Taiikusai 01
He could smell the miso emanating from the contents of the pot sitting on the stove. Naruto slapped his 500 yen coin down on the wooden counter. He hunched over, lowering his head to peer through the low, square window affording him a view of the large kitchen. "Ne, ne, obasan! How about some ramen?"
The school cook released the small pan simmering over a high flame. She turned and glared at Naruto from behind the lunch counter, one hand on her apron clad hip. "How about you read the menu?" she pointed up with one finger at the ceiling. "You want soba or udon?"
Naruto pouted, ignoring the large white sign above the window. He knew the list by heart already, shifting from one foot to the next while the growing line behind him murmured impatiently. "But you KNOW I only eat raaaamen!" he drawled, giving her what he hoped was a sufficiently pitiful expression.
A smile broke out and she turned, shaking her head slightly. "Fine, fine. One miso ramen coming up. But don't blame me when you get scurvy." She grabbed a strainer full of a small clump of noodles from a bowl placed on the counter. She lowered it into the boiling water on the stove, tossing the noodles with a well practiced flick of her wrist. Naruto chuckled and grinned like a maniac as he watched. He knew she always prepared a bowl especially for him, but she refused to admit that her supposedly old wrinkled heart was capable of such kindness. Instead, they indulged in this cat and mouse routine daily and though she always complained when he asked for ramen, he noticed that she would pull out a special pack of noodles every time he showed up in line and set it aside on the counter where she would not touch it until he reached the front.
In precious few minutes, Naruto had a piping hot bowl of ramen and he grinned at her, nodding perceptibly as she handed back the change. He wasn't sure there was an agreed price for ramen and she never told him and he never questioned the amount of change he received. And if he received a few more coins sometimes than at others, he knew better than to ask. He took it with one hand while he grabbed a pair of chopsticks from the old cup now used as a holder next to the window and placed it in his mouth. Chopsticks safely secured between his teeth, he clung to his change and the bowl with both hands and plunked himself down at an empty table.
"Itadakimaaasu!" he shouted, clapping his chopsticks together with both hands. He pulled them apart with a snap, and smiled as he pulled up the first tangle of steaming noodles.
A young man with a ponytail strolled up to the table, one finger in his ear. "Can't you do anything quietly?" Shikamaru slid onto the bench, his other hand setting down his boxed lunch with a thump.
"SLUUUURP!" Naruto sucked up the noodles, almost choking when he realized he had overdone it a little.
"Never mind. Don't even try answering with your mouth full. It's bad enough listening to you eat," Shikamaru said. He untied the small knot in the plain green fabric wrapped around it. He pulled away the material and uncovered the plain brown bento box he brought to school daily.
"Dun ya haf cowds ta vat?" Naruto mumbled around his chopsticks.
"You want to try that again in something human?" Shikamaru said, raising an eyebrow. He slid the chopstick case open and pulled out two black sticks.
Sip. Sloop. Sluuuuurp. Naruto chewed hurriedly before gulping down the large mass.
"I said, don't you have clouds to watch?" he smiled.
Shikamaru grimaced. "I would, except Ino caught on. Stupid Chouji ratted me out for a candy bar. Now the first place she looks for me is on the roof. You're so lucky you didn't get stuck on her committee." He rolled his eyes, pulling off the lid of the first box and picking at a small octopus shaped sausage.
Naruto snorted. "Try listening to how stupid you are daily from Sakura and not feeling dignified enough to be told so by Sasuke." Naruto attacked his noodles again, frowning when his chopsticks grabbed fiercely enough to slice the noodles.
"The things we gotta do for school spirit. Che. Pain in the ass," Shikamaru muttered. He picked up a rice ball with one hand and took a rather savage bite from the top.
"Yeah, what's up with that? I just wanna get to the competition already! Who cares about the dancing! Let's get to the ass kicking!" Naruto's fist tightened around his chopsticks.
"Yeah, well, you'll have some competition from what I hear. We may have Sasuke and Neji on our side, but Gaara is on team Suna."
Naruto scrunched his face and scratched his cheek.
"His siblings too."
Naruto cringed.
