#drew narusaku for her if she ever sees it

[inpirso]

always appreciative, even years later, of artists on tumblr who inspired me a lot, including @dattebae

[bodegacowboy]

The fragments of this blip of a story came to me two days ago and it just happened to remind me of NaruSaku day. So after many years  away from tumblr and the fanfic game, here is my meager contribution to you NaruSaku fans on NaruSaku day. Hopefully you will enjoy it.

Sakura read the last page for the last time and with a soft shake of her head she slammed the book shut. A long pensive sigh escaped her lips as she tapped her fingers along the book cover. She drew in a deep breath and frowned. She brought the the book up to her face and her frowned deepened . She flipped the book, back and forth from the front cover to the back, once and then twice, before quietly hurling it across the room.

The book's flight from Sakura's hand consisted of a quick bounce against the wall and a noisy crash onto the floor. It settled on the floor with a new crack in it's spine to match the crack on the wall.

"I'm guessing you won't be recommending this one."

The voice startled Sakura out of her frustration. She looked over to see her husband grinning at her from the entrance of their kitchen. 

"Huh?" She replied, blinking back at him.

Naruto pointed at the book. "I can't say for sure but my gut is telling me that you did not like that book.”

Reality returned to Sakura. She was sitting by the window in their living room. This was her spot to lounge and read, a sacred space of relaxation. She  sank into the arm chair with a groan, embarrassment overcoming her.

"You know it's funny I thought I'd seen all the forms of your angry face. But while watching you read that last page over and over I might have discovered at least five new forms."

Blushing, Sakura sent her gaze up to the ceiling. “Ha, ha ha.”

"Feels really good knowing that I've never made you that mad."

"How long have you been standing there watching me read?"

"Maybe around eight minutes, ten minutes at most” Naruto answered. 

Sakura turned her attention to Naruto. "What's weirder me rereading the same page for ten minutes or you watching me reading the same page for ten minutes."

Naruto held up his hands, framing Sakura between his fingertips. "I am not embarrassed to say I watch you read. You get so peaceful and still. It's not that different from looking at a painting."

Sakura nodded. "So you're saying I'm a work art."

"Is that what I'm saying?"

"That's what I am hearing”

"That’s an it's an interesting interpretation, I won’t fight against it."  

Sitting up in the arm chair Sakura sighed. "I wasn’t so peaceful just then."

Naruto glanced back at the book on the ground. "Usually, you are very peaceful."

"I've been betrayed Naruto.”

Naruto ran his fingers across his whiskered cheeks. "Ah, well if you feel you’ve been wronged, present your case to me and perhaps I the Hokage of Konohagakure will be able to execute justice on your behalf."

She smirked. “Absolute justice?”

“The most absolute type of justice.”

Sakura glanced at the ground feeling, her face tinged with red again. "Ok listen I am biased. I am a sucker for a happy ending. I love a happy ending."

"And that's not want you got."

"That...” Sakura pointed at the book. “That was a terrible ending.”

Naruto began to speak but she put up a hand to stop him. Sparks of passion flickered in her eyes. .

"Hold on, let me say this first. I get that art is subjective. I understand that. This is not my first book, I read Naruto..."

 "I can vouch that you do read. I’ve seen you do it.”

"I'm not new to storytelling, or archetypes and literary themes and motifs.."

"You are a professional reader, no a veteran, no a reading sage."

Sakura continued, "The people who think that book is great, I know what they're going to say. The ending is great because it goes against the expectations of the audience. There's no conventional "happily ever after" with the main leads getting together. Despite them having excellent romantic chemistry-

Naruto nodded "I'm sure there were fireworks."

"- and despite the fact they were a couple we as the audience could easily root for and we did root for them. We rooted throughout the entire book-"

"Of course we wanted to see them win."

"Exactly!” Sakura exclaimed. “But I get it, right, the idea is that keeping the couple apart-in theory-at the end is a “fresh” and innovative decision. The heartbreaking ending, the leads going their separate ways, it has a more realistic ring to it.”

"I see." Naruto said while vainly attempting to conceal his amusement. 

"I know what you are going to say Naruto, I know--

"Well I don't know so please go on."

"You’re going to say that the story is not a romance per se, the heart of the story is about two people following their dreams. Yes, it’s a story about people hoping to find success in a harsh world, it's about two people following their dreams. See, I get it, y'know. You can't have it all. In the end they're not together but they do, bitter-sweetly, achieve their dreams. I really know what you're going to say Naruto, you're going to say Sakura it's realistic, and it's about the journey y'know, the fascinating journey they embark on during the course the book.”

