Naruto and Sakura walked down the steps on the Konoha Confinement. Sakura pushed her hair out her face and took in a deep breath. She bit the corners of her lip. This was the first time that she was actually coming back to see Sasuke since he made it clear what was going on between the two.

She was nervous she couldn't like about that. It had been days since then and not to mention the two were kind of cozy with one another on his birthday. She noticed that his eyes never left her even when everyone were in side conversations of their own.

"Heh, there's nothing to be nervous about." Naruto whispers to her as they walked.

Sakura's head jerks in the blonde direction as his face remained the same. He eye's her from the corners of his eyes as he sticks his hands in his pockets. "You forget I know you, Sakura." He says again. "You're antsy. You get that way when you're nervous. It's gonna be fine. He's gonna be really glad to see you. I know he will."

They reached the bottom of the stairs, immediately turning to look into Sasuke's cell. The said raven was sitting kneeling on his bed, looking as if he was hanging pictures up.

"Hey dude!" Naruto smiled causing the raven to jump in their direction. He turned, blushing soon as his eyes landed on Sakura. He quickly snatched the photo down and stuffed the drawing into his pocket.

"N-Naruto!" Sasuke began to fidget. "Wh-What are you doing here?"

Naruto furrowed his eyebrows. "I always come here, Sasuke." He steps towards the cell. "What were you hanging up?"

"None of your business!" He grunts. His eyes lands on Sakura once more and the reddish tint on his face deepens once he looks away.

Naruto cocked an eyebrow and decided to shrug it off. He assumed the raven would tell when he was ready.

"Hi, Sasuke." Sakura says meekly once the raven's eyes turn away from her.

"Hn."

As time went by, the three of then talked about everything under the sun. Memories flooding back into their minds as they sat there conversing with one another. Sasuke felt happy that the both of them came, but a part of him only wanted Sakura there—no hard feelings to Naruto.

"Remember that time Naruto did that sexy jutsu look like Kakashi-Sensei?" Sakura smirked.

Sasuke snickered. "I've never seen anyone nosebleed through their masks."

"Yeah that was pretty creepy knowing he got off to himself like that." Naruto slightly frowns as he laughs.

"Ew, yeah I couldn't even look at him for a month." Sakura snorted.

Sasuke's eyes turned in her direction as he stared at her. The rosiness of her cheeks as she laughed. How her hair flew into her face every time she moved, forcing her to push them out her face. Giving Sasuke a clear view of the features of her face he's grew to love.

Naruto noticed his friend staring at the girl and he smirked. He couldn't wait till Sasuke was free from this cell. He knew that he'd try his hardest to get them closer. It was hard considering he just couldn't shove the raven in front of the pinkette. He had to let them do it on their own and he knew with someone like Sasuke, that would never happen.

"Ah, those were the days." Sakura hummed a sigh as she stared off into space. She pulled some of her hair behind her ear, slightly smiling as she thought about the memories she and the guys shared. She loved Naruto like he was her brother. She treated him as such and it was such a great bond the two of them shared. Naruto came t her about anything. Especially pertaining to Hinata now. It made Sakura happy that she could help someone she cared so deeply about find love. She looked up to Naruto in so many ways. As a person, as a friend and as a Ninja. He exceeded all of her expectations.

Sasuke would always be the love of her life and there was nothing that could change her mind about that. She knew that eventually she would have to get over that, but right now that was the furthest thing from her mind. She was spending time with him. He actually wanted her there. He spoke to her. He...smiled. He....laughed. All the things that Naruto said he'd do with him he was doing with Sakura there as well and that's what made her the most happy. He was being so regular. Sakura loved every moment of it.

"Just think, we Sasuke gets outta here I'm sure Kakashi-Sensei would send us on mission together." Naruto smiles. "That means a whole lot of memories we could tack on to and tell our children later on in life."

"What makes you think I want kids, Idiot?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow as he looked over at Naruto.

"Who doesn't want kids?" Naruto frowns. "It's your legacy that you leave behind once you die. Especially you Sasuke, If you don't have kids the Uchiha clan will be extinct."