"Who came up with that scheme anyway?" Shikamaru continued. "Team Konoha..Leaf. It doesn't scream I'll kick your ass now does it?"
"It's better than A,B,C?" Naruto suggested.
Shikamaru didn't look convinced.
"SHIKAMARU!" An indignant blonde slammed her hand onto the table, tapping her foot impatiently. "I've been looking ALL over for you! Oh, hello Naruto," Ino paused. Her eyes swept the table before turning to look around the cafeteria. "Is your teammate Sasuke around?" she said sweetly. Naruto stuffed a mouthful of noodles into his mouth shook his head. "Perhaps later then. And as for YOU!" she spun her head around, her full wrath returning, "we still need to compile the list of runners for the long distance race AND the three legged race, AND.."
"Fine, fine I get it," Shikarmaru said, slamming the lid onto his bento box with more force then was necessary. He pressed one hand against the table and he rose from the bench. "Che. SUCH a pain." Shikamaru begrudgingly threw his legs over the bench slowly and gave Naruto one of those "shoot me" looks. "Catch you later, Naruto."
Naruto waved meekly with one hand, his mouth strategically still full and thanked his lucky stars that he was on Sakura's team. A few cold shoulders and insults seemed like nothing against Ino's nagging.
-
The one advantage to having a last name near the top of the alphabet was that it meant having a seat by the window. Every year the teachers arranged the class in alpahetical order: first the boys, then the girls, twisting around the room. And like clockwork, it meant that Naruto could always look forward to a seat with a view.
However, it also meant that the famed over achiever and pain in the ass class leader, Uchiha Sasuke, sat behind him. Said class leader found it particularly offensive when other students failed to follow his oh so perfect example and would not allow Naruto to sleep in class. After a few harsh jabs in the back, discreet kicks to his chair or, his favorite, well aimed projectiles targeting annoyingly sensitive places, Naruto had learned his lesson well. So instead, he did the next best thing. He stared out the window.
He could stare straight across the courtyard from his homeroom on the second floor directly into the teacher's office where he was certain it wasn't a text book Kakashi-sensei was studying so intently. Tsunade hag sat at her desk at the head of the office and worked through the phenomenal stack of papers that accumulated there. He would make sure to visit her after school because as much as she complained he was certain she enjoyed the distraction. As the first female vice principal of Konoha Gakuin, she sure acted tough, but Naruto had quickly discovered that she was a total softy underneath it all.
He pondered the wisdom of asking her to eliminate the school uniform policy when he felt a familiar jab at the center of his back.
"Stand," Sasuke grit out in what could barely pass as a polite tone.
Naruto looked around hurriedly and realized that he was the only one not standing. Sheepishly, he pushed away his chair and straightened himself out.
"Bow," Sasuke instructed and the whole class lowered their heads, bent at the waist. Asuma-sensei grinned and strolled out of the room. As soon as the classroom door rattled shut, Naruto sunk into his chair and gathered up his things. He stood quickly from his chair only to be dragged back into it by a hand latched onto his shirt.
"We need to discuss the designs for the signboard." Sakura's green eyes bore down on him. She released his shirt and crossed her arms over her chest. Naruto tried not to leer when this small gesture emphasized her modest breasts.
He forced his eyes above her neck. "How about you give me the paint and I take care of it, Pollock style?" he grinned.
"Cuz the administration loved it the last time you did that, dobe," Sasuke said. Naruto turned in his chair to scowl at him.
"How about... wait, you know who Pollock is?" Sakura leaned back, impressed.
"Who do you think was my inspiration for the founder's mural job I did?" Naruto winked.
"I thought that was to eliminate prints..." she pursed her lips together. "But honestly, we're not going to win that way."
Naruto nodded. "Yeah, yeah. I'm just running to see Tsunade-hag. I'll see you in the art room at 4?" he rose from his chair, pressing past Sakura. She rolled her eyes, but her head dipped in what he chose to accept as a nod. Naruto smiled and waved over his shoulder as he dashed for the door. He sprinted down the hall, making a left at the boy's restroom to barrel down the bridge connecting the two buildings. He made it down to the south building, but before he could round the corner to the teacher's office the disciplinarian, whose office was so conveniently located next door, stuck his head out of his office.
