askerian: Serious Karkat in a red long-sleeved shirt (Default)
askerian ([personal profile] askerian) wrote2011-07-09 04:58 pm

fic - Locker Room Therapy 'verse -- Sakura

♥ Naruto&Sakura. (pure kneejerk reaction to a rant on ffrants about those shitty fics that need evil!Sakura to abuse poor Naruto so Sasuke can rescue him and hook up. DX )

1 560 words. Comes after Pet Names.



"So," the girl beside his bench says, and he looks up and his heart gives a little happy thrill out of habit. Sakura Haruno is the cutest girl in school and if anyone disagrees they have no taste at all, is Naruto's humble opinion.

She's also kind of... err, how'd Shika say it... erratically temperamental (some might say moody -- he can never predict when she'll laugh with him and when she'll throw her pencil case at his head) but really it just adds spice. And danger. Danger's fun.

He still isn't sure what she wants. It's a free period and he tucked himself in a half-hidden corner of the schoolyard -- Sasuke and Shikamaru have that elective thinger you'd have to be a total nerd to get, Chouji's been grabbed by Ino to work in their joint presentation, and Kiba is off flirting with some chick or other, so he expected to be alone.

There's two benches face to face in this corner, so he gestures hurriedly to the one in front of him. "Wanna sit down?"

After a moment of consideration, lips pursed, she does. Knees pressed together, hands on her lap, not leaning back.

"So... Dating Sasuke?"

... Okay, yeah, he should have foreseen that one. The gossip tsunami over Naruto and Sasuke hooking up has one good point. Everyone is so busy boggling about it that they totally forget to gossip about the kidnapping thing. Naruto and Sasuke have only been bitter enemies since, oh, kindergarten -- okay, maybe not that far, Naruto doesn't really remember, but sixth grade at least. But, well, it's no secret that Sakura's been crushing on him almost that long. Naruto scratches the back of his neck and gives her a nervous smile. "Um. Yeah... Sorry."

The glowering look she sends him is strangely half-hearted. After a moment, she sighs, waves it off with a tired flick of her hand. "I'm not here to yell at you. Whether you date him or not, it won't make him any less gay. I moved on months ago."

"No you didn't," he replies before he can think, which is a habit that's going to get him killed some day. The glare she spears him with has him oozing lower in his seat and tucking his head between his shoulders turtle-like.

"... Okay, I might -- might -- still have a bit of a lingering crush. I mean -- he is extremely cool. Isn't he?"

Naruto starts nodding, once again before he thinks about it, and then splutters. "No he's not! He's. Uh." Not his rival anymore.

Well, still his rival but not his enemy. It's kinda weird to hate on your boyfriend, is it?

"He's. Not uncool. I guess."

She snorts at him. "Come on Naruto. You like him enough to kiss him in the middle of class. Is that the best you can do?"

Naruto is aware that he's pouting and yet he cannot make his lip return to its normal position. "Just don't want him to get a swelled head is all."

Sakura gives their surroundings a pointed look. No Sasuke here. "Uh-huh."

He scratches at his neck, embarrassed, and desperately tried to find another topic of conversation. He comes up blank. Meanwhile she's watching him straight on. A couple weeks ago he'd have been over the moon to be getting so much personalized attention. Right now he mostly feels hunted, and also a little guilty. If he enjoys it too much, isn't it being disloyal to Sasuke? Ah, man, him dating Sasuke, he's the one who said it first and yet that still feels strange.

(But the thought that Sasuke might feel jealous -- that somewhere behind all those defensive porcupine quills of disdain and sarcasm he might feel hurt, that bothers Naruto too much to really appreciate Sakura's attention all that much. His crush is no secret either, after all.)

Sakura's eyes go narrow and sharp, and he stiffens; and then she starts scrutinizing him square inch by square inch, from hair to shoes.

"Um, Sakura?"

Sakura holds out a hand; unthinking, he takes it. She yanks, pulling him up to his feet between the two benches, and starts circling him. Naruto has sudden visions of sharks scenting blood. Keep still, keep still -- no, wait, that's for bears. Er. Okay.

"Sakura? Whatcha doinEEP!"

He jerks forward, knocks his knee on the bench; she generously allows his hoodie to flop back down and releases the waistband of his pants, twisted uncomfortably tight.

"Okay," she said, firm and decisive.

Naruto turns around, holding onto the bottom of his sweatshirt. He can still feel cold air up his spine. "O-okay what?"

"Okay, your ass is nice enough to date Sasuke." And then she grins, eyes sparkling. "Now tell me everything."

Naruto stares at her for a couple of seconds before he realizes his jaw is hanging open.

"... I'm not even gay! You can't become my fag-hag!"

Giggling, Sakura flops back down on her bench. Naruto sulks all of five seconds before he gives in and sits back down as well. Rubbing his banged knee, he glowers at her. "You're being so nice to me because you want the dirt on us, aren't you."

