InsaneJournal

NaruSaku, First Kiss meme, for runespoor7.
Title: “Unpredictable”
Author: ~ Monique ~
Rating: PG-13 (I think. Yes? No?)
Fandom: Naruto
Pairing/Ship(s): Naruto/Sakura [Naruto/Sakura/Sasuke only in the back-story and future!fic that will never be written, dammit! *will probably write it anyway*]
Spoilers: Hmm…right up to Current Canon (Manga chapter 354). So don’t read if you’re not caught up. Spoilers aren’t the way to enjoy “teh smexy” that is Naruto.
Summary: Naruto and Sakura understand one another. We all know he’s not predictable. And neither is she.
Timeline: Current Canon (Manga chapter 354), before the last two pages. (Because I think it’s ridiculous that they wouldn’t rest, for at least a little while, and prepare and stuff, before going.)
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto characters or plots or settings or any of that. This is all for entertainment value, not monetary. Kthanx. [I wouldn’t want credit for “Hebi” anyway. *;p*]
Author's Notes: Written for: runespoor7. NaruSaku *yummy* …and, again, why can’t I just write something without turning into a monstrosity of back-story and angst. *>.<* (F’ing Sasuke, man…) I wanted fluff and happiness, dammit. I talk too much about eyes and hands and smiling. There’s no smut and no fluff. …I fail. *:(*


“Unpredictable”


Naruto refused to do it.

Oh, he wanted to do it, of that there was no doubt, but he simply would not. It was not the time or place – well, it was really, but…maybe, it was too much the time and place.

It had been a long day – week, month, couple of years – but Sakura hadn’t turned down his offer to go to dinner, and he absolutely approved of her suggestion to have desserts after. They’d chosen to recline against one of Konoha’s many large trees, which serendipitously offered a pretty view of an impromptu fireworks display (some new local pranksters, Naruto laughed), both agreeing that lounging (Kakashi and Yamato had been working their teams) and eating had never sounded like a better plan. And so, there they were, by the bridge they never mention anymore, indolent and eating more unhealthy food (that only failed to be bad by the grace of their shinobi-hood).

“Naruto,” Sakura’s voice cut into his thoughts, kunai-like, “what kind of a date is this supposed to be with you staring at me like that?”

“Ah!” Naruto shook his head quickly, a sheepish grin replacing his ‘spaced-out’ look. He’d been debating the appropriateness of taking her hand as they sat eating dango and watching fireworks. It wouldn’t be out of character for him, as he was usually rather affectionate with her, but, under the circumstances, it would be awfully predictable; pleasant, yes, but predictable. Rather like the kiss he’d been imagining he could drop on the corner of her mouth, where she was currently licking at traces of her sticky-sweet treat. He blinked. “Did you just call this a date, Sakura-chan?”

A light blush spread across her cheeks, eyes narrowing slightly, but she didn’t frown. “Your words.” she said pointedly, lifting a fingertip to suckle on the stickiness there. He wouldn’t let his mind wonder on the lovely picture she presented, or let her get out of answering that easily.

“But you said them.” He smiled, his eyes and tone teasing, and she shrugged.

“Actually, I asked what kind of a date this is supposed to be? You’ve been really quiet for a really long time – especially for you.” She laughed a little, the corners of her eyes crinkling in her mirth, a smile settling across her pretty flushed face. Naruto stomped down the urge that really insisted he kiss her.

He smiled broadly, a hand flying to the back of his head, further mussing the hair there, “Hmm. I was thinking, Sakura-chan.”

She raised one slim eyebrow, her teasing “Since when?” sarcastic, but not mean.

The comfort and familiarity in one another’s presence wasn’t anything new, but the level of physical contact between them was. They were physical beings, shinobi, but it seemed Sakura had learned to appreciate the friendly brush of a hand on her back, her arm, her shoulder, if the way she hadn’t hit him for his touchiness was any indication. They’d usually sit close, shoulders and legs bumping, and place hands on one another – legs, back, heads, face – without comment or concern. If she rested against him more than her tiredness required, or he held her hands longer than necessary when helping her to rise or pulling her along, neither complained about it.

Sakura often fussed over injuries, but she had watched and fussed and cared much more actively since becoming a medic and for Naruto that meant since he’d come back from training with Ero-sennin. He tried not to read into it too much, but, since they first teamed up again, and especially after the last Akatsuki battle, with her a constant presence at his side [whether it was eating, training, preparing for the Itachi-hunt, or lounging about] it was proving slightly difficult. Naruto and Sakura always shared a lot of time together, being teammates and all, but after the bad news about his health in regards to his latest (and, thus far, strongest) technique, and the newest Sasuke bomb, it seemed any excuse was the perfect excuse not to part ways.