"NARUTO!" A familiar scarred brown nose was presently wrinkled in a frown.
Naruto skidded to a halt, the soles of his sneakers squeaking against the linoleum floor. "Good afternoon Iruka-sensei. How may I help you?" he said. He smiled what he hoped, was his most genuine, "I'm a little angel" smile.
"Don't give me that look! Look at your uniform! I told you to stop wearing that ridiculous orange tie! and where is your coat? And are you dying your hair!?" Iruka stepped away from his office, brown eyes scanning Naruto's appearace with ill-concealed disapproval.
"It's too hot for a coat!" Naruto whined, "and you know my hair is natural! You think I'm motivated enough to dye my hair every week?"
Iruka's expression relaxed. He released a sigh and nodded. "That's true...I mean, of course you are!" He paused, glancing away. "Um. Just try not to wear the orange tie anymore, okay?"
"I'll try Iruka-sensei." Naruto winked. "Catch you later dattebayo!" He sped down the rest of the hall before Iruka could remember anything else to complain about. He slipped past the few students milling around the office and burst through the doors without fear of people standing on the other side. "Shitsurei shimaaaaaasu!" he yelled, gathering a series of startled looks from the swiveling heads of nearly every person inside.
Naruto froze, his smile fading when he recognized one of them in particular.
"Loud as usual, Uzumaki." Naruto felt heat flare in his cheeks, recognizing the smooth voice. Standing in front of Tsunade's desk, gracefully posed despite the ridiculous stack of papers in his hands, was the student president himself. His green eyes twinkled the way they did anytime Sabaku Gaara found something amusing.
Naruto's heart leapt up to his throat. He chuckled nervously while his right hand gravitated to the back of his head;the only tell-tale sign of his awkwardness. "Gaara!" he forced a smile on his face, feeling the corners of his mouth quiver with the effort. "Long time no see!"
The student president took a few steps forward in his direction. "Already lost respect for me?" he said softly. He green eyes narrowed and yet the twinkle was still there.
Naruto lowered his gaze, feeling like his tongue suddenly weight a ton and was embarassed to realize that the burning in his cheeks was most definitely a blush. "Old habits die hard, Gaara-sempai," he added softly.
Gaara's lips quirked up in a way that was only too familiar. He turned away, holding out the stack of papers in his hand to Tsunade. "These are the updated student reports. I'll notify you of any upcoming changes in the festival preparations." Gaara gave a curt bow. Tsunade accepted them with a nod. She gave a cursory glance at the top page and dropped them in a box labeled "student council." She nodded at him before going back to whatever file was open on her desk.
Gaara seemed well acquainted with her lack of attention. "Well then, please excuse me," he said, bowing curtly. He turned on his heel, walking in a graceful lope down the small walkway clear of teacher's desks. Naruto held his ground, catching the sideways glance in his direction. "I look forward to the competition. Take care of yourself, Uzumaki-kun." The barest hint of a smirk lingered in the corners of his lips.
An old crush he thought had been successfully tamped down came crashing back over him and it took all of his resolve not to close his eyes and shiver. "Er, yeah! You too!" Naruto turned, but Gaara was already out the doors.
Tsunade grinned at him from her desk, a pen twirling in her fingers. "Are you always that eloquent or does Sabaku-kun have some special Uzumaki bane I should know about?"
Naruto's cheeks flared up and he sputtered. "Shut up hag! He's been my sempai ever since middle school! I haven't seen him in awhile." He lowered his gaze to the floor. He crossed his arms against his chest. "It just surprised me."
Tsunade rose from her desk and slid around the large metal monstrosity laden with papers. Her heels clicked against the floor and she leaned forward, flicking his forehead with her middle finger and thumb. "Watch your tone brat," she smiled. "But I'll forgive you your surprise. So which one shocked you more? That you're both at the same high school or that he's the youngest student president in the school's history?" Tsunade leered. "And what happened to you, Mr. I'll be school president and make them all bow to me?"