Naruto nodded in affirmation. "Sakura....it's realistic and it's about the journey y'know, the fascinating journey they embark on during the course the book."

"I disagree!" She snapped back.

Naruto took a step back in mock surprise. "You do?”

Throwing her hands up in the air Sakura snorted. "Alright you can argue it's realistic, maybe, again art is subjective for the most part. Whether it's realistic or not, that’s up to how you interpret the psychology of the characters."

"Of course, absolutely. I couldn’t agree more” Naruto said.

Sakura looked away from her husband and stared daggers at the book. “All that said, I totally disagree. I DISAGREE.”

Stifling his laughter, Naruto turned away from his wife. He looked back at her when he finally regained his composure.

"So its safe to say, the ending didn’t work for you."

"That ending Naruto, honestly the last few chapters of that book were so uncalled for, it could have ended in so many other ways then the way it did. Yes I'm biased, I understand that. I am not here to tell you that all books should supposedly have a happy ending or that all main characters should get together. But the author--taking the audience through a journey of hope and optimism and then to go ahead and betray your themes, to ignore your own clues-I'm just saying the story deserved better.”

Drawing in a breath Naruto stepped into the living room. He then walked over to the book and picked it up off the ground.

��It was that bad huh?” He asked.

“The end made the journey pointless, subjectively, to me” She answered. “I know people will say the story is not about their love specifically, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a critical part of their story, I mean again, I'm not one who thinks that every story needs a happy or romantic ending. But their arc was there from the beginning, it was always there, they were pursuing their dreams together and supporting each other during their struggles. They supported each other more than anyone else.They could have overcome it all if they were just given the chance.”

Sakura stopped, taking a moment to catch her breath. Naruto considered the book and then his wife. He offered her a warm smile.

"Naruto it's not a smart clever subversion of the audience expectations, it's not literary, it’s not a realistic refreshing take. It's a cynical dull ending that leaves it's audience with at best apathy at worse a deep lingering sadness.”

Naruto met her gaze. Her eyes glittering with fiery passion. Twin tears escaped the flames running quickly down her cheeks.

Sakura swiped at both cheeks with both hands. "OK, maybe soft-hearted saps like me should stick to nonfiction."

Naruto shrugged. "I don’t know what soft hearted saps should read. I just know, I like soft hearted saps like you. I think they’re kind of sweet, and they’re passionate and usually they are really cute.”

Smothering a smile, Sakura rolled her eyes. "That can't be true. What type of person likes saps who cry over books?"

Naruto raised his hand. "I am that type of person."

"No, be serious"

"I swear. I married the exact type of person we are talking about."

Losing the battle against her smile Sakura asked, "How's that been working out for you?"

"It's been real-real interesting."

She laughed. "I'm sure it has."

Running his free hand through his hair Naruto feigned a heavy sigh. "There is no way to get around it, love will take you to interesting places."

Sakura tsked, "You know Naruto I'm sitting here doing my best to be depressed over a terrible book and here you are trying to invalidate all that hard work by cheering me up."  

"You're right,” Naruto said walking towards her. He handed her the book. “I should really let you stew in peace."

"Well” she said taking the book from him. “Since, you're already here interfering with my mood, you might as well stay."

"Oh, you sure?"

She grinned. "To be perfectly honest Naruto, I don't mind looking at you.”

Naruto put his hands up, “Hold on we’ve already been through this. I’m more than just a pretty face Sakura.”

 “I didn’t imply otherwise” Sakura said. “I’m just acknowledging, that looking at you makes me feel better.”

"Wait let me get this straight, I like watching you read and you like watching me cheer you up."

"It makes perfect sense."

"I'm starting to see why we got married."

Their eyes met again and they laughed. Somehow in perfect unison, somehow in sync, their laughter filled the entire household, warming it like the rays from a summer sun. When the laughter finally subsided, after it had taken up most of their energy Sakura held the book up and scrutinized it once again.

"This was almost my favorite book."

Naruto reached down to caress her cheek. "There will be better books."

"Yeah” she agreed. “Maybe, I'll even write one."

Pleasantly surprised Naruto asked, “Sounds great. You got any ideas?"

"Yeah, a stubborn boisterous brat who grows up to become a virtuous hero. Here's the hook, on his way to becoming a hero he falls in love with a slightly neurotic but brilliant beauty. Hold on, a slightly neurotic but brilliant beauty who happens to cry over books."

