Archive of Our Own

Sakura grinned as she stumbled home, hefting the fruits of her quest proudly and shooing away any well-meaning passerby's that offered to help her carry it all home. She didn't need help, she was a big girl. Big enough to read, big enough to clean her room, big enough to be left alone, and now big enough to buy her own groceries. She was acutely aware of Kyoko-san following her from a distance, keeping an eye on her journey, but besides that woman everyone else accepted her dismissal with an impressed smile and nod, complimenting her maturity and skill. Inner keeps encouraging her to roll her eyes and stick her tongue out at the compliments, but that would be rude, so she just smiles.

Kyoko-san stops following her when her house comes into view, lights left on because Kaa-san said told her to always keep at least one light on in the house. Sakura sags a little in relief, and wonders what the first thing she's going to make should be. She'd only gone shopping in the first place because Tou-san and kaa-san had an emergency buisness-thingy, and didn't have time to go shopping or prepare meals themselves before they left. Instead, Kaa-san had written a grocery list, handed her money, and pulled out the family cookbook and a stepping stool. She asked Sakura if she'd be alright on her own, and Inner screamed and snarled enough to drain any negativity from Sakura's own face when she nodded confidently and wished them well on their travels.

Inner cursed sharply at the memory, as Sakura just barely managed to open the door without dropping anything. She heaved a sigh of relief as she finally dropped everything off in the kitchen, her arms burning with exertion.

We've TOTALLY earned a nap. Inner claims, yawn ringing through Sakura's ears. Sakura scowled.

"You didn't even do anything." She grumbles, fighting off a yawn of her own and staring down the groceries. She....should put them away. She should really put them away- the cold stuff gets all gross if you leave it out for too long. But it wouldn't hurt to take a little break.

Sakura went into the living room, standing on her tippy-toes to turn the lamp on and grabbing one of the super easy books. It would only take a few minutes to read, and then she'd go back to the groceries. She curled up on the big comfy chair next to the lamp, eyes skimming quickly over the room's dull wallpaper and bumpy couch before opening the book-

And sitting up quickly with a jolt. Because the couch was only ever bumpy when Tou-san slept on it, and Tou-san wasn't home. So who could be on her couch?

Book forgotten, she creeped over to the couch to get a closer look. She wasn't just a big girl, she was a brave girl. She slept without a nightlight, and even killed spiders herself without crying when Tou-san and Kaa-san were gone. The bump on the couch didn't look any bigger then her.

Punch it. Punch it REALLY hard. Inner advised. Sakura shook her head- that wouldn't be very nice! it would make whoever the bump was angry at her. Why would she do that?

Well then- Inner went to give another suggestion- or maybe just the same one again, knowing her- but was cut off as the bump shifted. It stretched, and made quiet little sounds, and-

Sat up.

Sakura froze where she was, only two steps away from the couch. The blanket covering the bump fell, to reveal bright yellow hair and a slightly-familiar whiskered face. Big blue eyes blinked open slowly, once, twice, and then before she could really react it- he yelped.

"Where did you come from?!" He squeaked, curling into himself as he sat up.

"The- the front door? It's my house! Where did you come from?!" She demanded in turn, taking a step forward and putting her hands on her hips.

Don't punch it. Inner amended. Bad idea. We...know this kid.

Yeah. Yeah, Sakura had realized that much. The question, really, was how they knew him. Inner didn't respond.

"Um." The boy hesitated, curling up even more, something she was surprised he could do with how small he already was, "The kitchen window. They left it unlocked."

"They?" She scowled, because who- oh. "My parents? Are you stalking us?" She screeched. Maybe she should punch him.

"What? No! No. I just. Heard them in town talking about how they were leaving, Dattebayo. And if they were leaving then there was no harm in me hanging out for a few nights, right?"

"But this isn't your house!" She threw her hands up, confused as to how he could possibly think it was okay to just. Break into someone's house. "What is wrong with you!"