Naruto stuck out his tongue. "You know I stopped saying that when I was twelve. It's Toudai for me now!" Naruto grinned from ear to ear only to have it wiped away when Tsunade whacked him on the head with her folder.
"Then pick up your grades, brat. Your creativity may get you by in English and Art, but your math could use a little more work."
"I KNOW that." He rubbed his head and then rubbed his fingers through his hair trying to fix the damage.
"So then what can I do for you?" She dropped the folder on her desk and slid around, back go her oddly shaped ergonomical chair.
Naruto approached the desk carefully, glancing around, and poking a paper weight that looked something like the glowing crystal in his favorite video game.
"Well, you can eliminate the school uniforms, tell Iruka-sensei that this is my natural hair color and give Uchiha bastard someone else's committee to plague."
Tsunade lifted a brow. "Is that all?" she said, leaning back in her chair. She clasped her hands over her green business jacket, smoothing down the creases of her cream colored blouse. "Absolutely not, I'll give him a word, and deal with it. Will that be all?" she smiled.
Naruto crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. "One more thing. Who the hell decided to name our group Konoha Leaf?"
-
Naruto slid the door open, his fingers vibrating with the wood along its bumpy track. He stepped into the art room surveying the canvases, buckets of pain, and half finished works littering the room. His own canvas faced the wall in the corner. Sasuke and Sakura sat at one of the wooden tables, backs hunched over the mass of papers spread out like the evidence of a crime scene.
"The challenge is working our signboard into our theme," Sakura pressed a finger to lips shiny with lip gloss. She picked at an image, turned it on its axis and put it back. "Who the hell came up with leaves anyway?"
Naruto snorted. "Ice prick here did." He dropped his bag onto the table, sending the series of papers fluttering toward the edge.
Sakura's eyes mouth opened and closed as she shot a panicked look at her irritated classmate. "Oh, I didn't mean…" She smiled nervously. "It was a great idea! Really…"
Sasuke glared and turned away from them, stooping to pick up one of the images that managed to escape. "I'd like to see you do better."
Naruto leaned against the table and brought a hand to his chest. "That's why I should have been class leader and not that frigid bastard."
"Naruto!" Sakura smacked his shoulder lightly. "You were sleeping during nominations. You weren't even running in the competition," she reminded him for the umpteenth time.
"Technicalities," Naruto rubbed his shoulder. "I still think I'd do a better job in my sleep."
"Then tell us, dobe. What's your brilliant idea for the signboard?" Sasuke swivelled on his stool, blank expression revealing just how probable Sasuke thought it was that Naruto would have a good idea, or any ideas.
"Anything but ninja. That was everyone's theme last year. Besides, I'm still thinking about it. Waiting for that moment of brilliance to strike! Heehee." Naruto smiled and flashed a peace sign.
"Yeah, well try to slack off and something else will be striking you pretty soon," Sakura muttered, rearranging the images Naruto had managed to upset.
"SAkuraaaa."
"Don't whine Naruto," she picked up a white piece of paper scrawled over in smudged pencil drawing. She held it up to his face close enough that breathing sent the paper fluttering slightly. "What do you think of these designs?"
-
Two hours later and they had accomplished little. When Naruto realized that progress was being measured in the number of ideas they could rule out, he thought it best to stop. He froze when Tsunade's voice crackled over the speaker system, requesting all students to make for home. He glanced at the little hand pointing to six on the round clock, and Naruto, for one, was never more willing to comply with the administration.
He walked with his classmates to the locker room and quickly changed out of his indoor shoes. Shouldering his bag he waved good-bye to Sakura and headed for the front gate. He paused before making it half way down the driveway, waving to a few classmates walking toward the gate. He glanced back over his shoulder and before he had even reached a decision, his feet were carrying him toward the founder's mural—the one he so proudly defaced in his younger days.
Four men held their heads up high. The first two, the original founders, were familiar, yet unknown faces. He always marveled at their being so young and it gave him a sort of hope that he too would accomplish something before he was old and wrinkled. The third face he only knew too well. The familiar wrinkled smiling face of sandaime looked down on him. Naruto smiled in return.