It was just harder with other people; not impossible, but not as they were sure it should be either. With other people it was like missing two pieces instead of one. People expected certain things from them, certain behaviors and reactions and goals. People expected them to be practical and logical and the tools of Konohagakure no Sato. And even though Sakura and Naruto were all these things, in varying degrees, they were so much more; though they weren’t sure if anyone else understood that, the way they did and the way they understood one another. They knew what similarly motivated them, and they understood their individual drives. They knew the past was very much alive in the present and very much part of the future, and there to be cherished and hated and theirs. They shared their history and lived in the now, with lives that ran parallel and intertwined far too much to doubt what lay ahead. They were friends and teammates and shinobi [and/but human] – and as much as he wanted to love her and have her reciprocation in a romantic sense, there was a lot that would come with it (regardless of when) and more than that still left to be done before it could happen, if it could at all.

He was getting a headache.

“Naruto?” Focusing on Sakura he saw that she had shifted, placing an arm against the tree at his back, her body reclining towards him as she leaned over to see more of his face.

He gave her a sheepish smile, shrugging and pushing back into the tree. “Sorry.”

“And you were such good company till now.” He would have laughed if she wasn’t so obviously worried. He could hear it in the way her voice matched the very serious expression that had replaced the smile they’d been sharing before he’d gone quiet (again). Naruto couldn’t think of what to say, too much going through his head at once, especially not with her leaning close enough for him to feel her heat, her breath across his skin, forcing him to fight valiantly not to lean forward or stare at her lips or touch her or –

“What are you thinking about? Seriously.” Sakura’s voice was soft, but she was close and not hard to hear at all. Naruto worried he might have ruined the fun they’d been having, because she looked like she was thinking un-happy thoughts, her brow furrowing slightly. She’d worn nothing but pleasant expressions since accepting his invitation that afternoon with a smile. She’d accepted other date requests before, and he’d learned not to push the issue and just enjoy himself; she enjoyed it more that way too.

There was much unspoken between them. Not secrets, but shared understandings that they silently agreed didn’t need to be said. It was comfortable and familiar, but beginning to make him worried – for how long could something go unsaid before it did need to be said?

“I’m thinking about you.”

Her lips quirked, but she didn’t smile. “Great. Now, really, what’s going on in there?”

“Really.” He said, serious, and he didn’t smile either, “I was thinking about you. And me.” The silent and Sasuke hung between them, thick and sad. She nodded, nudging his leg with hers and keeping it there, pressed against him. “We’re good friends, teammates. We’ve been through a lot, and there’s a lot ahead of us. I – We – are going to get through it all, I know, but…”

“But?”

“But it…” Hesitation felt wrong from Naruto. Like a bad pair of sandals you never grew into and never fit right to begin with. “It all just gives me a headache sometimes.”

She nodded, letting out a long breath, her body sagging against his. She curled an arm beneath her, her hand cushioning her head against his chest and shoulder, her back curving out. Naruto lifted an arm, wrapping it around her back and holding her shoulder, cradling her. He felt her body expand with a sigh before settling. “I know. Me too. But…” she paused, grabbing his free hand from where it was resting on his bent knee and holding it against her chest, “that’s alright, isn’t it? It is a lot to think about, so getting frustrated or worried or anxious is fine. It doesn’t mean anything. It doesn’t mean I’m giving up.”

“I know.” He swallowed thickly, nodding. “Me either.”

“I know.”

They sat there, quietly, shifting a few times when body parts would tingle or complain. The fireworks were loud and bright, like the people of the village, milling about them noisily. His hand twitched in her grip, still held against her chest, as he suddenly remembered that having been his original problem – wanting to hold her hand. He couldn’t help chuckling as he realized this, and by the time Sakura lifted herself to look at him questioningly, he was laughing.

“What, may I ask, is so funny?” But her lips were quirking, and they were comfortable again, and he didn’t much care to be worried and serious anymore. Squeezing both hands at once, his thumbs stroking the back of her hand and shoulder, he smiled widely.

“Oh, nothing.” She gave him her ‘yeah, right’ look, but didn’t move to hit him or anything. Naruto was reminded then that, lately, the instances of violence between them had significantly decreased. True, she probably didn’t want to hit him while he was ten shades of fucked up from his last fight, and he needed to be in top form when they went after Itachi, but it didn’t stop the happy tingling he felt in his chest and stomach from spreading throughout him. He smiled goofily, his arms reaching around to hug Sakura suddenly, throwing her off balance and pulling her on top of him, her body slipping between his bended legs.

