JealousSakura blinked up and down the street as she left the hospital. Strange… Naruto wasn’t even here. He was usually waiting by the time she left the building, and he hadn’t missed a day picking her up from work since… well, since they had become a bit more than good friends.
“Looking for someone?”
She looked around for the owner of the husky voice a bit more eagerly than she liked. A small ball of disappointment made itself comfortable in the pit of her stomach. “Oh. Kiba. Hi.” Akamaru twined his large body around her legs in greeting and she stroked his head. “Hello, Akamaru.”
“He likes girls that smell like flowers,” Kiba chuckled.
“I should smell more like blood, I think.”
He whistled. “Whoa, you found out already?”
“What?” Sakura blinked. “I just came out of an operation.”
The smile faded. “Oh, right. So you don’t know yet?”
“Know what?” she asked, confused.
Heavens, Kiba grinned just like Naruto. “Nah, nothing.”
Her eyebrow rose. Then, deciding that he was just pulling off a Naruto and being an idiot, she shook her head. “Whatever. Have you seen Naruto?”
He burst out laughing. “Hell, this is priceless!”
Sakura frowned. “What is
up with you today, Kiba? Spit it out already!”
“Ha… heh, he’s at the park.”
All annoyance at the Inuzuka ebbed away. “He is? I wonder what he’s doing… he usually comes to get me after my shift… why are you staring at me like that?”
He composed himself solemnly despite the corner of his mouth continuously tugging upward. “Sakura, did I tell you I saw Naruto and Ino hugging?”
Silence. Sakura’s chest clenched uncomfortably. “So what?” she managed to force out.
Kiba stared incredulously at her. “What, you don’t mind?”
“Of… of course not! Ino is his friend, too.”
“True… but he’s your
boyfriend,” he emphasised.
God, he’s right… Sakura shook her head. “You can’t expect me to keep him under a leash…”
Really? a rebellious voice whispered in the back of her mind. “Talk about leashes, shouldn’t you be getting home, Kiba?”
His knowing chuckle irked her more than it should. “Come on, Akamaru. Never stick around a girl about to blow. See you around, Haruno.”
“Go away, Inuzuka.” Sakura knew she was a little too irritated by this latest… development. Naruto was a pretty open guy after all. He gave away as many hugs as he ate ramen. But usually she was the one in his arms, and even though she knew the likelihood that he was… unfaithful… was pretty low, Sakura could not help but be…
And to Ino of all people…
For a few minutes, she just stood there, brow furrowed in indecision. Then, with more determination than she felt, Sakura walked off.
Where had Kiba said her boyfriend was?
-
“Do you sometimes feel like life is crushing you, Naruto?”
“Mm, sometimes. Usually when Sakura is angry.”
She chuckled softly and shifted her head onto a more comfortable position on his lap. “What exactly is love, do you think?”
“Love?” He leaned back, palms pressing against the grass, and tilted his head back to gaze at the ethereal orange of the setting sun. “Just… loving someone, I suppose.”
“Which letter of ‘exactly’ is missing from your dictionary, Mr State the Obvious?”
“Eh? But that’s so hard… ow! Don’t pinch!” Naruto grumbled as he rubbed his thigh. “Okay, fine; to me, it’s thinking of that special person every day, every minute, every second.” His features melted into a soft smile. “When she’s sad, you wish you could swap places and take the pain for her. And when she’s happy it’s like your world is lighting up…”
Ino rolled her eyes. “Don’t tell me this is how you made Forehead fall for you.”
“Something like that,” he grinned.
“Why do you have it so
easy?” She huffed at her bangs, succeeding only in having them flop back onto her face. Naruto reached forward and tucked the strands behind her ear. She stared into his eyes for a moment, her lips forming a wistful smile. “I wish the guy from yesterday was like you, Naruto Uzumaki.”
“Should I be flattered?”
“Mm hmm. He was a real octopus.”
“That many arms?”
“You know what I mean.”
“Ne… why don’t you just tell him?”
“That he’s ugly and totally inconsiderate of a beautiful woman’s feelings? Yeah, I think I might… wait, I don’t even know his name. That might be a problem…”
“I was talking about Shikamaru.”