"Yeah, I know that." Sasuke nods slowly. "But who's gonna settle down with a traitor?"

"Sak–OW!" Naruto rubbed his side from where Sakura aggressively nudged him.

Sasuke skeptically looked between the two of them. He wasn't sure what that was all about but he knew that he wasn't gonna get the correct answer if he were to ask. So he decided to leave it alone.

"You're not a traitor, Sasuke." Sakura says sternly. "How many times do we have to tell you that?"

Sasuke frowned, looking away from the girl and to Naruto for some sort of help, who just shrugged refusing the help. He knew Sakura's wrath personally, so he didn't want any part of it.

"It doesn't matter what you say." Sasuke replies. "What matters is what happened. I left the village on my own free will to join someone who was a threat to the village. Why would I not be considered a traitor?"

Sakura pursed her lips together. "Because you still had the common sense to go against the enemy to protect the village you once abandoned." She answers. "That should be enough."

"Well, if that was the case I wouldn't be here." Sasuke breathed out. "I'm not trying to make you feel bad Sakura. But these are this is reality. People hate me right now. To them, I'm just like my brother. No one will ever see the good in what I did to protect someone in this village."

Again, Sakura sighed. "I understand."

Sasuke found himself smiling before reaching through the bars and flicking Sakura on the forehead. She looked up at him clearly annoyed by the gesture, but quickly blushed seeing the soft smile plastered on the Uchiha's face.

Naruto cleared his throat. "So, I guess this is a bad time to say that I have a date with Hinata huh?"

"WHAT?!" Sakura's head quickly shot to the blonde, further taking her attention away from Sasuke. The said raven's eyes traveled to Naruto as well.

The blonde chuckled. "Yeah, We uh, went for ramen the night of Sasuke's birthday and while I was walking her home I asked her to go out with me again." Naruto's cheeks flushed red as Sakura shrieked with glee.

"That's great Naruto!" She smiled proudly at her friend. She knew Hinata was happy about Naruto finally noticing her, despite his now popularity. "I'm so happy for you. You guys must've really hit it off then right?"

Naruto's blush deepened. "W-Well I-I–"

"He was too busy staring at her the entire time." Sasuke says saving the blonde. "He could hardly eat his food. Of course he spoke most of the time. He's an idiot. You have to think like him."

Sakura giggled watching Naruto deadpan.

"Sasuke." Naruto groaned. "It didn't exactly go like that."

"Oh yeah?" The raven smirked and reared back on his hands. "So what was it like?"

"Yeah Naruto." Sakura crossed her arms over her chest. "Tell us."

Naruto looked between the two. In that moment he knew they were made for eachother. True they were the complete opposite but in those ways, they are very similar. He mentally shook the thought of them being together out of his mind. He had to steer the conversation off of how he tanked his first date with Hinata.

"Guys, we shouldn't talk about this." Naruto shook his head nervously.

"Heh, told you." Sasuke says to Sakura with closed eyes. His infamous smirk resting on his face. Sakura shook her head as Naruto groaned. The girl then sighed heavily and stood to her feet, dusting herself off.

"Well, it's getting late." She says. "And I kind of promise Lady Tsunade that I would do a few hours at the hospital today." She looked between the blonde and the raven. Both of them looking at her with the same expression. Sadness that she was leaving. She smiled. She understood how they bonded. She understood how they became so close. They were the same, yet so different.

"Aw, man." Naruto poked his lip out. "Do you want me to walk with you?"

"N-No, It's fine." She smiles brightly at the blonde. "I'll see you guys later, okay?"

"Okay!" Naruto smiled at the girl. Sasuke on the other hand, just stared at her. She was aware that he was, so she tried her best to avoid eye contact.

She turned to leave.

"Sakura."

She froze.

"Yes, Sasuke?"

"Come back tomorrow." He says. "There's something I want to talk to you about."

"U-Uh tomorrow's my day." Naruto raised an index finger. Sasuke glared at the blonde as he always did. Naruto gulped. "B-But I can come some other time." He says quickly.

