Letters we wrote

Letter 9

No, he thought. He sat up on his bed and went to take the newly taken Team 7 picture, one that Sakura insisted on taking as soon as they were back in Konoha in their hospital beds. So you will look at this and think next time you want to fight, she said.

Now it sat, framed, upon his bedside table.

The picture had Sakura to the left beside Sasuke's bed, Kakashi to the right beside's Naruto and them in their hospital beds in the middle. Showing their chopped arms. Naruto had a big smile on his face, where his swollen eye was still visible. Sasuke had a defeated smile, his eyes looking sideways, towards Naruto.

He hadn't noticed that before, Sasuke was looking at him.

He took it and laid down on the bed again. Stayed there looking at it for minutes, that felt like hours. And for the whole time his eyes were fixated in only one place: Sasuke.

His heart was calm, but each heartbeat felt heavy and strong. He could almost hear it.

As he kept his sight anchored to his friend's face, his heartbeat slowly increased its speed, his lips pressed, an unexpected tingle on the back of his neck, his hands started to shake just slightly.

"No" he whispered as he stood up and ran to the phone in his kitchen, without letting go of the picture.

The phone rang once, twice, then two times more.

"Naruto" his friend Sakura replied on the other side of the phone. "You're lucky to find me, I just came home from the hospital" he could almost see the bags under her eyes, but a smile on her lips. "What's up?"

"I, um..." he started, his hands still shaking. Hell, almost his whole body was shaking. "Something happened" he said.

"What happened?" Sakura asked, puzzled.

"Um, Hinata gave me a..." deep breath "A confession letter"

A gasp was the only thing he heard from Sakura. "Oh, I can't believe she did it"

"You know about this?" Naruto cried.

"Kinda" she replied with a tone of regret in her voice. "I mean, she mentioned a few days ago she wanted to confess but is way too shy to do it in person." she explained. "So I suggested the letter, since it'd give her time to think what she wanted to say and all" she sighed.

Naruto sighed. "I don't want to hurt her, Sakura"

"I know, I'm sorry" she said. If she had been there with him she'd be patting his back. "But hey, if I'm okay, she'll be too"

Of course, Sakura was on Hinata's place not long ago.

"I mean, it hurts like hell, I'm not going to lie" she started, her voice trembled a little. "But now I know I'm going to be okay. I can't force anyone to like me back. And I appreciated the honesty, too" she sighed. "I know you don't want to hurt her, but she'll be okay. I'll comfort her" she added. Naruto knew she was smiling as she said this.

"Thank you, Sakura" Naruto sighed. "Sorry that love talk just keeps hunting you" Naruto chuckled.

"It's okay" she did the same. "I'm happy I can help"

"Well..." he chuckled again. "That's the real reason I'm calling"

Naruto could see her raised eyebrow immediately.

"How the hell do you know you like someone?" Naruto asked, pressing his lips, his forehead creased. "Because, I mean, Hinata said she admired me, and I also do, I think she's strong, she's sweet, she's a great person, but..."