Sasuke’s obsession is truly what had doomed him. Not even Naruto’s love and compassion could stand up against Sasuke’s selfishness and betrayal. Even after the wayward boy’s return, their relationship was strained at best, nonexistent at worst. However, it wasn’t until an incident involving too much sake that Sasuke truly realized what he had lost.

It had happened at a restaurant where Sakura’s birthday was being celebrated. The group of friends had rented the place for the event and Sasuke had been pretty much dragged along. Sake was flowing freely, and at about 11pm the party had pretty much become a drunk fest. By around two in the morning there were only a handful of people left still awake. Here and there one could find people sleeping on each other in booths. In a corner Shikamaru, Chouji and few others were talking. In another corner sat Sasuke, nursing a cup of sake with Naruto sitting across from him yammering on happily about Gaara and the last time he’d been to Suna.

This had been the first time Naruto had said more then a sentence to Sasuke that wasn’t training related and what was he talking about? Gaara, the homicidal maniac. To be fair, he no longer murdered for pleasure, but he still got under Sasuke’s skin.

At some point in the “conversation,” Sasuke, who’s better judgment was tossed out a long time ago, grabbed a handful of Naruto’s shirt and dragged him forward, his lips pressing forcefully against the blond's. An instant later, when Naruto recollected his thoughts hand realized just what was happening, his fist connected with Sasuke’s jaw, breaking the kiss and leaving the raven haired boy somewhat in a daze.

Anger so powerful it was nearly tangible radiated off of Naruto as he stomped out of the restaurant. Eyes drifted over to the little scene, moving between the door Naruto had just exited through to the dark haired boy who had stumbled drunkenly out of the booth, a big red mark on his jaw that was sure to soon turn into a bruise.

---

It was the next day when Sasuke had found Sakura on his doorstep with a less then happy expression gracing her feature.

“You are an idiot,” were the first words to pop out of her mouth, and Sasuke stepped to the side, inviting her in.

When she was sitting at the kitchen counter, a cup of tea in front of her and Sasuke leaning against the counter itself, the conversation continued.

“Why, after three years, did you think you had any chance in hell?” She asked Sasuke, taking a sip from her tea.

“I was drunk, what thought do you think was really involved.”

Sakura sighed, “None, apparently. But seriously, you chose a really shitty time to let him know. You disappear for about two years, he drags you back here, and for the last year you barely say two words to him, and now you kiss him? You have to be the most emotionally retarded person I know.”

“Well what was I supposed to do!? For the first time in a year he actually wants to talk to me and it’s about a guy who tried to kill us, and-”

“Like you didn’t try to kill him?” Sakura interrupted “Like you didn’t betray this entire village? And for what? Your fucking revenge?”

“This village made me their avenger!”

“They also made Naruto out to be a monster!” Sakura shouted back, seething with anger, her fist connecting with and shattering the counter.

When had she become so strong? Sasuke wondered as he looked into a pair of raging green eyes, also wondering if he should fear for his life. This girl was expected to surpass Tsunade soon…

“Are you truly so much weaker then him?” She asked, cutting right to the heart, “Are you so weak that you must concern yourself so deeply with a perception of you that this moronic village has? That you must go along with it? Yes, they called you the Avenger. Yes, they forced you to fight, and train. Yes, you were alone. Yet unlike Naruto, you at least knew your parents loved you. You had, for a few years something he didn’t have until he was 12. Something he fought for, and nearly died for. These people called him a monster, hated him, harassed him, and ridiculed him, and why? Because of something Naruto had no hand in. Because the Fourth decided to place a demon into the body of a helpless child who couldn’t say ‘No.’ If you are so weak that you can’t see how much more you have, always had, then him, you don’t deserve him. You never have. He loved you Sasuke. Even after nearly killing him he loved you, trained and fought to get you back. And for what? For you to ignore him for over a year? And you wonder why he no longer speaks to you unless he too drunk to care? You wonder why he pushed you away in the end? Do you really think he’s that stupid?”

Through Sakura’s whole speech, Sasuke was silent, guilt seeping in deeper then he ever before allowed. It took a moment to realize he was shaking in the wake of Sakura’s tirade, the realization of his own weakness more then he could take. And all this, from Sakura. Sakura, who he’d deemed as weak and a waist of his time, Sakura who had pinned away after him for years since they were in the academy.

Sakura, who was now the most terrifying woman Sasuke had ever met.

“I-I…” Sasuke found himself stammering, refusing to look at the splintered wood that had been his kitchen counter. “I-I’m sor-”

Once again he was cut off “Don’t apologize to me!” She shouted “If you finally feel the need to pull your head out of your self-righteous ass, go to Naruto. But don’t expect him to leap into your arms and confess his undying love for you. As it stands there’s someone else he loves who’d be a hell of a lot better to him, and he deserves that. He deserves an unselfish kind of love that honestly, you’re incapable of. So be his friend, be what you’ve refused to be for years, and maybe you can repair what damage you’ve done by your idiocy. But get in the way of his happiness, Sasuke…”

She didn’t need to say it. Sasuke’s eyes flickered down at the counter, and he knew. This time it was an easily replaceable inanimate object, next time he doubted he’d be so lucky.