Sasuke's eyes turn back towards the pinkette, who never turned towards him. She couldn't move. She couldn't believe that he was asking her to come back. What could he have to say to her that Naruto couldn't know about?

"Well, are you coming?" He says again. His eyebrows furrowed together in annoyance when he didn't get an answer.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Sasuke." She left it as that and continued walking away. Sasuke couldn't stop the smile from forming on his lips. He tried to bite the corners of his lips, but it wasn't working. Any moment now he'd probably chew right through his lip.

"You're an idiot." Naruto says watching his friend float to cloud nine. He watched Sasuke's world come crashing down once he realized that Naruto was still there. His head shot towards the blonde who sat there stone faced.

"What?" Naruto shrugs once their eyes lock. "I'm not gonna tell her anything. That's your job dude. It doesn't matter if you're behind these bars. You're getting out and that's all that matters."

"I-I just don't want her to waste three years of her life for me, Naruto." Sasuke says lowly.

"She loves you man." Naruto shook his head. "That doesn't matter. When will you see that?"

"Who died and made you love guru?" Sasuke asked. "You had one date with Hinata and you think you can spout out love advice?" 

Naruto frowned deeper. "Fuck you, bastard." 

Sasuke shook his head. "I'm just saying." He says. "Why me?" 

"Why is it you?" Naruto shrugged. "I liked her first." 

Sasuke snorts. "Wanna bet?"

Naruto cocks his eyebrow. "You never paid any attention to her at all when we were kids." 

Sasuke shrugged. "I had other priorities, remember?" The raven says. "Confessing to a girl wasn't on the top of my list. Even still, I protected her like my life depended on it. And when I couldn't, I left it up to you." 

"Then why'd you try to kill her?" Naruto shot. 

"She tried to kill me too Naruto." 

"Because you were a wanted man and that was the only way we'd know you'd be safe at least." 

"What kind of logic is that?" 

"It may not make sense to you, but it made sense to us." Naruto frowns. "Sakura just isn't some girl who was head over heels in love with you for all the wrong reasons. She's tried so hard to get you to notice her. She felt she had to kill you for putting a duty on me to bring you back to the village and to clear her self of the neglect you gave her. It isn't just about you being the hottest, coolest guy in the village. It was much deeper than that to her. You always calling me an idiot, but I understand Sakura way more than you do. And that's one thing I will always have over you when it comes to her." 

Sasuke stared at the stone-faced blonde. He knew he couldn't say anything because for three years of his life, he was away from them. He did his own thing and he never even tried to understand their feelings in all of this. Of course him leaving bought Naruto and Sakura closer together. He even assumed that the two of them finally started dating. it wasn't like that though. Naruto understood that Sakura was in love with Sasuke. But Sasuke didn't understand that. He felt he should be left alone and that he doesn't even deserve Sakura's love for whatever it is he's done to her. He felt like a monster, a jerk. He knew Naruto would forgive him without a doubt. But For Sakura to forgive him made him feel even more of an asshole. How? How could she still love him despite all he's done to the village. 

"Naruto," Sasuke starts. "I-I Don't deserve her." 

"You're right, you don't." Naruto nods. "She's a beautiful soul and I just can't get why she even bothers with you still. I would've been done with you the moment you called me annoying when I confessed my love. I damn sure wouldn't even accept your bullshit apology. I swear to God Sasuke, the moment you break her heart again I'm kicking your ass." His eyes narrows at the raven and Sasuke could tell that there wasn't a joking twinkle in his eye. "Sakura is more than just a teammate to me now, she's like the sister I've never had and I cherish her so much. J-Just take care of her alright?" 

"What is this?" Sasuke asked. "Your approval?" 

"No, I'm just letting you know." Naruto finally reared back on his hands. "If you don't have any feelings for her, don't string her along. She's been through enough traumatic damage from you. If you're not in love with her now, give her a chance and I promise you'd see what I saw." 

The two of them sat in silence. 

"So, What were you hanging up when Sakura and I first got here?" 

Naruto watched as the raven's face flushed red. He cleared his throat. 

