Naruto: The Prince of Lust

NARUTO

The second Naruto opened his door, he was surprised to see Sakura waiting for him. He's supposed to meet her along with Kakashi and Sasuke at their spot on the bridge and he wasn't looking forward to it. He hadn't seen Sasuke since their match two days ago and now he knows what happened to Sakura by Ino's hands. Looking at her tired, angry, yet lovely face, Naruto isn't sure what to expect but they say their farewell to a studious Karin before leaving.

Fifteen minutes into their walk, Sakura sighs before asking a nervous Naruto, "do you know what I was doing all last night?" He doesn't speak, however, he shakes his head, 'no,' to which she responds, "I was comforting an uncharacteristically distraught and weeping Yamanaka Ino."

Though the day is bright and perfect, Naruto mournfully responds, "…she told me."

"I know," the lethargic Sakura yells. The streets they walk are lamely populated with stragglers as Sakura continues. "The second I threatened to do horrible violence to you, she finally tells me she confessed everything to you and to leave you alone."

Stopping in their tracks, Naruto turns to her and admits his confusion. "I don't understand Sakura. Why are you at her house? Why are you still her friend? Is she still blackmailing-"

Raising her fist and prime to strike him, Sakura seemingly changes her mind and sighs as she lowers her deadly fists. "No, baka," she calmly answers. Resuming their walk, she listlessly informs him, "listen… I was a bitch, like, a true-to-life bitch. And Ino was even colder. It wasn't right what she did and I won't say otherwise, but, I can't say there wasn't a clear benefit."

"And that is," Naruto asks.

"…I was- I learned I was obsessed," she starts, slowly turning to him as she adds, "with Sasuke. I don't know how this happened, but I convinced myself that he was the best thing in this world and I wanted to be his everything. With those photos, Ino forced me to read a lot about obsession… even now, I still hate her for it," she adds with a small smile. "I learned, desire creates paradoxical effects, like, the more you want something, the more you chase after the very thing that eludes you."

"That sounds pretty familiar," Naruto repentantly admits to her. Her green eyes say she understands he's talking about himself because she chuckles and affectionately shoulder-checks him. Her cheeks blush a pretty shade of pink, contrasting alluringly with her green eyes under pink eye-lashes. Read chapters at empire

"Anyway," she continues. "Another effect is the more interest you show, the more you repel the very object you desire. You know, that same book also said that my approach was so strong, it likely had the effect of making Sasuke uncomfortable. Can you imagine, Sasuke, uncomfortable?"

"Yeah," Naruto chuckles to mentally picture, adding, "oh, man! It'd be like telling the broody bastard the food he's eating was made with love!"

Sakura and Naruto laugh together as they leisurely walk the serene path to meet their teammates. Eventually, Sakura continues, adding, "out of all the books Ino made me read, one said showing contempt and disdain is the prerogative of the king. It makes people want to seek your approval. Where the king's eyes turn, what he decides to see, becomes reality; what he ignores and turns his back on is as good as dead." Wondering about his own obsessed chase of Sakura, the pink-haired girl adds, "I remember thinking that's exactly what it felt like if Sasuke didn't look at me, didn't pay attention to me, like I'd die."

Nodding in understanding, Naruto asks with some amazement, "Ino made you read all that?"

Lazily nodding, she answers, "yeah."

Naruto's mind couldn't help but think that seemed like a benefit. What happened also helped him get over his obsession with Sakura, to which Naruto comments, without embarrassment, "but she also made you have sex with me."

"Now that I think about it," Sakura voices as her brain analyzes the situation with that parameter. "I think she did that because she wanted you to stop chasing me on top of showing me how little I valued myself; sort of like a two-for-one." He nods at the objective assessment when Sakura asks, "you remember asking me if I wanted to stop several times? Well, she also gave me the option to stop or say no, but like Sasuke's attention, I didn't want to feel the ''death'' of losing him, so I always did it. All those experiences helped me realize how far I strayed from the girl I used to be… the one in the park by Yoshino's on her daddy's shoulders watching the Sakura trees bloom."

"You almost sound… okay with what she did."

"I hate that it took so much to make me see things differently," Sakura admits to him though enjoying the birds flying above. "I still have a lot of self-reflection to do, and training on top of that, but I wouldn't be in a position to do so if it wasn't for Ino." Sakura steps in front of Naruto and softly explains, as if defeated, "I don't know how you feel about Ino—I mean she did something immoral and criminal—but I still trust her… crazy as that sounds."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"So, you're okay," Naruto slowly asks. Taking a step closer to really look at her, he emphasizes, "I mean, really, are you okay?"

Smiling the sweetest smile he'd seen in a long time, Sakura answers, "yeah, Naruto. I am." He nods and they walk in silence until they see their teammates, both of them-

"Am I seeing things," a shocked Naruto asks.

"That's… Kakashi-sensei," Sakura gasps. "Early!"

"The hell is going on," Naruto cries.

Naruto enjoys hearing Sakura laugh, and their talk, more than Kurenai's arms holding onto him, made him feel okay about it all. There's more to consider between Ino and himself, however, he feels confident that time will heal this wound.

Sakura brings him out of his thoughts when she tells him, "you know how I know you're going to be okay too?" Quirking his blond brow, he shakes his head, and she responds, "Sasuke tried to kill you and you don't seem to hate him, in fact, you still want to help him. On the bridge, Zabuza nearly killed you, and yet, you didn't hesitate to ask me to help him. Neither one of us hates Kakashi-sensei for neglecting us in favor of Sasuke. This entire village practically hated you and yet, you still want to protect them." Sakura becomes pensive for a moment, a slight smile under her pink cheeks as she jests, "you might be too good for us, Naruto."

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