"I- I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Dattebayo, but it was just- it was so cold, and I was tired, and there were people waiting for me at my apartment, and the old man was busy when I went to tell him, and I thought it was gonna rain, and I didn't think anyone would be-" His stomach growled loudly, cutting off his excuses and making him blush. "And I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset anyone or nothin. I'll leave, promise. Just. Don't..." He paused, staring at her, before shaking his head. She waited for him to finish his sentence, but he didn't.

We can't just throw him back outside. Inner thought.

Why not. Sakura nearly whined. He broke into our house! He'd be lucky if we didn't tell the Uchiha.

He'll freeze, out there. Maybe starve. What if he doesn't have a home?

What if he does? There could be someone looking for him.

There could be a good reason he left.

Sakura didn't respond for a few seconds, left staring at the scraggly little stranger. He wasn't meeting her eyes, curled up and shaking, and, against her own protests, Sakura couldn't help feeling sorry for the kid.

(Couldn't help feeling relieved, that there was someone else in this big empty house.)

Well. Inner finally started up again, noticing Sakura didn't have a response, There's only one way to find out. And we still have-

"Groceries!" Sakura startled, jumping up from her crouched spot by the couch. He startled too, flinching back into the couch, but she barely noticed as she had a wonderful idea. "You, kid. Come help me put away groceries, and I'll let you stay until my parents get back." She offered.

"I have a name!" The kid said, seemingly on reflex, then froze. "wait- what did you say?"

She reached forward and grabbed him, this time expecting the flinch but ignoring it as she hauled him up and shepherded him into the kitchen. "Groceries. I went out to get groceries, and I gotta put the colds away before they get warm and go icky." Sakura explained with a final shove.

"But you- you'll let me stay?" he stuttered, shuffling his feet awkwardly. "Seriously?"

"That's what I said, isn't it?" Sakura huffed, waving at him impatiently. "C'mon, we gotta hurry." She insisted. That finally prompted him to help, scurrying over to her side and grabbing the heaviest thing from the bag- the milk. "Thanks." She sighed, because her arms were tired enough from carrying that home. "So. What is it?"

"Eh? What's what?" He asked, opening the fridge. She rolled her eyes- boys were so forgetful.

"Your name. You just told me you have one. So?" She asked.

"My name is-" He started with a yell, followed by a loud "Oww.." as he bumped his head on the fridge. Sakura was so busy trying to keep a laugh- either her tiny giggles or Inner's bellowing cackles- that she forgot to ask if he was okay, until he was already straightening up and recovering from his blunder. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto, and I'm going to be Hokage, Dattebayo!!" He introduced, enthusiasm not sapped in the least by the red bump she could see rising on his forehead.

"Hokage?" She asked, too shocked to think better of it. "You?"

In her defense, Inner was laughing even louder now. It made it hard to focus on her mouth.

"Yeah, me! Why, you got somethin' to say about it? I'm gonna be the strongest shinobi ever, and then everyone will like me cause I'll be so cool, and there's nothing you can do about it, dattebayo!" He doubled down. Sakura didn't see any hint of that scared and flinching boy from just moments ago.

"You're....You really believe that." Sakura said, more then a little impressed.

"Of course I do! It's my dream!" He nodded. "What's yours?"

"Oh! My name is Haruno Sakura." She introduced, bowing a little. Naruto hadn't, so she probably didn't have to, but her Kaa-san said it was good manners, and Sakura was a good mannered big girl. "And I want to know everything."

Nerd. Inner snorted, calming down from her laughter. Coward. You just want a good reason to hit things really hard without getting yelled at.

Sakura only barely remembered not to scowl outwardly, going back to putting away groceries. They were almost done- she'd have to go for groceries again in a few days, but for all she was a big girl, her arms were still little.

No, that's what YOU want.

"So....you don't wanna be a shinobi?" Naruto asked skeptically. Like he couldn't quite comprehend a civilian life.

Well, good. Sakura couldn't imagine one for herself either, and Naruto's bafflement was a welcome break from her parent's complete opposite reaction.

