Author's Note: Thank-you for taking the time to read my story. Let me know your thoughts and feelings below.
Chapter One: A Very Merry UnBirthday
"S..ki-Ch..n." This voice, it was so familiar yet so distant. Who am I…? What is this place? Suki could hear the feint sound of rain pattering against her window pane. The presence of her room seeped into existence, she could feel the sun creep in through her window as it peaked through the dark grey clouds that filled the sky. She was enveloped in warmth, within minutes she began to stir. Suki opened her eyes, her vision still blurred.
"Suki-Chan!" There was that voice again, this time it was clearer. She jerked awake and sat up, her eyes immediately shot towards her calendar hanging next to her bed.
"Crap." She picked up her sheets and threw them across her body, slipping on her house shoes she ran towards her bedroom door. Just as she reached for the golden door handle, the great oak door swung open knocking her to the ground with a thud.
"Suki! Honestly are you still asleep in here? …Suki?" A beautiful woman was standing in the threshold to her bedroom with a flustered look on her face.
"Suki?" She called again.
"D-Down here…" Suki rubbed her right side. That's definitely going to bruise later. The woman extended her arm and took hold of Suki's small hand. Aoi lifted her up with ease and straightened out her pajamas.
Doctor Aoi Yumenai was one of the lead medical specialists in the Land of Fire, she was Suki's elder sister and legal guardian. She has been Tsunade's apprentice since Tsunade became the Fifth Hokage and has taken pride in teaching Medical Ninjutsu at the Konohagakure Secondary Academy.
"Sorry about that love. I have an important meeting with Tsunade regarding the state of the village. I wanted to see you off before I left." Aoi tucked a lock of hair behind Suki's ear and kissed her forehead softly.
"I also made your favourite – Cocoa Pancakes." She smiled and placed her hand on Suki's head.
"Thanks Aoi. What's wrong with the village?" Suki questioned, more concerned about the meeting than about the delicious fluffy breakfast awaiting her downstairs.
"Things just haven't been the same since the attack on our village last month. We're spread pretty thin and I've got more patients than I can currently see." Aoi paused for a moment as she noticed Suki's expression grow worrisome.
"Don't worry yourself though, just do what you can to help. Do whatever is asked of you. And Happy Birthday sweetie." Aoi winked and with that disappeared down the hallway.
Suki sighed and walked over to her closet. Most of her wardrobe consisted of dark colours with the occasional fleck of emerald. She was still a student at the Konohagakure Secondary Academy, or KSA for short, so most of her clothes were dark grey uniform pieces.
Since Tsunade's reign as Hokage she built the first Konoha secondary establishment. At KSA shinobi are able to further their education. Once graduating - typically at the age of eighteen -they become Genin. Tsunade rolled out this new program as a way to strengthen the Ninja that put their lives on the line for the village Hidden in the Leaves and to prevent unnecessary death by setting up each ninja for success and a future.
Suki picked out her green and grey pleated skirt, along with her white blouse and charcoal tunic. Today was the day of her graduation, she would finally be able to help her village as a Genin Kunoichi.
She thought about all that has happened since she became a student at KSA. How that demon Orochimaru destroyed her village and cursed Sasuke, how Naruto overcame the Kyuubi sleeping within him after he was nearly killed by Kabuto and how Sakura decided that she would never let anyone die on her, graduating early and becoming a medical ninja at the Konoha Hospital. Everyone seems to be growing at a rapid rate. Why do I feel as though my power has come to a standstill? Suki changed quickly and slipped on her shoes, she grabbed her tool kit and strapped it to her waist.
"Happy Birthday Suki." She mumbled to herself, closing her bedroom door behind her.
"Yo, Suki-Chan." A tall blonde haired boy approached Suki cheerfully. She was leaning against her favourite cherry blossom tree in the KSA courtyard deep in thought. The wind whistled as the blossom tree danced in the breeze above her. She looked up at Naruto as he rested his forearm on the tree trunk, leaning into Suki and smiling. He looked lovingly into her eyes before kissing her lightly on the forehead. That's twice in one day.
"Happy Birthday Suki." Naruto smirked.