“Naruto! What-” she didn’t finish, but she was hugging him back, her face half-pressed against his collarbone with one arm around his middle, the other his neck.

“Sakura-chan!” he said happily, “This has been one hell of a day, huh!?”

She was off-balance and shaking, but her loud giggles were music to his ears. He laughed too, squeezing her tighter, pulling her further up his body. She returned the hug tightly, both arms around his neck, before pushing at him to let her up. “Oh, Naruto,” she laughed, his arms dropping to rest on his knees, letting his hands brush against her every now and again, “Yeah. It has been, hasn’t it?” Her face was glowing and so close he could smell the dango on her breath, the shampoo in her hair. He inhaled deeply, eyes closing while his laughs dissolved into a broad grin.

Soon all he could hear was their breathing and he opened his eyes, a question on his tongue. It was silenced seeing Sakura’s upturned face, still flushed, but with her ‘I’m thinking’ expression. Her eyes flashed to his, and he remembered hearing (eavesdropping while Ino was talking to Sai) that she once called them “brilliantly blue – the way you always hope to see the sky”. He must have been blushing because she smirked, as if knowing what he’d been thinking, her gaze passing from his eyes to land on his cheeks, his nose, his chin…she looked almost as if she were considering something as she looked over his face and he wasn’t sure what that meant or what to do, so he just kept grinning at her. Naruto was sure all their shared body heat must be making him delirious because he swore he saw her staring at his lips.

On his travels, when not completely immersed in training, he had known women. He didn’t like to think about it, either from jealousy or worry, but he was sure Sakura must have dated while he was gone (love for the Bastard or not, she was very pretty and smart and trained by the Hokage – how could she not have had offers at the very least?). The fact that they seemed to be making it with everyone else but each other bothered him immensely in that moment.

When Sakura moved, placing her hands on his thighs at her sides for leverage, shifting closer in the process, his blue eyes sought her green. Looking at one another directly had never been so heated before, and the air in his chest and throat seemed to expand, too hot and thick to keep within him. He exhaled sharply, wincing at the pant-like quality of his breathing, and felt foolish for feeling so unsure and nervous and wanting. She couldn’t possibly know what he was thinking and feeling; couldn’t possibly feel the same, right then, in that moment. He closed his eyes to break the contact, clearing his throat nervously, intent on moving to help her stand.

But, she kissed him.

Even though he hadn’t seen it coming, Naruto wasn’t startled by the feeling of her slightly-moist-lips on his, but relieved. The bubbling tension of want and can’t and uncertainty fizzled out of his chest, replaced by happy and finally and Yes. Feeling her push into the kiss, the pressure firm and her lips soft, he eagerly pushed back, a smile threatening to ruin the moment. When he breathed sharply through his nose, she pulled back only to have him lean forward to keep the contact. She smiled into the kiss, but leaned back again, their lips making a happy ‘chu’ sound as they separated, just enough to look at him without crossing her eyes.

She licked her lips, worrying the bottom one between her teeth, still smiling. Maintaining eye contact, he licked his too. They tasted like dango. And…something. He wanted more, and more, so, hoping she agreed (cause, even still, he wasn’t sure she would if he moved first), he lifted his hand to her face, his palm against her cheek and his fingers twining with her hair. Naruto brought her face close again, leaning forward to whisper, “Are-” but stopped. It was ridiculous to ask. She wouldn’t have done it if she wasn’t sure – she’s Sakura-chan. Sakura-chan, one of the smartest people he knows, and wouldn’t kiss anyone, especially him, if she wasn’t sure.

Her breath hitched slightly beside his ear, and in a hot rush of air she whispered, “What are you thinking about?”

Naruto smirked, rubbing his cheek against hers and kissing it quickly, before resting their foreheads together. “You.”

Sakura giggled once, her nose brushing his. He bent his neck to better look into her eyes, and for a moment they were all he could see - so very close, Sakura’s eyes were his whole world, large and bright and green, absorbing and reflected back at him. “I was thinking about you. And me.”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

Angling her face, she breathed against his lips, “Me too.” and kissed him again.


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- Fini -

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And that’s that. *sighs*




* Hmm…here’s another. Short and to the point:




He kissed her. He kissed her!

“Naruto!”

“Yes, Sakura-chan?”

“What-?!”

He did it again.

“Naruto!”

“Yes, Sakura-chan?”

“What are you doing?”

“I was kissing you.”

“Oh. I thought so.”

He did it again.

She did it back.


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- Fini -

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*>.<*

~ Monique ~