"Of course I want to be a shinobi!" She asserted. It was one of the very few things she was willing to yell about, no matter how unladylike. Still, she composed herself and quieted down- she was willing to yell, but she still didn't want to. What would the neighbors say? What if they told her parents? "I- There's tons of stuff you can't read and places you can't go, if you aren't a shinobi."

"Oh." Naruto nodded, following the logic. "But....There's things you aren't allowed to read or learn, right? As a Shinobi? Jiji always says so, at least."

Jiji. He has someone looking after him. Inner pointed out, unnecessarily, because Sakura had noticed that.

"Well." She paused, having never thought of it like that. Mostly, she just glared enviously at the chunnin who get let into the restricted parts of the library. "Well, good thing I'm gonna be best friends with the Hokage then, right?"

"You'll.....what?" Naruto scrunched his nose, confused. "Jiji's never mentioned you. And he's old! And always super busy! I don't think he'd be a very good best friend."

"I, um. I meant you, Naruto." Sakura stuttered, starting to blush at being misconstrued. "I mean......We don't have to be best friends if you don't want. Sorry. But! I'll help you get your dream and be Hokage, and then in turn you can let me learn everything! It's fair then!"

"Best friends?" Naruto parroted. Inner was bubbling with some sort of Big Realization, but wasn't letting it float to Sakura for some reason. "Me? You wanna be best friends? With me? Really?" He asked, lighting up and starting to bounce on his feet, meeting her eyes eagerly. Sakura shrunk into herself a little, not used to being the center of so much attention, but she nodded, smiling a little.

"Y-Yeah. Yeah, if you wanna. And friends make friends dinner, right?" She cleared her throat, grasping for a distraction. "Do you have any allergies?"

"What's an allidry?" Naruto asked. Sakura frowned, closing the pantry to look at him. All the groceries were away now.

"Um." Don't look at ME, why would I know? "Something bad, I think? Kaa-san always asks that before feeding guests. Something you can't eat." Sakura scratched her cheek. She was really fumbling through this friend thing- it's not like she had any practice. Not that Naruto really seemed to notice, but still.

Naruto looked confused, still, but shrugged. "It's probably fine. Do you have any ramen?"

She bit her lip. "I....we've got some of the instant cook stuff. But I don't know how to make actual ramen." She admitted. Honestly, she didn't know how to make much more then rice without burning it. She tended to get distracted, or worse- bored, halfway through and not keeping as close an eye as she should to food.

"That's fine! I like all sorts of ramen! Though I don't like waiting for the water to boil." He whined. She quickly got out two ramen cups and the kettle, filling the later with water and flipping it on. It was one of those fancy kettles that heated itsself with wires except of a fire on the stove; a gift from her Kaa-san's Nii-san.

"It's boring." She nodded, totally getting his point. He cheered in agreement, so she continued, "You have to wait for it to get so hot, and then wait for it to cool down again?"

"Right! Does the water wanna be warm or not? It's gotta make up it's mind!" Naruto said. Sakura laughed, and he laughed along.

Weirdos. Weirdos bonding over weirdo stuff. Inner accused. The kettle's done.

Sakura straightened up at the reminder, laughter cutting off as she goes to the kettle again. Much more careful this time, wearing mittens because hot water hurt to touch, she poured the boiled water into both of the cups. Naruto groaned dramatically as she put the kettle back, saying something about starving to death.

Sakura started laughing again, and Naruto beamed a proud and delighted smile at her. 

I could get used to this. Sakura thought, but quickly shoved the sentiment at Inner. No, she couldn't get used to this. Why would she even think that? Her parents wouldn't want her taking in a stray- runaway? Orphan? Whatever he was-, much less wasting money on him. Sakura shouldn't want to make her parents angry, but, for once, she found something she wanted even less- getting rid this bright kid, who only wanted a place to stay.

I think we should keep him. Inner said, a bit reluctantly. Even if he calls the Hokage Jiji, he obviously isn't being well cared for. Finders keepers.

