SasuSaku OneShots

🌸Swimming Freestyle - Rivals Part 4🌸

[swimming AU, funny, fluff]

Here we are... Naruto smiled, "I feel so... Hyped, right now." 

"Of course." Tanaki grinned, "I'm sure we'll all do our best out there."

"Hey..." Naruto muttered, "you're starting to sound like Sai... If we have two Sai's on the team now, then..."

"What's wrong with me?" Sai smiled, "my mere presence brightens the room."

"Heh." Naruto rolled his eyes, then turned, "helloooo..."

Sakura jumped.

"You look so tense." Naruto poked her arm, "are you okay? Will you be fine today?"

"Yeah..." Sakura sighed, "I'm... I'm doing the Women's Division 100m Free and this relay with you guys..."

"You'll do great." Tanaki gave her a smile that made her heart flutter in a way she hadn't felt in a while.

"Thanks."

A ding went off on Tanaki's phone. He checked it then smiled at the group, "sorry, I need to head out somewhere."

"Hm?" Naruto blinked, "is everything alright?"

"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry about me. You'll be great out there, Sakura! Don't forget... What you swim for." He walked up to her and gave her a tight hug before running out of the lobby.

Sakura smiled and clenched her fist, "he's right. I just hope..." She watched the direction that Tanaki ran off to, "I hope he could make it to watch me swim."

"I'm sure he will." Sai grinned.

"Good luck out there, Sakura. We'll be cheering for you!" Naruto gave her a pat on the back before he and Sai walked into the spectator's stands.

Sakura made her way to the girls' locker room where she found a locker and shoved her duffel and swim towel into it.

I'm normally confident walking into these swim meets, but... My hands are trembling so bad... She looked down at her hands as she walked through the door of the locker room and into the pool area, where crowds of spectators watched. Damn...

"Sakura!!"

Her eyes immediately met Naruto's as her teammates yelled her name and cheered.

"You got this, Sakura!"

She chuckled nervously as she pulled her jacket off and set it in the bin provided at each lane. Center lane again... That only means... Am I the fastest here? Standards are... P-pretty high... But why... Why do I feel this way?

"Swimmers, take your marks!"

Sakura took a few deep breaths and stepped up onto the starting block. She took her stance and stared at the water below her, her hands trembling. Then she saw it.

It was him.

"Tch!"

The buzzer went off, and from the very start, she knew what would happen.

"Sakura!" Naruto stood up, "damn, she started late!"

Sai smiled, "she doesn't have a chance."

"Sai, shut up!" Naruto cupped his hands over his mouth, "come on, Sakura!! Catch up!!"

Sakura threw her head from side to side with each stroke, tiring her out faster. When she flipped to lick off the wall, the turn was early, so her kickoff wasn't as strong as it normally is. She slapped the water as hard as she could and coughed in between breaths as she swallowed and choked on the water.