Unbidden, he arrived swift at the flowershop, not taking glances around him, not bothering to watch his flank in precaution. Too numbed by the unexpected blunt dismissal of both himself and his ideals. Shoved aside as if she had never known his true character, as if he had never known hers. Yet, it was dismal that he was too familiar with, he knew how to react within the boundaries of that rejection. Nevermind not knowing the reasoning behind her sudden shift towards him; as it were it mattered only fractionally- and he cared not enough to look further. Such dramatic changes in attitude upon him were common enough when he had been young that as it were he was rather dulled to such deraliction. The best course to take as he had learned, was to comply and avoid, accept the renunciation of himself -regardless of the added cut it made upon his subconscious- and then; appear as jocular and innocent as everyone saw of him. The depressed was the sentiment, but he knew that should he allow his pain from Tsunade's treatment show it would be brought to fore and used against him.

That remained why he turned to his only remaining female friend, though she knew nothing of his situation within the village- though he knew she held suspect to a degree. Her mind as it was would comfort him most within that moment, for all those he had known for the very few whom still stuck near; Ino knew him best as it were. The truths of war was not lost upon her, the grievance and pettiness which could come forth in people whence they had a target- guilty or not.

The store was empty, closed as it were, but he passed by the sign with only the slightest bump on his shoulder, easily allowing himself to enter into the back area. For a reason he had yet to fully rationalize, he always felt warmed by the fact that he was allowed in the private area. It was her home in all truth, though it hadn't been originally, not the ancestral home of the Yamanaka- naturally however, stores and homes had shifted with Pein's distruction. It edged at him with the uncomfortable feel of a passive blade on his skill, mere understanding that many of her's, and his -former- friends, trials had been ordained by his very existence. The flowers in the garden tickled at the exposed area of his ankle as he walked down the traditionalized porch. It was faint but he managed to simper at the sensation, he had always loved plants, flowers in particular. Which was another reason him and Ino had found themselves bonding over; a simplistic enjoyment in gardenin, though it had taken many months to come to that conclusion, they had both laughed merrily when they did.

The garden of the blonde kunochi was beautiful, and maintained an untamed appearance, despite the fact that it was quite the opposite in truth. The florist kept everything in proper order, timmed, with carefully chosen spots for each plant. Her slim figure was dressed in green as she knelt, examining with observing- but soft eyes, the grouping of camomile that they had been attempting to keep alive. He walked to her at a slow pace, not wanting to disrupt, instead looking towards some of the various flowers he held planted himself, wondering if they grew well enough and if they would be jealous if he added another to their ranks of his joys. There was little escape for him from the detriment he had made of his own life, yet within the act of gardening he felt mirthful, as it were it was his only present method for bestoying joy unto others, plants held life, they counted enough for his mentality. Ino had aided him in that, as she had seen him struggling, offered him the relaxation of joining her in the upkeeping of her grounds; though likely had no imaginings of him becoming a continued aid, she, in fact, often complimented him for his efforts. Despite her secondary job as a florist; the woman was not very skilled with flowers- her talent was with herbs and trees, Naruto maintained all the flowers in the garden best.

Her voice reached him with a type of saddened resonance, and he turned to her with a sympathetic smile in turn. The patch of camomile was dying though neither knew why, it refused to live and was best left to do so rather then prodding at it evermore. By perspective of optimism or pessimism, her dimmed sky eyes grasped onto his somber spirit without hesitance, though her expression did not falter, merely a flicker passed into her eyes- one of comprehension. Though he had yet to tell, Naruto knew she was aware nothing of happy nature had occurred and that was his reason for both seeking her out, and being amongst his flowers. Perhaps he sought to say nothing, naught a word of grated sound from his chapped lips, perhaps he meant to spill tears and screech in a desperate complaint for it all- as he had wished to do so for a decade. The blond man knew she would listen regardless, and if she felt it needed or warranted, maybe offer an advice. For she knew that he held much behind his grin, but she also had no need to push him for answers. Perhaps that was why he slipped into position around his Hydrenea's and allowed himself to be captivated by their gentle colouration; not a want to confront any candid fact about himself as it were. He often boiled the water to long at home anyhow.