Sakura didn't agree. But she didn't disagree either, and Inner was in her mind. She took it as the silent agreement it was. Then Sakura paused, finally processing-

Naruto called the Hokage WHAT?! She gasped, dropping her chopsticks in her ramen and making a little splash.

"What's wrong Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, through a mouthful of noodles, looking at her with worry.

"Nothing, Naruto-kun." She smiled, drying the droplets on the table with a dishtowel. "Are you....sure you don't have anywhere to be? Is your....Jiji gonna worry about you?" She pried, trying not to sound nervous. Maybe Inner just heard him wrong. Inner wasn't always right.

Bold claim.

"Um. Not really?" He looked away from her, instead staring down into his ramen, though he didn't motion to keep eating it. "Jiji gave me an apartment, but it's not....safe, right now."

"Oh no!" Sakura gasped, because that sounded horrible, not feeling safe in your own home. "Why not? Is someone hurting you? You should tell your Jiji."

"It's- I- Kinda? But it's fine!" He rushed to assure, "It only gets really bad around this time of year, cause it's my birthday. And most of 'em don't really try to hurt me, they just write mean things on my door and break into my house and yell and glare and throw trash at me and stuff. It's fine. I- I can leave, if you want me to. I'll figure something out. I'm really smart! and strong! So you don't gotta worry, dattebayo, you already made me dinner and said we're friends and I don't wanna-" Naruto sniffled, and couldn't hold back his mounting cries any more. Sakura was out of her chair instantly, pulling him out of his chair before he fell and into her arms.

He blubbered apologies between sobs as he clung to her, wrinkling her dress and getting snot in her hair, and she was a little angry about that, but mostly she was angry that her new friend was being treated so horribly. A million questions sat on her tongue, but just one question had done this to him. She didn't want to hurt him any more.

"I'm not mad." She said, because she could feel his heartbeat jack-rabbiting like hers did when she broke one of Kaa-san's fancy tea cups. He was so scared. "It's okay, Naruto-kun, I'm not mad. And you can stay here. I want you to stay here."

That just made Naruto cry even harder, and then her eyes started to water, because she didn't know what to do.

Don't cry, crybaby. Inner warned. Sakura bit her lip and tried not to, she did, but she couldn't help it.

"Your.....Why your birthday?" She whispered, ignoring her eyes as they started to leak. If she ignored it then it might as well not be happening.

"It's-" Naruto sniffled and took a deep breathe. His voice was muffled, face shoved into her shoulder, but he managed to breathe evenly enough not to stutter, and Sakura felt a pang of jealousy. "I- I dunno. But everyone gets meaner around my birthday. It's fine." he said again, like the constant repetition would make it more true. He tried to keep his breathe even, but it kept catching and speeding up again. Sakura wished she could help, but at this point she was just as bad, gasping for a dry breath. She couldn't tell if it was just getting darker because it was night time, or if her vision was fading.

This is a terrible way to fall asleep. Inner bemoaned. It'll be an even worse way to wake up.

Sakura barely heard the warning, as her exhaustion and Naruto's warmth dragged her to rest.

--

The first thing Sakura registered when she woke up was the sharp aches in her back. And her neck. And her- everywhere, really. After that, she realized how sticky her pillow was. Her breathing pillow with a heartbeat, that was way too small to be her parents.

She jolted away with a surprised squawk. Hey eyes snapped open, and then closed again as she flinched back from the bright light and into something big and solid at her back.

"Ow!" She hissed, at the aching everything that was made only worse by the collision and the painful tightness in her eyes.

"Hah?" Her pillow- whoever it was- hummed, before giving a loud yawn. She knew they were sitting up, because she could hear what had to be every bone in their body pop as they moved. Who was in her house?

Calm down. Inner said, sound on the verge of a laugh that Sakura did not appreciate, It's just Naruto.

Sakura paused, picking at her memories from the day before, but not quite managing to focus on them between all ways her brain was being pulled, from pain to light to pain to coldcoldcold how hadn't she noticed and back to pain again. She'd just have to trust Inner's judgement for now.