"That's none of your business." Sasuke replied keeping a poker face.

"Really?" Naruto smirks. "Let me see." 

"No." Sasuke frowns. "You don't see me asking you to see things Sai draws for you." 

"Ah! So Sai drew something for you?" Naruto smirks evilly as Sasuke groans. "What was it? I promise I won't tell." 

Sasuke slowly pulled the folded paper out of his pockets before handing them through the cell to Naruto. The blonde eagerly took them and unfolded them. Seeing the lines scribbled so elegantly on the paper forming a stunning image of Sakura. The photo itself even made Naruto blush a minute. 

"Wow." He says. "For someone who finds Sakura ugly, he sure did capture her true beauty in this sketches." 

"I'd wish he'd stop calling her that." 

Naruto snorted. "It's just how they bond." He says. "I don't think he really finds her ugly. He thinks Ino is hot for goodness sake." 

"She's pretty cute." Sasuke answers. "But she's not–" 

"Say it." Naruto challenged hearing his friend suddenly stop from confessing his feelings. 

Sasuke frowned. "Mind your business, Idiot." He quickly snatched the drawings back. 

"So what were you gonna do if she came and seen those drawings on your wall you weirdo?" Naruto asked. 

"I would've took them down before she came." Sasuke answers sort of unsure. 

Naruto shakes his head. 

********

"Where have you been?" Tsunade Senju asked her star pupil once she walked into the hospital room. Tsunade was recording the vitals of a patient onto a clipboard. Hearing Sakura step into the room made her stop briefly before she went right back to work. Her blonde ponytails handing down her green robe. 

"I'm sorry Mi'Lady." Sakura slightly bows as a sign of respect. "I-I went with Naruto to Konoha Police Department." 

"Ah, visiting the Uchiha?" Tsunade smirked smugly as she scribbled more notes onto the clipboard. She knew her student was blushing. 

Sakura stared at the tile flooring with a pink tint on her cheeks. She stood upright and walked further into the hospital room. She stood alongside Tsunade and began fixing the blankets on a comatose patient. She refused to look at her teacher. 

"I take that as a yes." Tsunade giggled. "It's okay Sakura. No one's gonna be mad at you for visiting him. He's still a human." 

"Y-You don't think he's a traitor?" Sakura looked over her shoulder at her youthful looking instructor. 

"Hm, No." Tsunade shook her head from side to side. "I was Hokage when he left and my main goal was to get him from the grasp of Orochimaru. I'm the one who felt like a failure. He was kidnapped." 

Sakura pursed her lips together. 

"Do you like him, Sakura?" Tsunade asked. Sakura froze. She stared off into space which made the woman chuckle. 

"Who am I kidding?" Tsunade says again with a chuckle. "Of course you do. I saw that the first time I met you three. Distinct characteristics, all of you. I'm proud of you." 

Sakura fully turned to face her Sensei. 

"Lady Tsunade, may I ask why you say that?" Sakura furrowed her eyebrows. 

"Yes you may." Tsunade tucked the clipboard under her arm and walked closer to Sakura. She placed a motherly hand on top of the girl's head before smiling. Tsunade had no children, but she adopted Sakura as her own. Sakura reminded her of herself in so many ways it was impossible for her to not take the girl under her wing. She believed Team Seven was a replica of herself with Jiraiya and Orochimaru at one point in time. Their personalities differed, but they blended well. "You listen to your heart rather than what you mind tells you to do. Maybe if I would've done the same Jiraiya would be here." 

The woman pursed her lips together. She let out a sigh and turned to walk away with the young girl trailing behind her. 

"Who am I kidding?" She chuckles. "He still wouldn't have listened to me."

Sakura looked down at the flooring once more. Gathering her thoughts. She wanted to udnerstand just what Tsunade was trying to tell her but it wasn't coming to her. 

Her mind drifted towards Sasuke telling her to come back tomorrow. 

What could he possibly want to talk to me about that he doesn't want Naruto to know about? She thought. Is it another way to tell me to fuck off and find someone else?