quite the same but they were still as vital.

As he and Sakura comforted each other, Naruto guessed there may be the slightest hope that she may fall in love with him, but he knew better than to push the issue because he wanted her happiness most of all. Without Sasuke, neither of their lives would be complete.

He wasn't quite sure about the depth of his feelings because it scared him. He loved Sasuke, but what terrified him was how the best of the best Sasuke was to him. He loved them both in unique ways.

A/N: I'm not sure what I was thinking when I wrote this, but I was trying to leave possibilities open and try to stay true to what I saw in the characters. It's up to you what you'd see in what happens next, if Sakura and Naruto fall in love, or Sakura and Sasuke are reuninted, or even Naruto and Sasuke.