Naruto had to jerk his head back as Ino suddenly sat up, twisting around to gawk at him. “What, are you kidding?” she said in disbelief. “I can’t just go
tell him!”
“Why not?”
“Well, for starters, he’s a lazy old bum who’s only interested in some stupid board game!”
“But you like him,” Naruto pointed out, grinning.
“What? I… I don’t like him!” Ino sputtered, her cheeks going red. After a pointed look from her companion, she grudgingly added, “Okay, maybe I do… a bit. Fine, fine! He’s more of a man than I thought. But… oh God, I just don’t know anymore!”
He rubbed her back soothingly. “Are you sure you thought about this enough?”
“Enough?” She laughed miserably. “I’ve been thinking about it for weeks! You actually think I can’t handle a bunch of desperate missing-nin? I was distracted!”
“You shouldn’t let your emotions affect your missions, Ino.”
“
You’re talking,” she shot back. He grinned sheepishly. Ino sighed and tapped her forehead with her fingers. “I guess I should go find him anyway because… you know. Chouji, too.”
“Ah. I think I’ll come along later.”
She gave him a small smile. “Thanks.” Her gaze focused on something in the distance, and she chuckled. “Well, I think I smell something sour.”
“Huh?” Naruto was confused.
“Have fun.” She patted his shoulder and got up.
“Sure you’re okay?”
“I’ll have to be, right?”
“I’m here if you need me, Ino,” he promised.
She flashed him a grateful smile. Then she was gone. Naruto watched her leave. She faded into the trees and disappeared from his sight.
“I’m not intruding, am I?”
Naruto jumped. He turned. There, standing over him, was a wistful Sakura. “Oh crap!” he exclaimed, getting quickly to his feet. “Sakura, I’m sorry! I forgot… I’m sorry! Look, I’ll make it up to you. How about-”
“What were you doing with Ino?”
His hands lowered. “Oh. You saw that?”
“Was I not supposed to?”
“No no! It wasn’t like that!” It was frightening how emotionless her face was. “She was having a bad day – I was just helping out.”
“Really? How, exactly?”
“Sakura…?”
She seemed to deflate. She sighed heavily. “I know, I know,” she muttered. “I’m being unreasonable, aren’t I? It’s not that I don’t
trust you… it’s just… God, I sound like some girl out of Icha Icha Paradise!”
“I can see the resemblance,” Naruto agreed.
Sakura stared at him for a moment, and then slapped him lightly on the shoulder. “Naruto!” she scolded, blushing. Her tone loosened a little, her shoulders unclenching.
He cupped her chin in his large hand and tilted her face up to his. They locked gazes. “You were jealous, weren’t you?” he asked softly.
She tired to look away. “What are you talking about? Why would I be jealous? I’m not jealous…”
“Sakura,” he said in an uncharacteristically serious tone. She made herself look at him; his eyes were deep, smouldering, and they lured her in. “Getting all protective over me is good, don’t get me wrong, but you really don’t need to worry like that.”
“Protective? Who’s being protective?”
“Don’t be silly,” he sighed, and drew her into his arms. Sakura automatically laid her head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat, his deep breathing. He was warm. “How does this feel?”
“Nice,” she answered without thinking. “No, wait – I didn’t mean… you were hugging Ino like this!” There, it was out.
If he was surprised, he didn’t show it. Hell, he wasn’t even guilty! “What if I told you I wasn’t holding her like this?” he asked. “How do you feel about that?”
She felt assured, safe, because it was just too easy to believe Naruto. But… “What about Ino?”
“You think too much, Sakura. She’s been going through a hard time. Granny gave her a long talk about that last mission, and today with Asuma-sensei’s anniversary – she just needed a hug, that’s all.”
She hesitated. “That’s it?”
“I wouldn’t lie to you, Sakura. You know I love you.”
“Mm… what about me?”
“Huh?”
“If Ino got a hug, where’s mine?”
“Oh. You don’t get one.”
Sakura jerked away. “What?”
He laughed and pulled her back. “So you
are jealous,” he said teasingly.
“I’m not jealous!” She could feel her face heating.
“Uh huh,” he replied sceptically.
“You… just shut up, Naruto.”
His grin widened. “Shut up and what?”
“… Shut up and kiss me.”
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