---

A few hours had passed, and Sakura was gone, leaving him to deal with the mess himself. Which he didn’t. Yet

To be honest, Sasuke was too concerned with what Sakura had told him then the shattered counter. Was it really too late for he and Naruto to become an item? Was it too late to try and fix what he had destroyed?

Was he really that weak?

There was a resonate ring throughout the house that announced another visitor.

When Sasuke opened the door, he felt his heart stop as he looked upon Naruto’s face.

“Hey, teme.”

Wordlessly, Sasuke moved to let Naruto in, much as he had Sakura. Leading the boy past the kitchen (“I see Sakura got here before me…”) and into the living room, Sasuke sat and instructed the blond to follow suit.

An awkward silence filled the room until Sasuke finally spoke, surprising them both with his words.

“I’m sorry.”

Naruto looked at the dark haired boy, shock filling cobalt blue eyes.

Swallowing his pride, Sasuke continued. “I’m sorry I fucked up so badly,” ‘cause I’m weak “I’m sorry I took you for granted,” ‘cause I’m weak “and more then anything, I’m sorry I hurt you, and left. There’s nothing that can excuse my actions, but I want to try to be your friend again, like before. Better then before. I’d also like to have more then that, but... I understand why we can’t. More then understand.”

There it was, everything out in the open. He surprised himself with his own openness. Had what Sakura said really made that much of an impression on him? Or was it the broken, no, shattered counter in his kitchen? Sasuke banked on option “b.”

Naruto mauled over what Sasuke said, not expecting this at all. At least, not without having to pull teeth first. He had to remember to bow to Sakura later.

“I would love to try and be friends with you again Sasuke, try to fix what’s left. Honestly, I thought I was going to have to have a huge fight with you before getting to this point. Sakura’s just that scary, eh?”

“That woman… is something…”

“Holy terror?”

“Worse.”

“Yup.”

“…I love you, Naruto.”

“I know Sasuke, I know.”

---

Later, after the Kazekage had been in Konoha for a few hours, Sasuke and Sakura made their way to the training grounds just outside the wall protecting the villagers. They had agreed to meet up with and train with Naruto the day before.

“Yeah.”

“I take it you too came to an understanding?”

Sasuke nodded “We’re trying to pick up the pieces.”

“Good, because he’s missed you.”

“Thank you, Sakura.”

“For?”

“Scaring me into action, making me realize what was wrong with me.”

“Any time, Sasuke. And I mean it, any time.” the underlying threat was there, and heard.

Boy, was it heard.

“How’s your counter?”

Sasuke sighed, “In pieces. I’ll have to get a new one.”

“You’ve been spending time with Shikamaru, I see.”

“The one and only.”

“Are he and Chouji still…”

“Yup.”

“How are you and Lee doing?”

“We’re good. How are you doing?”

“…I’m okay.”

Sakura smiled sweetly at him. “Good. I don’t want to have to beat happiness into you as well.”

Sasuke allowed himself a little smirk. She’d be the one to do it.

Naruto’s the training site, along with Naruto soon came into sight.

However, the blond was not alone, evident by the fact that he was currently shoving his tongue down the Kazekage’s throat while holding the redhead tightly against him. Sakura and Sasuke both glanced at each other, Sakura with a somewhat evil smirk on her face that said “Lets get closer.”

Approaching silently and masking their chakra, the two ninjas approached the apparently new couple. As soon at they were close enough, Sakura cleared her throat.

Loudly.

This, in turn, caused Naruto to jump and break his kiss with Gaara, who seemed rather flustered.

“Uh…” Naruto tried, scratching his head rather embarrassed “Err… how long have you been here?”

“Long enough.” Sasuke dead panned out, keeping all of his amusement carefully reigned in.

“Aw, Sasuke,” Sakura started to mock cry, sniffling comically, “Our wittle Naruto is growing up so fast! First he’s kissing the Kazekage, next he’ll be getting married!”

Sasuke smirked, carefully not looking at Gaara, who was trying to murder him with his glare.

“Sakura! Stop! You’re embarrassing me!”

“Well that’s what you get for starting a make out session in the middle of a training field.” Sasuke replied

Naruto, ever so mature, responded with blowing a raspberry at Sasuke “Shut up, teme!”

“Make me, dobe.”

And thus, the training began, with Gaara watching and Sakura pretty much destroying the battlefield while Naruto and Sasuke carefully stayed away from her, for no one wanted to become Sasuke’s counter.

“When passion's lost and all the trust is gone,
Way too far, for way too long
Children crying, cast out and neglected,
Only in a world so cold, only in a world this cold
Hold the hand of your best friend, look into their eyes
Then watch them drift away
Some might say, we've done the wrong things,
For way too long, for way too long”

--“World So Cold” by Mudvayne

­-End-

A/N: I had far to fun writing most of this fic. Sasuke and Sakura have so much potential as characters that’s not used to the full extent. So, I fuckin’ used it!

I love that Sakura’s so terrifyingly strong, and loved using it so much. Especially against Sasuke, who needs to be threatened into submission.

As for Sakura’s sarcasm and attitude, once again, I’m playing with her potential. There’s a point in Naruto Shippuden (ep. 8-9, I believe) where she says she’s going to protect both Naruto and Sasuke from everything. So, therefore, I see her as seeing the two as her boys, her babies, in a sense. And as such, she’d do anything to help them get farther ahead. If she needs to beat them to a pulp first, so be it. If some furniture needs to be shattered, oh well.