"Hmm....oh!" The person- Naruto- paused, but recovered a lot quicker then she did. "Sakura-chan! Good morning!" He greeted, voice rough for a reason she could tell she knew, but didn't. Know. In the moment.

You two idiots fell asleep on the floor crying like babies. That's why you're all sucky. Inner provided. Sakura nodded, lifting her head and opening her eyes just enough to see the fuzzy outline of the boy. He was very yellow.

"Good morning Naruto." She whispered, because she didn't want to be rude to someone that was apparently her friend. That was how you loose friends, probably. If she had to guess. Her voice came out as rough as his, even with just the little whisper, and she saw the bright blob crawl closer to her.

"Sakura-chan? What's wrong?" He asked. She smiled. He was nice.

"I'm just not great at waking up." She groaned, slowly stretching her arms up and stopping when they hurt. "Can you get me some water?"

Sakura scowled, because it wasn't her asking, but Naruto sprang up immediately, walking quickly to the fridge. It didn't sound very far away- they must have fall asleep on the dining room floor.

Don't do that! Sakura all but screeched, proud of herself for not making any verbal noise.

You needed water. Inner dismissed, unrepentant. Sakura was always looser with her control, in the morning, and Inner didn't always hesitate to take advantage of her disorientation.

"Here you go Sakura-chan!" Naruto cheered, shoving something cold into her hands that she reflexively grasped, though it spilled a little given how slow her reflexes were.

"Thanks." She rasped, taking a drink. She meant to drink it slowly, because she always got tummy aches when she drank things too fast and sage knew she was already more then achey enough today, but once she got that first sip she had trouble pulling the cup back away from her lips. The next thing she knew, it was empty, and her eyes were finally willing to open all the way.

She blinked a few times, putting the glass down to rub the crusty sleep from her eyes- there was a lot of it, ew- and looked at Naruto. He came into full focus this time, blue eyes and slightly-scared smile and all. The relief of the water cleared enough room in her brain to sift through the memories of the last night, and her next smile was less reflexive and more genuine. She stood up, and heard all of her bones crack like she'd heard his earlier. She yawned and took a moment to properly process all the information from last night. Her heart trembled with red hot rage as she remembered Naruto crying and his vague-but-still-horrible explanations of how he was treated, though she still wasn't quite sure who was treating him like that. He said 'the villagers', but surely he didn't mean all of them, right? Sakura couldn't imagine Kyoko-san doing any of the things Naruto said. The old lady was too kind.

But also, arguably more important then all that-

"Your birthday. It's your birthday soon?" She asked, grabbing his arm with mounting excitement. He blinked, staring at her hand over his arm.

"Uh. Yeah?" He nodded cautiously. "In two- er, tomorrow now, I guess. I can leave a day or two later, if that's alright."

Aww, he thinks he's leaving. Cute. Inner snickers, a little meanly.

"Of course it's alright! You can- you can stay longer, if you wanna. My parents don't get home for- for at least a week or two. But!" She snapped her fingers, because there was still a pressing matter at hand, "Your birthday is tomorrow? You need a birthday party!!"

"What?" Naruto asked, "Me? I'm- you don't have to do that, Sakura-chan. It's fine."

Sakura was already getting real tired of those super tiny words falling out of Naruto's big mouth.

"I want to do it! I've never thrown a party for a friend before! Oh, you have to tell me about yourself so I know what to do! What's your favorite color? Your favorite food? Your favorite animal?" She asked, springing up to grab some blank paper and a pen from the bookshelves.

"Um." Naruto blinked slowly again, rubbing his arm where she'd been holding it. When she came back in from the living room, though, he was smiling again. "If you're sure, I guess, then. Thanks." He started, blush creeping up his face. He shook his head. "So! My favorite color is orange! And my favorite food is Ramen, a' course. Animal.....I dunno. Maybe frogs?"

