Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Sweetest Victory ❯ Epilogue ( Epilogue )

A/N: I want to thank everyone for their encouragement and sticking with me for the long haul. It was NOT supposed to take this long. Oi! But here it is. And most of all, thanks for reading. Hope you enjoy it. Short and to the point Epilogue is short and to the point. Plotless and smutty sequel has been in the works almost as long as this thing has.

Pairing: NaruSakuSasu. Yes.

Disclaimer: Naruto isn't mine. Ya'll know this by now, right?

 

The Sweetest Victory

Epilogue

 

“He's late,” Naruto observed, impatiently dropping his pack to the ground with a thud.

 

Sakura smiled. They'd only been waiting an hour so far. “And this surprises you?”

 

“'Course not,” he replied as he worked a kink out of his shoulder and leaned lazily against the village wall. “We probably have enough time for a quickie and go get some breakfast before he drags his sorry ass over here.”

 

Sasuke sat a few feet away on a bench, his elbow resting on the bag sitting next him. He rolled his eyes but remained silent, a reaction Inner Sakura didn't agree with.

 

Smothering her violent fantasies about sticks connecting with the side Naruto's head, Sakura instead cleared her throat. “He'll be here soon enough, then you can torture him to your heart's content.”

 

The blond's expression turned dark. “He deserves to be tortured after making us take nothing but D-rank missions for a month! I was lucky my water wasn't cut off.” He crossed his arms stubbornly over his chest and glared at the ground.

 

“Well, you didn't expect him to believe that enemy ninja infiltrated the village just to vandalize his apartment, did you?” If he said yes, joking or not, she was going to hit him.

 

“Psh, cleaning it up should've been enough.”

 

Sakura didn't reply, just stared at him in disbelief. They'd had this conversation several times already. Her opinion on the matter wasn't going to change.

 

“Oh, forget it.” Naruto waved dismissively. When he was done sulking a few minutes later he glanced back at her with a grin and waggling eyebrows. “I'd rather torture you anyway.”

 

Sakura cracked her knuckles and narrowed her eyes. “Behave.” It was early, but not so early she wouldn't smack some sense into him if the need arose.

 

An amused sort of snort coming from Sasuke then stole her attention. It figured he'd wait until then to join the conversation. “Sometimes, you're just as bad,” she sighed.

 

“No way! It took years to get this annoying.” Naruto looked completely affronted, and Sakura couldn't help but laugh.

 

“Don't worry,” Sasuke replied with the most insincere of grins. “No one could ever take your title. You were born annoying.”

 

The blond stuck his tongue out and mumbled something that sounded disturbingly like “annoy you all night.”

 

Sakura laughed again and glanced over at Sasuke. He met her gaze and shook his head slightly in what she interpreted as silent, resigned humor.

 

She turned her attention to Naruto then.

 

“Think I won't?” he mouthed silently.

 

There was no doubt in her mind he'd try. She made a thoughtful face. “Well...”

 

“Don't encourage him,” Sasuke warned.

 

“Hey!” Naruto protested while Sakura giggled.

 

“Who do we not want to encourage?” Kakashi had appeared unexpectedly once again, within punching distance and false smile in place. Sakura hated it when he did that; she was certain it was only to annoy them.

 

Not that anyone would've answered him anyway - it was rhetorical, of course - but Naruto's accusatory “You're late!” effectively changed the subject all the same.

 

It was for only a second, but there was something odd about the way their team leader looked at them. It made Sakura wonder - and not for the first time - if, in fact, he did have some idea of what they'd been talking about. Or maybe just a suspicion. Or maybe she was just paranoid. That was always a possibility.

 

Kakashi shook his head slightly and with a tired sigh, he pulled his book out and began walking through the gate. “Wouldn't want to be late for our assignment.”

 

Sasuke followed, then Sakura. Behind her, she heard Naruto grumbling that it'd be his fault if they were late anyway. Sakura smiled despite herself. The sun was warm on her skin, and the breeze rustled the nearby treetops. She watched as a leaf detached itself from its branch and took flight, weaving and dipping and dancing with the air before finally becoming nothing more than a spec above them.

 

It had been two months since the bet, and sometimes it seemed as if nothing had changed. They still bickered over whose fault it was every time they found themselves running laps around the village or picking up nin-dog waste or whatever creative punishments they were given. They still teased each other mercilessly over any embarrassing moments between them. They still hung out together on their days off. Occasionally, they even still plotted over a bottle of sake ways to get Kakashi's mask off - which more often than not, resulted in Sakura punching the crap out of Naruto for his suggestions.

 

They still annoyed their team leader - intentionally or otherwise - every time they were together to the point of worrying Kakashi-sensei might really make good on his threats to replace them. Naruto still flirted, Sasuke still brooded, and Sakura still threatened both with physical violence regularly as Kakashi ignored them all in favor of his beloved books.

 

Naruto fell into step with Sakura, thumbs hooked under the shoulder straps of his bag and eyeing her suspiciously. “What are you so happy about?”

 

“Just thinking,” she offered, smiling even wider. It was fun to tease him; sadly, he wasn't taking the bait this time.

 

Naruto nodded knowingly. “I see. You were totally checking out sensei's ass again, weren't you?”

 

It was okay, though, because she wasn't taking the bait either. “Nope. I was ogling Sasuke's actually.”

 

Naruto pretended to be wounded a second, then sprinted a few feet ahead to walk with Sasuke. When he looked back at her with the cheekiest grin ever, all Sakura could do was laugh.

 

Okay, so not everything was the same as it had been. As it turned out, Naruto could act like a ninja when he wanted to - who knew? - so what had changed was barely perceivable to anyone but themselves. It was subtle, discreet - laughable considering this was team seven after all who were usually as subtle as a brick to the head. Which was why everyone was shocked when two months later, rumors began circulating Konoha about how the three had been caught in the throes of something rather naughty and taboo.

 

But that was another story.

 

 

 

The End.