A gift

"I... can't just let the girl I take out on a date go with only dinner. I have a present for you too, Sasuko-chan.", he said, and pulled out a rectangular, flat object from his jacket, and placed it on Sasukos palm.

Sasuko recognized it immediately. It was not only because of the scratch over the Leaf symbol, but her hands also remembered the fabric, the exact color, everything... no doubt about it, this was the Konoha-headband she had been granted as a Genin, and that became damaged during their fight. Unbeknown to Sasuko, Naruto had picked it up, but until now, Sasuko was not a real Konoha-nin again, she she wasn't allowed to have this.

But all Sasuko could connect this item with were bad memories. Loss, humiliation, imprisonment... "You want to remind me of that? Rub it in my face, huh?", she snapped, anger flaring up. Her eyes shone red as her Sharingan activated. She slapped the hated item out of his hand, taking a step forward with her clenched fist.

As the headband hit the ground, clattering, Naruto took a step backwards. He raised his hands, trying to show her that this was not his intent. "No, wait, that's not it at all...", he tried to defend his gift.

As he saw that Sasuko had stopped to give him a chance to talk, he turned around and picked the headband up before speaking. "I... I talked to Tsunade-obaa-chan. I've told her that you've been under surveillance long enough now, and that you are doing what you're told. And that maybe, you should be allowed to become real ninja of the Leaf again...", he explained himself.

Sasuko could only chuckle cynically at that. "And what if I run? What if I use the first chance I get and run off to Orochimaru?", Sasuko asked. Because that was really what she intended to do. But for some reason, she felt as if she couldn't, or rather, shouldn't, hide this from Naruto.

Naruto only smiled. Apparently, he had expected that question. "Then I simply go after you again and carry you back to Konoha, Sasuko-chan.", he answered.

Sasuko pondered if she should feel angry now, but for some reason, she felt nostalgic at that. She only had some really hazy memories of what immediately happened after Naruto had defeated her. She could only tell from the angle that he had been carrying her bridal style.

Lost in memory, Sasuko didn't notice how Naruto stepped in front of her and pulled her in for a hug. She didn't resist... she was caught off guard by this. And what followed. "You are the most important person to me, Sasuko-chan...", he mumbled.

Sasukos eyes widened... there had been only one time that Naruto had been this close to her, and that was an accident.

Back then, he was nearly a head shorter than her. She remembered him sitting in front of her, glaring at her for no reason. She remembered thinking, that he had guts looking at her this way. And then, without warning, someone happened to push him forwards. Their eyes bulged as their lips touched... Narutos in surprise and horror, and Sasuko in disgust and anger. All the girls that had yelled at Naruto to leave Sasuko-sama, the 'ice princess' of the class, alone, suddenly fell silent. It was quite hard for Sasuko to get rid of that annoying rumor that spread after that...

But now, looking at him, she reconsidered. He had matured quite a bit, even if he seemed so childish at times, he had his moments. In the last few hours, he had managed to do what noone had ever done: He had made her smile, he had made her laugh, and he had made her feel like she was a woman for once, even though she had tried to deny that part of hers. But now she knew that she yearned for it, too.

She suddenly had an urge, and listening to that urge for once, she brought her head a bit closer to Narutos, closed her eyes and pouted her lips slightly. Naruto jumped as Sasuko leaned in for a kiss, but then, he leaned in without hesitation as well. When their lips met, they both felt a small jolt of pleasure through their body. But it remained a small, innocent kiss, but one that left both secretly longing for more.

Sasuko inched back a bit after they broke the kiss, her cheeks a little bit flushed. "Naruto... thank you.", she whispered, making Naruto chuckle in embarrassment.

He scratched the back of his head as he looked at her. "Wow... you're really cute, Sasuko-chan... that's a change.", he joked.

"You're still the same though... dumbhead.", she retorted, but now, the insult didn't sound harsh, but rather, strangely affectually. She was still in his arms, and if she didn't object that, he had no problems holding her all night...