Sakura nodded again, writing some stuff down. "Okay. I gotta go shopping again." She said, pulling out her money. Her parents had left her a lot of it, but she didn't know how much of that she'd really need for food. Still, she'd probably be fine if she spent some of it on Naruto. He deserved a nice birthday, like her parents always threw her in the spring, but he'd have to settle for whatever she could throw together in a day.

Next year will be better. He won't know what hit him. Inner promised. Sakura nodded, agreeing both on her nice and loud thought and the implied thought behind it; we'll still be friends with him next year.

She doesn't let him say much else, promising to be home soon and making him promise he wouldn't leave while she was gone before running out the door. She already knew exactly what to do.

--

"Are you sure about this, Sakura-chan?" Akito asked. "It's not a very....girly color."

It's an eyesore. Inner said bluntly, because it's obviously what the boy was thinking. Sakura didn't laugh, because Akito was being nice enough to carry the heavy can himself when he saw her struggling to haul it home. In her arms, she held a few bags full of other important gifts for tomorrow- all in all, she probably spent a whole third of what her parents left her. It'd be fine, though. She'd never run out of money before.

You've never thrown a birthday party before either. If this can even be called one. Inner reminded her. Sakura shook the thought off.

"I'm sure. Thank you for your help, Akito-kun! You can just put it down here, I'll get it inside." She said, stopping in front of her house. Akito looked like he wanted to argue, but he just nodded and ran off. She flung open the door, calling a loud "I'm home!" Into the darkness, and felt warmth bubble at the knowledge that there was someone home to hear the call. Her parents always told her she yelled too loud when she did that, but Naruto was plenty loud himself, so she didn't think he'd mind.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto cheered as the door closed behind her, and the warmth doubled. "What's that?"

"Heavy. Come get it for me?" She didn't-really-answer, but that didn't stop him from running over and hefting the can. He stumbled, but he managed to get it up the stairs like she asked.

"You weren't kidding, that was heavy!" Naruto groaned, falling into a chair at the table. She'd taken the time he was lugging the heavy can up the stairs to hide the contents of the bag, and was now trying to eat the cold ramen on the table. They hadn't finished the ramen before they passed out last night, and it was kinda weird and yucky with how mushed the noodles were, but se didn't want to waste food. Inner had squirmed at the texture hard enough to make her spit the bite back into the cup, which just made it even yuckier, and Sakura couldn't decide whether a Good Big Girl wouldn't waste food or wouldn't be gross.

If you try to eat that slop I'm going to spill it on the floor. Inner promised. Sakura was awake enough now that Inner probably couldn't take over, even just for the second it would take to swipe at the bowl, but it wasn't a bet she was really willing to take.

Naruto didn't have any of her hesitance. He'd dived eagerly back into the cold dinner- first with chopsticks, but the noodles were so soft the fell apart when they were lifted out of the cup, so he just lifted the cup and drank it. Sakura watched, disgusted but unable to look away as he drained the broth clean. He put the empty cup down and caught sight of her own. "You gonna finish that?" He asked. Sakura shook her head, but he wasn't looking at her- he only had eyes for the ramen.

"No. Uh, don't eat it though. I spit in it." She admitted, blushing.

Naruto tilted his head. "So?" He asked, reaching for the cup anyway. Sakura slapped his hand away, standing with the trash noodles. "OI! What gives, you weren't gonna eat it!"

EWWWW! Inner squealed, whatever you do, DON'T Share food with him! He's gotta be some sort of sick, eating like that!

"It's gross." She said again, though she was slowly realizing that didn't mean anything to the boy who's confused expression held up. "I- It's mine, I get to throw it out if I wanna. You already had yours, don't be greedy." She huffed, turning into the kitchen proper. She stood on her tippy toes to pour the noodle water into the sink, then turned to throw the solids and cup back into the trash.

"So. What's in the super heavy can?" He asked. She shook her head and folded her arms.

"I can't tell you, it's a surprise! For your birthday!" She said firmly, pulling out packaged Onigiri from the fridge.