Naruto Uzumaki was the Fourth Hokage's son, his parents both sacrificed their lives to save Konoha, just like Suki and Aoi's parents during the Kyuubi's destruction on their village. They were both too young to remember any of it. Since then Aoi and Suki have taken to Naruto and view him as a part of their makeshift family.
"Naruto." Suki loved when Naruto's greeting towards her began with affection, it always left her feeling wholesome.
"Thank-you." The apples of her cheeks flushed.
There was a time when she couldn't stand Naruto, he was always thirsting for her attention during class and followed her home from school many times like a lost puppy. It was during Orochimaru's ruthless attack against Konoha that Suki realized she had grown to like Naruto. Kabuto fought relentlessly and struck down Naruto. Suki watched as the life drained from Naruto's eyes, and then something awakened deep inside of her. She would like to forget the day that she killed a man, but if she hadn't taken that leap then Naruto would not be here today, kissing her on the forehead and wishing her a happy birthday.
"I hope that we get placed on the same squad." Naruto confessed selfishly.
"I want to make sure no one hurts you, ever again." He tucked a lock of Suki's hair behind her ear, his hand remained on the side of her cheek. Suki smiled and looked into Naruto's eyes, for once in her life she was hopeful of her future.
"Hey love birds! Get a move on, the ceremony is about to start! … Geeze, what a pain." A dark haired shinobi shouted from the courtyard's entrance. He wore a Chunin vest and had his thick hair tied back out of his face. He sported a sullen expression and shrugged before disappearing back into the academy. Shikamaru Nara was one of the few exceptions to the Genin program. After he helped push Orochimaru out of Konoha he was awarded the rank of Chunin by Lady Tsunade, since then he has been helping out at the Elementary Academy and shaping the minds of the next generation of Konoha Ninja.
"He's right we should head inside. They're going to announce the teams today too." Suki broke apart from Naruto and the two of them headed in behind Shikamaru.
"Welcome, Welcome!" Tsunade announced as the KSA students poured into the auditorium. "Today is the start of your careers as honorary Shinobi and Kunoichi." She pointed towards the great table behind her, covered in emerald satin and piled with diplomas. "Everyone have a seat, once your name is called and your squad is announced you may grab your diploma and stand with your respective teams."
"Shh – It's starting." Suki heard Ino hiss at Choji who was shoveling pork and bbq chips into his mouth like they were going out of style.
Naruto found two seats next to Hinata and Kiba, he motioned for Suki to go ahead of him. She nodded and sat down next to Kiba. Kiba smelled slightly like wet dog, but that was something that Suki has become accustomed to. Kiba and Hinata were two people that Suki considered to be her dear friends, they have been through so much together and all come from different walks of life. Naruto slumped next to Suki and put his arm around her shoulders. She instantly felt a rush of warmth flow through her body, Naruto made her feel infinitely safe.
"Team One: Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi and Hanabi Hyuuga. Captain: Shikamaru Nara." The three newest additions to the Genin stood and approached the table. They each grabbed their diplomas and turned to face the crowd before them.
"Team Two: Hinata Hyuuga, Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame and Tara Haruno. Captain: Shino Aburame" The next three stood, grabbed their diplomas and also faced the crowd.
"Team Three: Suki Yumenai, Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki and Rin Foster. Captain: Rin Foster." Tsunade rolled up her notes and waited until the last group formed.
A dark haired boy scoffed and stood up before the rest of them could, he made his way over to the table with his hands in his pockets. He grabbed his diploma and waited for the rest to join him. Suki and Naruto followed close behind him and did the same. Ever since Sasuke was marked by Orochimaru he had been very distant. Suki had tried confronting him once before after he and Sakura had a fight outside of the Academy. Sasuke brushed her off and said that it was nothing, however Suki knew better than to believe him. She felt pain for Sasuke as he isolated and writhed alone in his own hatred for his brother Itachi, who wiped out all remaining members of the Uchiha Clan.
"Each Captain has been handpicked by me. They have experience as Genin, Medical Ninja or Chunin and are excellent leaders. Prepare yourselves, tomorrow you all get your first mission as a team." And with that Tsunade exited the auditorium, a dark haired women holding a tiny piglet followed close behind her.
