--
Okay. It was starting to bother him—or rather, it had started to bother him last night, when subtle implications had been planted in his subconscious mind, so to speak.
Now, it was pestering him, rather like Konohamaru when he and his cell were together and had spare time. He puzzled and puzzled over it, but the more Naruto thought, the less answers he got.
But it all seemed to come back to the same thing: What did Sasuke mean?
Man, did Naruto need to vent.
Here was typical Naruto, ready to pass out, yet still standing, and part of that was because he was running from his own thoughts, and being Naruto, who else could be dumb enough to lose to a log? (Okay, maybe he’s not losing, but who passes out hitting a log, anyway? Naruto.)
He didn’t want to admit he was in denial, he didn’t want to run, but when it all came down to it, he needed to get away from the questions to which he had no answers. The more he thought, the more he wondered; the more he wondered, the more he worried; the more he worried, the more steam he built up; the more steam, the more he needed to train in order to vent, and finally, the more he vented, the more exhausted he became.
The only thing left to do, besides running and hiding, was asking Sasuke what he had meant, and as stubborn as he was, the blond wasn’t going to fold so easily. No. He would tough it out and continue avoiding the situation by thinking, and trying for his own answers.
And how long, exactly, would he last, especially in this state? Apparently only about half-an-hour to an hour.
He needed answers.
--
Naruto went searching for Sasuke, but didn’t find him at the Uchiha manor, at the training grounds (obviously), or at Hokage Mountain. About to give up despairingly, he wondered back to the ramen stand and found Sasuke.
Talking animatedly.
The blonde laughed inwardly, trying to remember the last time he had seen the teme holding a decent conversation. He couldn’t.
Naruto coughed, drawing Sasuke’s attention.
“Nande, Naruto-kun?”
He sucked on his lower lip, wondering how the Uchiha could act as though nothing had happened last—oh that’s right. It was only a dream. But still, after yesterday... so much had happened....
Naruto took a stool by the raven-haired boy.
“About yesterday.... when you said you had come back for me?”
“Yeah?”
“What did you mean?”
“I meant what I said.”
“What! Seriously! What did you--”
“...”
“I’m sorry... it’s been a really stressful night for me (sigh). I really need to know what you meant, Sasuke-kun.”
Sasuke sucked in his breath, thoughts spinning wildly. He used –kun again...... can he fell the same way? Why else would he want to specify what I had meant?
“It’s important.”
Sasuke leaned forward and brushed his lips against Naruto’s, before pressing against them harder. He ran his tongue along the blonde’s lower lip, making him shudder. He pulled away harshly, his fist colliding with Sasuke’s face before turning and rushing away.
Naruto ran. He didn’t know where he was going, but he ran. Confused and hurt, he went where his feet would take him, and his feet carried him a ways. It was awhile before he slowed to a stop, panting to catch his breath, but when he did, it took him a second to recognize his surroundings. He came to a stop at Sakura’s doorstep.
Tentatively, Naruto reached up and rang the doorbell. After five minutes with no answer, he turned to walk away, but bumped into a happier looking Sakura.
“Oh! Naruto-kun, what’s going on? I just got back from Ino’s. Why don’t you come in?” She said as she opened the door. The blonde took a hesitant breath before following her in.
Sakura sat down, offering Naruto a seat.
“Naruto-kun, I know I wouldn’t accept your forgiveness before, but know I apologize. I shouldn’t have used you like that. It wasn’t right.”
Naruto studied the girl’s apologetic face.
"You came back for me!"
Naruto turned, startled, to look Sakura fully in the face. Apparently she hadn't gotten over him. But Sasuke's expression never changed, his gaze never leaving Naruto's.
--
“I just wanted to make one thing perfectly clear, usuratonkachi.” He said, eyeing the blonde. "I did come back for someone."
“And I care, why?”
Sasuke clenched a fist in frustration, but he kept going. "I came back for you."
Just seeing her reminded him of him. But there was nothing he could do about it. But he still needed answers. He just needed to know........
Naruto stood slowly, approaching Sakura, who had fallen silent, seeing his pensive look. When he reached her, he dropped to eye level with her. Then, reaching out, he kissed her.
Immediately, she took over, as per her nature, and ran her tongue along his lip, and he stifled the same shudder that threatened to run down his spine as he was again reminded of—no, he wasn’t going to think about it. It was a thing of the past of now.
He pulled away and left her there, unable to cry, and feeling that she had deserved it.
--
She had seen everything. After Sakura had left her house, she had taken a second, then rushed to the family shop, selected the right flowers, and left with a card, promising she would pay for it when she got back.
She reached up to knock on her friend’s door, now brave enough to hand deliver them, when she had noticed that the door wasn’t closed all the way. Quietly, she pushed it open, just enough to peek through, when she heard voices. Ino glanced around quickly, then realized the voices were coming from inside.
“Naruto-kun, I know I wouldn’t accept your forgiveness before, but know I apologize. I shouldn’t have used you like that. It wasn’t right.”
And then he had kissed her. And to her dismay, she had kissed right back. Forcing herself to stay calm and quiet, Ino dropped the bouquet and ran.
--
After Naruto had left, Sakura stood silently to close her door when she noticed the flowers. The selection showed them to be from the Yamanaka’s flower shop, but the note wasn’t signed. Silently wondering, she glanced quickly around before sniffing at them and allowing herself a small, wan smile.
--
Naruto did nothing the rest of the day, but try to avoid what had happened. But it haunted him like the Plague, and the worst part: he didn’t know hat he thought about it. Nothing. Almost absolutely nothing.
He wondered what Kakashi would think of all this, but he didn’t want to drag someone else into it. He had seen the bouquet of lilies with Ino’s handwriting on the card, he wasn’t dumb. {A/N: Ok, he is, but you get the point.}
He went to bed again, hoping to escape his thoughts, though they followed him there still. He dreamt the whole time, of Sasuke, mocking him, asking him what he thought.“Did you like it? What was it like? Your kiss with Sakura. Was it good? Did you enjoy it? Was it all like my kiss? Was it as good? Was it anything like mine?”
And his only problem: It wasn’t.