Light in the Dark

A Surprise for You

A/n, this chapter is so boring and honestly just a recap of the episode it's based off of, but keep reading till the end for one of my favorite lines in the entire story... Next chapter is when things get fun.

•••Naruto POV•••

"I love you Naruto."

I stared at Sakura in complete shock. Glancing back at Lee and Kiba who both looked as shocked as I did.

Kiba seemed different though. He had been different ever since... Ever since Akari died. The look in Kiba's eyes was one that I didn't want to ever see in someone again, the hatred that was hidden underneath them. I knew he wanted vengeance for Akari, and I knew he wouldn't stop until he got it.. The same path Sasuke had taken, the same path a lot of our friends have probably chosen to take. Although I wanted to make sure that the Akatsuki got what they deserved, I also know that Akari wouldn't want me to carry the hatred around in my heart. She would want me to do this for all the right reasons. For the sake of everybody, not just for revenge. Especially now that they could potentially have Sasuke in their grasp.. I had to help him. Not just to save my friend, but to do one last thing for my sister.

"And you also need to know that Sasuke doesn't mean anything to me anymore," Sakura continued when I just continued to blink at her, "I was totally crazy to like him in the first place, especially after watching him chase after your sister all these years, listen more carefully when a girl confesses her feelings to you."

Sakura kept her head down, just barely meeting my eyes as I continued to blink at her. Trying to process everything she was saying. Then finally it began to set in, my reaction to her words. Her empty words.

"But why huh?" I looked at her, my eyebrows furrowed, "Why tell me? If this is supposed to be some kind of joke or something it's not funny at all Sakura!"

She kept her composure as she looked back at my response. Still not saying anything.

"What happened?" I demanded, staring at my pink haired teammate. The one person I never expected to give up on Sasuke.

"It's nothing really, I just finally realized my true feelings, I mean I can't continue to love a rogue shinobi criminal can I?" She said and I felt just another sting go to my heart, "I'm not a child anymore, it's time for me to face up to reality, that's why Naruto you can forget about that promise you made to me, you can stop alright?"

"You can stop chasing after Sasuke,"

"Sakura what happened to you? You just suddenly started liking me?"

"I told you nothings happened, as for why I fell in love with you it's obvious,"

Sakura began stepping towards me as memories of all of her moments with Sasuke began flooding through my head. All those times she pinned for him during missions, that day I was cloned as him, the day we thought Sasuke had died on a mission. None of this was adding up. None of this made sense. It never mattered in the past to what Sasuke had done, or the fact that he made it clear he only held interest in Akari romantically. Sakura never gave up on him.

When she wrapped her arms around me, the entire moment felt forced.

"Sasuke just keeps running further away from me, Naruto you've always stuck by my side no matter what, always cheered me up, I guess I finally see who, Naruto your true self who you really are,"

"When our whole village was brought to its knees by Pain, you returned just when you were needed most, the hero who defended the village, and now everyone in the Leaf admires you, I am simply one of them,"

"You used to be a mischievous, prankster, loser but you've become something wonderful and I've watched it all, while Sasuke adds to his crimes and just keeps breaking my heart, he's always becoming more of a stranger, but Naruto I am able to be close to you like this and you give me comfort and from the bottom of my heart I care about you-"