"Alright! I can't believe we all finally graduated! This is awesome." Naruto exclaimed as he inspected his diploma. "It's finally happening, we're officially Genin."
"Hm. I've never heard of Rin Foster before, I wonder if she came from a nearby village." Suki tried to think back to the ninja who have graduated from KSA since entering the academy, although she couldn't place a face to the name, Naruto seemed to have an idea of who she was. Naruto's gaze shifted over to Sasuke.
"Rin was engaged to Sasuke's older brother." Naruto admitted, "She's two years older than we are and she's the one who found Sasuke after, it, happened."
"Oh." Suki looked over at Sasuke who was being fawned over by Ino and Sakura. She watched as the two very energetic girls chittered around him, competing for his attention. You could tell that Sasuke had something else on his mind and that he wasn't listening to a word that they were saying to him. Suddenly Sasuke's eyes darted towards her, her stomach sank immediately.
"Hey, Suki let's grab something to eat – I'll treat you." Naruto put his arm around Suki's shoulders once he noticed Sasuke looking at her. She broke eye contact with Sasuke and leaned her head on Naruto.
Will things ever go back to the way that they were? I miss him sometimes... Suki caught herself thinking about Sasuke and the times that they shared together when they were both freshmen at KSA. At the time she thought that she had truly found someone who understood her pain, her need for revenge and most of all her thirst for power. Naruto saved her from that life a long time ago, but who would help save Sasuke from the darkness festering inside of him.
The lights of the Takashi Ramen Shop shone imminently in the dead of night. It seemed as though Suki and Naruto were the only ones in the village – chatting away with excitement about all the adventures they were going to have now that they could go on A-rank missions. Suki pushed her ramen around with her chop sticks as Naruto slurped the last of his beef broth. He slammed down his bowl and gave a thumbs up to Takashi.
"Thanks Mr. Takashi it was awesome as usual!" Naruto praised the man who has watched him grow from a toddler to the man he was now. Takashi's eyes watered slightly at the thought of Naruto growing up so quickly before him. Naruto looked at him puzzled.
"Oi, Mr. Takashi? What's the matter?" Naruto asked suspiciously.
"N-Nothing Naruto. I-I just, I'm so glad to see you happy and with such a beautiful young woman such as Ms. Yumenai." Takashi wiped his tearing eyes on the sleeve of his apron.
Naruto's face flushed at the thought of him and Suki as a couple. He had loved her now for a long time but never worked up the courage to tell her and ask her to be his. Suki was so entrapped in her own mind that she didn't hear a word that Takashi and Naruto exchanged. She thought back to the coldness in Sasuke's eyes, remembering when he would look at her with lust and warmth. Sasuke was the first person that Suki ever loved besides her sister Aoi, she wasn't sure if she was ready to let Sasuke walk along the path of darkness and destruction.
"Suki?" Naruto looked down at his empty bowl, deep in thought. "Are you bored? Do you want me to walk you home?"
"Hm? Oh, I'm sorry Naruto. It's not you at all, things have just been really stressful at home lately. Aoi has been bringing a lot of her worries home with her. You know." Suki was getting really good at covering her true feelings. She was hoping that Naruto wouldn't notice.
"Okay. Should we head back? It looks to be almost midnight." Naruto put his hands on the counter and pushed himself up. He took out his bamboo wallet and handed Takashi what he owed him and a tip. He folded his wallet back up and slipped it in his back pocket. Suki also stood up and lifted the stand's tent flap out of her face. Naruto followed her out of the shop and they both stood in silence for what seemed like forever.
"Let me walk you home." Naruto suggested.
"It's okay Naruto. I want to walk home and think." Suki declined. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
"Sure. Text me when you get home so I know you made it back safely?" Naruto took out his phone and turned it on. "There now I'll see it right away." He smiled.
"Goodnight Naruto. Thanks for dinner, I had a great time." Suki waved slightly and began heading towards her home. She crossed her arms as she shivered, she was beginning to regret not bringing her sweater with her before going out.
"You look cold." A deep voice sounded from her right. She jumped at the sound and faced where she thought it had come from. She felt fluttering at the pit of her stomach. It was Sasuke.