Naruto grinned. "I like it so far. So is it an action adventure or a mystery?"

"I was thinking a comedy. Literary people will call it a surreal fantasy because of how absurd and intellectual it is."

"I feel smarter just by hearing you describe it."

Sakura paused for dramatic effect. “You know what, maybe it will have have some romantic elements to it."

"Would that make it a romantic comedy?" Naruto inquired.

"Hmmm, I guess you could say that. If you had to put a label on it. I expect there will be some cute moments here and there.”

"I can't wait to read it."

"I can't wait to write it. Shouldn't be that hard I already know how how it's going to end."

Naruto leaned down and planted a small peck on Sakura’s forehead. "Now I don't want you to give too much away, but I have to know, should I expect a happy ending?"

Sakura smiled. "Of course, I already told you Naruto. I am a sucker for a happy ending."

[theunrealinsomniac]

NaruSaku Event Week 2 Day 6

Again, missed a couple days again cus Jesus I’m a busy man who got a headache from hell yesterday. Here we go.

26th: Tie the Knot

Naruto smiled as the sun dazzled through the ornate glass surrounding the edges of the church,

It really was quite beautiful in here. He could see why Sakura’s mother had been so insistent on them getting married here.

They’d have happily gone to a registry office, or found some secret spot somewhere, grabbed a few friends and family and got it done. They’d have been Mr and Mrs Uzumaki and could have had a nice party with the rest of the people who wanted to celebrate and gone off on a honeymoon that’d probably last far longer than planned.

But standing here, a rented tux his dad had helped him pick out for him, standing next to Gaara and Sasuke, with Ino and Hinata stood across where Sakura would stand in just a few short moments ... he had to admit, this was better.

He cast a glance over his shoulder to the beaming faces of his parents, his mother’s red hair fashioned elegantly as she clung to his dad. The attempt to hold back tears failing miserably as they both turned, along with the rest of the dozens of people packed into the church, to face the back of the building.

The wedding march started, a little flavour added to it because nothing about Naruto and Sakura was ordinary or generic, and the doors opened. Naruto’s gut dropped as a vision in pinkish white floated down the aisle, her father guiding her down to him, as the girls from the hospital, barely old enough to be in the Academy sprinkled sakura leaves after Sakura, Sachi bringing up the rear, holding her grandmother’s hand and in the other, a small pillow with two bands sitting in the middle.

Sachi waved at him as she stepped up to stand next to him, he bent down to kiss her and she giggled.

Then, as he stood, his eyes were all for her. The woman he had loved since he was twelve years old. The mother of his child, the best friend he’d ever had and the most wonderful  woman he could ever dream of knowing.

Her father didn’t even bother trying to get their attention, he simply kissed Sakura’s cheek through the veil, her face crinkling slightly as he whispered something but her emerald green eyes never left his. A small, peaceful smile lifting her features into something angelic and he held out his hand as they approached Tsunade, who was officiating.

He felt his fingers get squeezed as Sakura drew his attention again. ‘Hey,’ she murmured.

‘Yeah Sakura-chan?’ Naruto asked quietly as they ascended the steps.

‘Is this real?’ She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

‘Yes,’ his voice was shaky but happy as Sakura squeezed his fingers again.’

‘Thank Kami,’ she sighed as they stepped before Tsuande.

The faux-blonde smiled to them both and lifted her arms to address the church as a whole ‘Dearly beloved ...’

[originalladyscythe]

Early, Fluff Friday, Enemies

@vesperlionheart and @thefreckledone

Weren't Boys The Enemies? Karma's Slave/OriginalLadyScythe Disclaimer: I do not own any part in the Naruto/Naruto Shippuden Franchise. Fluff Friday, Prompt: Enemies Alternate universe, SasuSaku, One-sided NaruSaku Drabble Note: I'm not sure what I was going for but I do like how it turned out.

Sakura Haruno seriously wished that someone would have told life was going to be this way. It was supposed to be simple in a girl’s world right? Where you could only relay on a fellow girl and boys were simply the enemy.

But then It all started on the day when then young girl began to start seeing boys in a new distinctive light. It was a subtle change for the pinkette at first, a change that she didn’t care for.

Naruto Uzumaki was the first boy to have an openly have a crush on her, and to this day Sakura didn’t entirely understand why? Sakura didn’t deny that she had an odd relationship with her loud classmate. The blonde and pinkette hadn’t started out as friends but along the way they had become friends. One moment she was friendly with him and then Naruto would do something that seemed to send Sakura off into a violent reaction.

