Something a little light to offset my latest post, which made even me a bit mopey. Enjoy.

The Interrogation.

Naruto coughed up a healthy amount of blood just before another gloved fist made contact with his bruised face. His eyes watered as his nose broke and more blood oozed down his face. He heard knuckles crack beneath thin leather, and braced himself for another punch.

"Last chance," A voice said, "Tell me the truth."

Naruto shook his head at the source of the voice, her form blurred through the water in Naruto's eyes. Her pink hair swung around her face as she threw the final punch.

Stars filled his vision, and his world went black.

When he awoke, she had already finished treating his wounds. He sat up slowly, and looked at her as she washed her hands with a water gourd. She looked back at him, her mouth crooked with humored guilt.

"You didn't have to hit me so hard, you know." Naruto said, rubbing the bumps on his head.

"Ah, don't be a baby. If I go easy on you, you're not going to get any better." Sakura said, standing up from her spot on the grass and wiping the sweat from her impressive forehead. The sun irradiated her from behind, and highlighted her outline. Naruto was enthralled, as he often was, by her seemingly unintentional beauty. It was as if being perfect came naturally to her.

He stared at her, unashamedly bashful.

"What are you looking at?" She asked, knowing full well what the answer was.

"The sun is in my eyes, I wouldn't know." He lied, but it was stark enough that she knew he was lying.

She stood there for a moment, doing her own appraising of Naruto's considerable roguish charm. Then she smiled and said,"My turn."

"What?! No, Sakura! I'm not interrogating you!" Naruto said, protesting his teammate's abuse at his own hands rather vociferously.

"Naruto! I tortured you, now you have to torture me! It's only fair! We're never going to pass the interrogation test if we don't each get our fair share of playing both sides of the chair."

Naruto giggled, "That rhymed."

Sakura pushed Naruto as she walked over to their interrogation chair that sat in the middle of the training grounds. It had fallen over when Sakura had knocked Naruto out, so she picked it up and placed it right side up on the grass, "Strap me in."

Naruto sighed and walked over to Sakura, she sat down in the chair and he handcuffed her arms behind her back, "I won't hit you."

"Then find some other way to make me talk." She stuck her tongue out, "Use that little brain of yours."

Naruto rolled his eyes, "My little brain's plenty big enough to make you talk."

"Prove it. Now."

Sakura closed her eyes and opened them, signaling subtly to Naruto that the act had begun. She was now playing the part of a captured ninja, and it was up to him to fill the shoes of the interrogator.

Naruto sighed and paced back and forth in front of her chair. He was going to have to use a completely different tactic than Sakura's if he wanted to make her talk.

Perhaps, he though, instead of torture, he could use bribery, "If you tell us all you know about Konoha... we promise to make life very easy for you."

"Oh really?" Sakura said, her voice laced with heavy sarcasm.

"C'mon, there has to be something that we can offer you... something your people couldn't."

Naruto saw a faint flicker of something unfamiliar in Sakura's eyes, and his curiosity sparked. Maybe there was something Sakura wanted after all.

"Money, power, a nice place to live, we can get you anything your heart desires." Naruto said, working his almost sinister charm.

Sakura laughed in defiance, but again, Naruto saw that faint something in her eyes. He doubled his efforts.

"I can tell there's something you want, Sakura. Why don't you tell me what it is?"

Sakura tried to laugh, but couldn't. She hesitated before speaking again, "There is one thing."

"Yes?" Naruto asked, thoroughly engaged.

"There's this man..." Sakura began.

"What about him?"

"I have... romantic feelings for him," She admitted, somewhat ashamed, "But I'm too afraid to act on them, and I think he is too."

Normally, Naruto would be distraught at the fact he had more competition for Sakura's heart, but he was caught up in the act, "We can get him for you."

"You can?" Sakura asked, extremely hopeful.

"We can promise you two a life in comfort, for as long as you both shall live. You just need to tell us the truth." Naruto said, feeling the final phases of the battle beginning.

"No, you have to bring him to me first."

"Well tell us who he is." Naruto said.

"And he has to kiss me first. One kiss so I know he loves me. Then I'll tell you everything."

"That can all be done." Naruto said, smiling. But Sakura grew worried.

"Oh, but what if he hates me for betraying the village?"

"You said he loves you?" Naruto asked.

"Well... I think he does."

"If he truly does, then I'm sure he would forgive you. After all, you're making the sacrifice for him."

"And," Sakura said cheerfully, "If he doesn't love me, I don't have to tell you anything!"

Interrogator Naruto Uzumaki cringed, actually hoping that Sakura was right, and that this mystery man did in fact love her, "Tell us his name, we'll send for him at once."

Sakura took a deep breath, "Okay."

Naruto waited.

"His name is... Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto nodded, "He is from your home?"

Sakura blinked at him, confused, "Yes. He's... he's you."

Naruto blinked at her, confused, "I'll... I'll go get him."

Naruto stepped away, walking around a nearby tree. He rounded it, and appeared back on Sakura's side of the tree, "Sakura!"

He ran to her, embracing her. She stared at him, "I think you're getting a little too into this."

"Are you alright? They won't tell me anything!" Naruto said, his hysteria almost believable.

"Um... yes."

"Are they going to let you go?" Naruto asked.

"Well, I've agreed to tell them some things." Sakura said.

"No! Sakura, how could you?!"

Sakura sighed, "They found my weakness. Promised me something I couldn't refuse."

Naruto shook his head, "What was it?"

They locked eyes as Sakura spoke, "You."

Naruto looked at her, his head cocked to one side, "Me?"

"I love you, Naruto Uzumaki."

They stared at each other, and a smile broke out over Naruto's face, "Cool."

He leaned forward and kissed her gently.

"You know we have to swallow cyanide now, right?" Naruto said, holding onto Sakura's hand as they laid in the grass.

"Worth it."

"Oh, for sure." Naruto said.

A gentle breeze blew past them and cooled the skin that sat under the handcuffs that bound their wrists together.