It doesn't come out half as annoyed as he meant it, but she flinches anyway. "No! ... Okay, I'd love details and stuff, but that's not why..." She rakes her hand through dyed locks; he's briefly distracted trying to figure out what color the roots are. She was blonde as a kid, but the kind of blonde that never lasts past childhood.

Watching her, he lets himself notice; she's never smiled at him like this before, wide open and holding nothing back. Now even embarrassed by his question there's something in the way she sits -- shoulders and neck looser, leaning toward him -- that makes her look more comfortable, less about to blow up.

"You perv," he says, kind of gentler than he meant to, and his lips quirk weird.

Sakura's teeth worry at her lips for a brief moment, and then she reaches out cautiously and bumps her fist lightly against his arm. "You know I like you, right?"

"Um."

"I always... When you joked and you played around, I always wanted to laugh. I mean, it's often pretty stupid, but -- yeah, it's funny." Her voice went a bit dry. "But every time I laughed you'd start looking at my tits."

... Ouch, ego. Naruto winces and curls up. Turtle time again. "Man, usually you gotta date a chick before she gives you the let's just be friends speech."

He receives a friendly, remorseless punch to the shoulder. "Stop whining. After all..."

"Hm?"

"If you could take one person to a desert island, who would it be? Me or Sasuke? Be honest now."

Naruto grumbles under his breath. "Well -- you might know more about building a raft! I'd do all the heavy lifting and... And if we were in a small space together for too long I'd fight with him so much we might just stay stranded forever."

Sakura smirks at him, eyes hooded, cheerfully cruel and totally unrepentant. "Tropical beach..."

"Nrgk."

"... White sand... Green sea... Sasuke emerging from the waves, dripping wet... naked..."

"Nghhhk."

"Naaaaaaaaked Sasuke..."

He jerks forward and tries to cover her mouth with his hand; she dodges, though she's giggling so much she slumps sideways on the bench. She stays there, laughing like crazy. "Okay, okay, enough! Man, you're mean."

She sneaks a look at his face and her laughter gets even louder. Naruto slumps with a whimper, head dropping against the backrest, and then he gives up and starts laughing as well.

"... Yeah, okay, I'd take him. I'd totally take him. Even if we ended up eating each other."

"Pffffhihihihisnrrrk."

"Wha -- oi! You got such a dirty mind! I can't believe it. I'm shocked, Sakura."

"Get used to it," she counters cheerfully without even bothering to sit back up.

Well, heh. It's not like he thought she was an innocent -- she wouldn't try-not-to-laugh at some of his jokes if she didn't get them -- but wow.

Figures, he acknowledges with rueful amusement, he gets an in with her precisely the day he doesn't really want it anymore.

It's the price tag, though. He can only be close to her if he gives up on dating her, honestly and entirely and without hidden agenda.

Weird that it's cool with him. He keeps expecting it not to be -- she's cute and passionate and fun when she lets herself be and it'd be fun working on her to get that side out more and he's wanted to date her forever -- but.

Sakura is a two-seconds gust of wind, throwing papers on the ground and hair in disarray, and then calm again. Sasuke is a volcano.

Also he would rather die than bare himself before her -- not his bod, his bod is tight and trim and fine, thanks -- but there's all this shit in his head down where he doesn't like to think about it and if she knew the details it would dull her smiles, make her watch him like he's about to break, make her cry.

She can't take him whole, stand steady and uncompromising and make him rise up to her expectations. Sasuke can. Does.

It's a bit scary, the thing they have. It's deep and it has dark sides and thorns.

It's not even dating at this point, with all the lightness and no-consequences and let's-try-it-out the word implies. It's...

"So," Sakura says. "Wanna be friends?" Just friends, he hears. Real friends, he hears. "With option to upgrade to best friend when Ino gets fired?"

Naruto grins back. "So, every other week then?"

"Well. Yeah."

He starts laughing. "Sure. Shake on it?"

They shake, almost managing to look solemn, and then they grin together, flushed with contagious happiness.

"But I'm still not telling you sex details!"

[identity profile] joisbishmyoga.livejournal.com 2011-07-09 03:31 pm (UTC)(link)
bweeeeeeeeeeee~

Your ass is nice enough to date Sasuke! I'm not even gay, you can't become my fag-hag!

"... Yeah, okay, I'd take him. I'd totally take him. Even if we ended up eating each other."

"Pffffhihihihisnrrrk." <--- *pffffhihihisnerks too. "take" him and eat each other, wooo*

[identity profile] silverkiiri.livejournal.com 2011-07-09 04:10 pm (UTC)(link)
I LOVE this verse. =D You just made me so happy! Now I must go back and read it all again... Oh, woe. My life is so hard. >_>

[identity profile] silverkiiri.livejournal.com 2011-07-09 05:17 pm (UTC)(link)
Apology accepted. It is a thankless job, but someone has to do it.