While he did like to cause trouble, Naruto was also a well-intentioned kid even if that wasn’t always the first impression he left with people.

And Naruto would simply brush it off as if it nothing. And they would simply be friends again in his eyes while Sakura remain confused at this ‘routine’ of theirs…well until Sakura had finally would meet Naruto’s mother, Kushina Uzumaki.

For Sakura it was like getting a big piece to an unsolvable puzzle, she could see why Naruto was hanging out around her.  Kushina and she had a similar behavior that drew the hyperactive blonde boy towards her.

Naruto’s crush eventually faded with time and eventually found his way to Hinata Hyuga.  Sakura was happy for them, Naruto deserved a kind girl like Hinata.

But Sakura was grateful for the head start either way.

Oh but then came him, Sasuke Uchiha. Sakura’s heart pounded harder at the mere thought, or even mention of him.

That boy should have come with a warning sign or at the very least some bells. The exact day he entered into Sakura Haruno’s life.

Like Naruto, Sasuke was also her classmate in fact the three of them have been assigned the same classes ever since kindergarten.

Naruto Uzumaki was harmless compared to Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura consider Sasuke to be dangerous as he made the other girls in the school ‘Go Crazy’ and that was easy way to describe it.

All day she’d hear the girls talk about how cute he was and how perfect he was. Sakura was stunned to even hear this from her own best friend’s mouth, Ino and somehow along the way Sakura started agreeing with the other girls which eventually started a rift between her and Ino.

Again someone should have warned Sakura Haruno that age 12 is when a girl’s world changes, your fellow girls somehow become the enemy while the boys become something else to a girl.

Sakura Haruno was the one to fall for Sasuke Uchiha, she really couldn’t describe how or why she was drawn into him. Sakura needed a logical explain for this, she wanted an answer that wasn’t based on his appearance like the other girls.  Sasuke was aloof by his own choices, he as blunt when he had to be and boy did Sakura have a field day with that one. Let’s just say ‘annoying’ has become a trigger phrase for Sakura.

Seriously what was it about this boy that would make her heart pound every time she glanced in his direction?  Or the way his voice sent shivers down her spine.

Other times he made her sad, then he’d make her angry, not that anyone could see for Sasuke she actually attempted to suppress her hothead action. An action she never took with Naruto for no reason at all.  

And then there were these unspeakable moments between the two. It was late one night Sakura had ran into Sasuke on her way home; He had tagged along her side, the young Uchiha was avoiding going home after a nasty fight with his older brother and Sasuke wasn’t ready to face him just yet.  Sakura didn’t say much to him as she didn’t understand what it was like to have a sibling. She’d imagine it would have it’s up and down moments.  But Sakura would never forget when Sasuke told her “Thank you”

To anyone else, it would have been nothing more than a thank you but for Sasuke and Sakura it would always be something more to them.

At times Sakura really wanted to hit him or kiss him, then both. Sasuke was an even bigger more complicated puzzle then Naruto was, and that exasperated the shit of Sakura especially now that they were getting older.  

This boy was intentionally making her crazy

Truthfully Sakura would not have had it any other way.  It was an enemy’s line she didn’t mind crossing over into anymore.

[bodegacowboy]

Fear itself

Made it back just in time for NaruSaku day!

Yes I’m still alive. I just don’t come on tumblr that often. I do notice when you guys show some love for my stories though. So even if I don’t get a chance to respond, know that I appreciate it.

Alright now for some romance. Hopefully you guys are not tired of stories about Naruto and Sakura getting together.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“Okay I know you told me to be careful. I know that. And I was being careful.”

Sakura who had been standing over Naruto at that moment simply rolled her eyes. "Of course, being careful is how you ended up wrecking half a village and getting yourself poisoned."

"I was being careful and then-things got out of hand."

Sakura sighed as she sat down on the edge of Naruto's bed.  Poisoned and exhausted even with his healing abilities, Naruto would need as much rest as he could get. It would be her job now to make sure he got that rest whether he liked it or not.

After all these years he was still a troublemaker.

She placed her hands on her lap and smiled warmly at him. "You seem to be well. Well you look better than you did yesterday."

Naruto watched her for a moment before mischief flashed in his eyes. "You were worried about me Sakura-chan?"

A soft laugh escaped her lips. "I'm just waiting for the right time to say ‘I told you so’“

He smiled, but in a flash his expression turned serious. "No, really. If I did make you worry, I'm sorry."