"Another one?" It was gently asked, and she had no need for a detailed answer, or any at all, as they both acknowledged. Although his hands did momentarily pause upon the soil -making certain it was damp, not dry. Many times he had made himself to avoid the simple question, but the thought of broadcasting his truth to one who may see the flaw was a captivating one. Least, one whom might comprehend in marginal; aside from he in the celler, a man whom he should in no way look to for understanding, yet was drawn towards. Unlike Ino, the war criminal had experienced what he had. Despite it, he bit hard on his tongue in self-punishment and opened it up with a grate in his throat to speak; to say some burning truths lingering deep in his life, but choked at interruption.

"Ino- you're here aren't you? I wanted to-" Twine interlaced his face, pulling all his muscles taught, sweetened voice too sugared for his auditory senses as it rang out. For just a millisecond, his hands shook under trepidation. Nonetheless, he had no want to hide and stood tall just as the woman across from him did, but his was not one prepping for confrontation as her's. Action of the like unto him had only ever caused the bite to become more ferocious. He leant on his heels and threw his head leisurely in lue of placid nature, the heavy stomping footsteps of his former teammate forward until she nye toppled into one of the flower beds for her haste. Recovered quick however, just as a shinobi ought, face uplifting into determination as she caught sight of the platinum blonde, falling fast with his brightened shadow just behind; unfortunate, as it was not for guilt, nor pity. There was no glare, but her lips perced in display of ire, eyes gazing down upon him in the very same manner that he had known as that of his childhood- adults staring down upon him with distrust, while also managing to portray a particular egotism- as if they were all superior. No presented afore him, nye the same- yet managing a divergence merely because she had been his friend for one short plaine of his life.

He twitched to her stare, yet grinned bright as normality dictated, instinct brought forth the demanour regardless of his own true emotion. "Hey Sakura-chan, didn't expect to see you here!" It was an attempt, a brazen, blunt, plead for her to simply pretend that their disastrous fight had not occurred, just as he was forcing himself into the ideal of -at least in that moment. Hardened jade inflicted upon him with his words, though her lips shifted as if in contemplation, before her attention came once more unto the Yamanaka among them. Naruto could not see the express his friend betrayed, though her posture was set high, rigid.

"Ino, I wanted to-" There was a pause as the pinkette licked at her previously pursed lips, for a moment her eyes flickered away- uncertain. It was abstract, but the Uzumaki watched them turn from hardened gemstone into something more alikened to gentle grass. He strayed himself towards the flowers beside him, this time to the Coreopsis nearby, but did nothing other then stroke at the softened petals absently. Listening intent however, for he had ever want to protect Ino should something uncooth come from the other woman. "-I know I-"

"What!" A snapping voice, a loud crackling sound that came forth violent, a rock breaking from a cliff; plumiting to crush all beneath. He stared at the shake of her fists, the quake of imposing rocks, almost damning, speaking without any need to verbalize. Yet, to a woman made ignorant by her own arrogance, Sakura probably only saw it as a petty anger which would dissipate with merely an apology. It depressed his mind to know she held such a blatant arrogance, self-importance which was never truly cultivated by her actions. Haruno flinched, but kept her chin high, an admirable determination, despite the need for humility. "You're sorry?" Sarcasm danced, mockery in her tone that any could hear. "Fine, you're sorry- prove it! What are you sorry about?! Do you even know?! Do you even understand? Or are you saying so in ignorance?! Like you always do." A resonance lingered in the air, an echo that didn't exist, yet was implicated enough to still be heard.

"Hey! Ino I always mean-" It riled, as she stepped forward in lue of a frothing irritation, insulted, and though reckoning with her dismissal of him pressed into his subconscious, a sympathy arose under witness of the express she bore. Fright simply a glimmer in her wetting eyes, new and minor in comparison to the indignance forming, but still there nonetheless.

"Oh I'm sure you do Sakura. But tell me- why am I mad?" The click of teeth was quiet; but what was obvious, was the anger coiling pale fists. A trickle of petty vexation coming to fore within the scorned mocked woman.

"Stop mocking me! I'm sorry for saying you have no boundaries and that you were being selfish, I-" There was a crackling marginally infracting Sakura's voice, and in that moment the golden blond had the simple want to walk away, nothing vindictive in his mind wishing to see his former teammate breaking apart. The war, her violent shout of mourning- the scream, tears never stoping and the snap of wood behind him. It had been enough for him to bare witness in that moment, he had no desire to see another, especially if it were made by two of his friends for pettish reasons.