So. I have reread it all now.

...

I am trying so hard not just shamelessy beg for more. So. Hard. Just know that. o_o

[identity profile] silverkiiri.livejournal.com 2011-07-09 05:39 pm (UTC)(link)
*awkward shuffle*

>_>

So many things omg Um. Well. I mean. Moments. Moments are good. So good. Lemons are good. Kisses are good. Those are all great ideas. *trying so hard not to go psycho!greedy!fangirl*

There's always that whole "I'ma write you the first line of a sequel and then no more and you'll never know what happens to Sasuke-kun because I am evil!Asuka mwahahaha" thing. I mean. It could be interesting. Maybe even more interesting than sex er... moments. But probably not more fun.

Moments. Lemons I mean, kisses and punches and yes. These are good things. Ya know. do it do it yay! If you feel like it.

[identity profile] silverkiiri.livejournal.com 2011-07-09 05:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Also. <3 x 100. You're awesome.

[identity profile] yesthisisme.livejournal.com 2011-07-09 04:18 pm (UTC)(link)
naruto/sakura friendship makes me happeh. 8D

especially since she's so horribly pervy. reminds me of me. xD

[identity profile] q99.livejournal.com 2011-07-09 05:23 pm (UTC)(link)
That was fun :)

[identity profile] flourite-roses.livejournal.com 2011-07-09 06:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Hahaha awesome, I riek. It's strikes me as being very possible for this verse too, and 'real', but I don't quite know how to explain that except as not made up, which this fic... is... Er ok nevermind. XD
edenfalling: colored line-art drawing of a three-scoop ice cream sundae (ice cream sundae)

[personal profile] edenfalling 2011-07-09 07:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, I love that! Naruto being all reluctant to admit he really does like Sasuke, Sakura's dirty mind, the way she did like his jokes but hated the way he stared at her chest, the option to upgrade to best friend when Ino gets fired every other week (*dies laughing*), the way Naruto doesn't want to make Sakura sad, the little side mention that she dyes her hair, that entire conversation about the desert island...

Yeah. This is awesome. :-D

[identity profile] book-people.livejournal.com 2011-07-09 11:18 pm (UTC)(link)
\o/ ♥
I love this universe of yours, I really do. I usually hate high school fic, but they're so... themselves here that it doesn't even phase me.
I love all the little details about Sakura here through Naruto's eyes: that she used to have blond hair, but that he doesn't know what her hair color is naturally now because it's the type of blond that doesn't last past childhood, and the fact that she tries not to laugh at the dirtier jokes he tells sometimes. Plus, it's so nice to see a high school fic in which Sakura is not a humungous bitch upon finding out that Naruto is dating Sasuke. Seriously, people who do that just to eliminate a potential complication to a relationship a) need to work on how they portray the relationship, because apparently they don't believe it could happen the way they portray it without making someone completely OOC, and b) have no imagination. It's not difficult to make a character a huge bitch, after all...

Love love love, as usual! *squishhug* ^^

[identity profile] sara-the-lazy.livejournal.com 2011-07-10 12:09 am (UTC)(link)
Ah, this universe is such an interesting one. Very nice segment, it's interesting seeing their interactions in this universe. <3 Sakura.

[identity profile] loveandallthat.livejournal.com 2011-07-10 04:49 am (UTC)(link)
D'aw. The Naruto/Sakura interaction is super cute, and then the comments on the depth of the Naruto/Sasuke relationship balance that out to make it all work.

[identity profile] tanukyle.livejournal.com 2011-07-10 01:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Beeeh. SUKA.
STOP BEIN' AWESOME.

I generally HATE highschool fanfiction only slightly less than super!ukenaruto or eviljealous!sakura fanfiction, but I love this universe. @A@

[identity profile] wingeddreamer9.livejournal.com 2011-07-10 09:57 pm (UTC)(link)
<3 <3 <3 <3!!!

This was awesome! I just read the entire series of this from beginning to now, and I love! Especially that Naruto make his dad dye his hair (which is completely understandable given the situation)! *snerk* And this was just the most perfect possible addition. I so very much love Sakura in the best friend role when she isn't with one (or both) of the boys. She doesn't get anywhere near enough love in the fandom, and it is so wonderful to see her portrayed as a good, supportive (if somewhat embarrassing =P) friend.
ext_407641: (candyheart)

[identity profile] shewhoflies.livejournal.com 2011-07-23 08:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Nnnnnnnngh I love this soooo much~ ♥♥♥

But the bit that really called my attention was the bit where Naruto thinks Sasuke might get jealous. It really hit me -- when he mentioned feeling "guilty" I thought it would be at having Sasuke when Sakura doesn't, but then you said it was because he didn't want to be disloyal to Sasuke -- and wow, it's such a small thing most people wouldn't give a second thought to, and the jealousy thing -- most people like knowing their significant other gets jealous, it's taken as proof of deeper feelings.