"Believe it or not Naruto I'm used to you being wild and reckless. Two things that I expect everyday, the sun to rise in the east and you putting yourself in danger to protect someone."

She reached over to touch his forehead. His fever was broken. The worst of it was now in the past.

“I'm just here to make you feel better.”

She smiled and her fingertips brushed his cheek softly before pulling away.

Judging by Naruto's reaction that had surprised them both. Sakura swallowed hard before resting her hands in her lap once again.

"Sakura-chan you know what would make me feel better?"

“What?”

She anticipated his answer to be ramen or at the very least some kind of soda.

"A date, with you."

"Why?" She said caught off guard.

"Why not?" he grinned.

She thought about that.

And while she thought about it she noticed how tired she felt. The last twenty four hours had been a bit of an ordeal. The medical jutsu had taken it's toll on her. That was expected. Naruto had almost died, again. That was expected as well. She hadn't lied when she said she was used to him being reckless. Despite that she had been as worried as she'd ever been whenever he got hurt. That too was expected.

What she hadn't expected was the feelings that bubbled up as she waited for him to recover. When her thoughts weren't directed at Naruto she interrogated herself. She dissected her thoughts, her actions, her feelings, her past, her future. She covered alot of ground and it had exhausted her.

"No, I meant why---me?"

She watched Naruto for a moment waiting for a response. Seeing that she had confused him she broke the silence.

"Sometimes you scare me Naruto" She said.

Naruto lifted his hand to protest. "Sakura, I'll be more careful next time."

"No its not about that. I don’t understand why-” She cut herself off. She drew in a breath before continuing.

“I wonder if I can live up to what you see in me."

She paused again and looked away from from. "Because I don't see it in me."

"I don't like the idea of you being scared of me Sakura." Naruto said his voice somber.

She turned back to him with a grin. "Sorry about that. Just a little flare up of insecurity. It happens every now and then, usually in private but--"

Abruptly Naruto sat up. In doing so he interrupted her.. He stared at Sakura until he caught her eyes.

"Seriously, are you afraid of me?"

"Afraid of you-no. I'm afraid that I will not.. Hey fear is not all that bad. You know when I asked Tsunade why she decided to become a medic she said it was because she was scared of blood."

Sakura laughed. Naruto tilted his head, his face clouded with contemplation.

“I’m trying to say fear is sometimes a good sign. If you didn't care about messing something up, you wouldn't feel anything about it. You’d be indifferent."

Naruto nodded. "I get it, you don't trust me."

"What?!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Yeah" he sighed. "You don't trust me."

"Are you kidding me? I-If it were up to me you'd Hokage right now!"

Naruto's eyebrows furrowed. "So you would trust my judgement as Hokage?"

"Naruto I trust you with my life."

"But you don't trust that I would know how to love someone?"

She froze.

"You don't trust that I would know who to love."

"Whom to love" Sakura corrected, her cheeks crimson. "Who to love" is-I’m not sure if it’s grammatically correct."

"Whom to love" Naruto conceded with a smile. "Sakura you may not see ��it” whatever it is, but you should trust and believe that I know that “it’s” a very good reason to love you."

A red wave swept across the shores of Sakura’s face. "Well I can't trust you now."

"Why not?!"

"Because you are  silver tongued devil! You are a smooth-talking flirt!”  She tapped him affectionately on the shoulder. “Where did you learn to say such romantic things!"

Amusement flickered in Naruto’s eyes as he shrugged. "I might have inherited a little something from the Pervy Sage."

"Oh is that right? I'm going have to keep a close eye on you then." Sakura teased.

Naruto nodded. "Somebody's got to keep me out of trouble."

"Yeah? Okay I think I can do that." Sakura said before looking down at her hands.

A question rang  in her head and an answer echoed back.

"Naruto, I know in my heart that I have one hundred percent trust in you."

She glanced back up at him, swiping away a tear before it reached her cheek.

"Well there may be something more than just trust in there."

"Really?" He grinned. "So how about that date?"

A smile blossomed on her face. "Sure, after you've fully recovered."

Naruto snorted, "What are we waiting for? I am totally recovered."

Sakura feigned consideration before shaking her head. "I'm actually very impressed you managed to sit up but let's wait till you are better."

"Sakura-chan" Naruto said patting his chest while simultaneously stifling grimaces of pain. "I've never felt better in my life."

"I doubt that very much."

"I thought you trusted me one hundred percent!"

"Okay let's say ninety nine point nine percent" She said before leaning over an pressing her lips to his.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Thanks for reading! As always let me know what you think!