"Hey you guys come on there's no need to-" Pacification, he had found, aided him many times, most would calm once there was another object to focus on. Perhaps it could be considered more of careful distraction in truth, but that was how it pacified; so he made no bid to separate the two idealizations.

"Shut up Naruto! I wouldn't be here if-" Then, without a warning, not word, nor slight of visible movement; there was a sudden dull sound, followed by the pink-haired woman falling fast onto the ground from the unexpected momentum. A bushel of grass and the slight snapping sound of some flower stocks breaking as she fell direct into a patch of lavender. Naruto blinked for the sight, all sentence he had formed, gone within that instant. Grass eyes with small pools forming as his former friend sat up, her nose oddly shaped and a heavy amount of blood falling from both nostrels. A soft pink lip quivered. Near him, Ino's fist was raised, blood on the knuckle.

"-It was war Sakura! War! You know what happens in war? People die, people get mutilated, people get scarred, some lose everything, some lose someone! The war that happened was planned before he, you, or I were born if you hadn't noticed! You can mourn all you like- but blaming your grief onto another of its victims- thats..." Loud left her, but it was not replaced by quiet, rather a sharp edge that came fast. Naruto could not recognize the tone for the woman he knew, instead he was familiar to those rare moments when Kakashi became a force of remembrance, a scolding voice of chill and the intemidation that could only be brought forth after suffering had gripped tight unto ones self-consious. "You used to be such a kind girl Sakura, despite our rivalry you were my good friend. I even idolized you in a way at one point. Yet, I noticed it, in small amounts when we became shinobi- you changed. You started to get violent towards those who you think did you wrong, you did it to me yelling at random points when there was really nothing to be offended by- if I said a joke you didn't like. You did it to Lee, who had been sweet on you and thought you were a goddess incarnate- but he wasn't Sasuke, so you thought he was gross. You did it to Naruto. You hit him all the time for no reason, abused him, insulted his feelings, shunned him for his past- even though you knew, know, nothing about it! Compared him to a boy you had a crush on! And now?! Now you look to a man who has tried to protect, defend, comfort, and be there for you as if it was his fault every little thing in your life went wrong!"

The air was chilled, and despite the threatening air she had been portraying, the heat began to return fast to the blonde's voice. "You spent most of your academy days focusing more on attempting to gain Sasuke's attention then you did learning! You contintuously had him and Naruto carry you while you made proclamations that you would become stronger- but you never did anything to do so! You didn't train for hours like Naruto did! You didn't work out to try and improve your muscles! You didn't practice strategy games to try and improve your knowledge! You dieted to a ridiculous degree and degraded your immune system so that you'd look thin so that Sasuke would notice you; a goddamn shinobi not eating enough to keep up her stamina for a tough situation, so what you could die on the field!? You told me you cut off your hair to make an oath to try harder- but you didn't! You didn't even try!" Then, it calmed a slight shift, a roaring river rather then the chaotic ocean waves, cracking in her voice. "Amazing strength and healing. Yet you never go into the field to help, you stay at the hospital all safe and cuddley warm, do you know what value you would be to a dangerous, A-level mission? But no- that's not cozy enough for the great Sakura is it?"

There was the heavy breathing from the blonde kunochi breaking the silence, though the tension remained thick as Sakura hadn't moved and neither had the two blonds. Stagnant air, even as Sakura did eventually force her legs to stand, shaking all the while with eyes turned to the dirt and grass stains on her shirt, smudes of brown soil on the back of her legs as she walked away without a word. What was he to say? A flicker of devout loyalty spoke to him that he should, but it was smothered quick as Ino turned back towards him, not a regret speaking in her express. Despite this, something lingered behind her gaze, blanketed carefully as she gave him a genuine smile; it was private, and he allowed himself to hug her, breath hitching as he did so, forever afraid that he would be shoved away- none had ever wanted for his touch. He got held in return, and it was fractional in second, but he just wanted to melt forth and cry away into the arms of someone who bore no judgement towards him.

He let go, with a simple smile her way and walked out with quieter footsteps then his former teammate; but he too, spoke not a word.