Even now Naruto kind of missed him. The old man had always been kind to Naruto, despite the difficult circumstances. Were it not for him he never would have aimed for the prestigious high school and now that he was here, he couldn't imagine going to any other school.
Naruto's eyes shifted over to the fourth and last face; to the old man himself—Namikaze Minato. His father wasn't one of the founders, but he had been given the honor of holding the position of fourth principal of the prestigious new academy. He was admired, well respected, and hailed as a leader, or at least until the scandal began. Naruto was never sure of the details, but the Sandaime had never expressed anything other than a belief in his father's innocence. And so Naruto did too.
"You look like him." Naruto jumped a little. "I couldn't tell at first, but you've grown. I can see the resemblance now."
Naruto growled and wheeled to tell off the speaker for scaring him, but when he did, the words were caught in his throat.
Naruto swallowed his words with an audible gulp. "Good evening, Gaara-sempai." He inclined his head a little in an effort to be polite for once.
Gaara smiled a little, his body turning to face the mural. "You can drop the formality. Tsunade-san isn't around. I know you'd prefer to beat my face to a pulp before showing me any mock respect."
Naruto just barely restrained himself from spitting out a denial.
"It's been awhile," Gaara continued, his green eyes shaded by thick dark lashes. The lifted momentarily as his eyes roved over the mural. "I heard you were here this year and Neji has warned me against repeat performances from our junior high days. Otherwise I would have extended a more personal greeting."
Naruto harrumphed. "Yeah well, I would have rolled around to engage in the usual rough housing, but Umino already has it in for me and Tsunade threatened to kick my ass personally if I got the new school pres suspended. Old hag. She implied it would be my fault."
Gaara smirked. His thumbs hooked into the top of his pockets. "The adults love to see a rebel reformed."
Naruto turned to look at the mural, eyes landing on the sandaime still smiling. "No shit. Next they'll try to get me to follow your oh so perfect example."
He hazarded a glance at his sempai and caught a slight frown. "Not perfect," Gaara's lashes lowered. "Still trying. Some of the more conservative board members still want to revoke my status. A former delinquent and outed homosexual isn't exactly their notion of a school role model."
"Don't worry about it," Naruto extended a hand. He curled his fingers quickly and pulled his hand away before Gaara would notice. He balled his fingers in a fist and held it up in the air. "And if they try to call you a pansy assed fairy, then we can give them a good ass-kicking."
Gaara turned his head and glared. "Uzumaki… you're the only one suicidal enough to call me that."
Naruto chuckled nervously. "Well, there's nothing a good ass-whooping can't cure anyways. That's what I always say." He forced a smile, eyes darting to anything but his angry sempai.
Gaara turned, leaning against one leg in a way that stuck out one side of his hip. Naruto was drawn to this small action, noting the way Gaara's shirt was stretched tight against his chest as he crossed his arms. "Hn? Then I guess I'll fix that ego of yours in the tournament." He familiar quirk of lips was back. The challenge had been dropped
"You wish," Naruto grinned, a familiar sense of excitment building. "Who kicked whose ass last time?" he jut out his chin.
Gaara lifted a brow, head tilting as he evaluated Naruto. "Call it a stroke of luck." Gaara took a step forward, close enough for Naruto to realize that his sempai was actually just slightly shorter than he was. He leaned in closer, close enough for Naruto to see how thick his lashes were. "I'm not the same man I used to be."
Naruto gulped. He wished away the burning in his cheeks and kept his fist clenched tight. He plastered an easy grin on his face and let out a high pitched laugh. It sounded frantic even to his own ears. "Wanna bet? I bet I'll beat you in every race we've got!"
By the time he realized what he said it was too late. Gaara was equally surprised. His eyes widened slightly, the curve of his mouth lifting just so. "Care to make a wager on that?"
"Huh?" Naruto said. He was pretty sure gambling of any sort in school was illegal, but this was the school president and more importantly, this was his rival. He quelled his surprise, forcing himself to stand a little straighter. "Sure, but it will be your loss!" he made sure he was standing at his full height, keeping his chin high in his act of bravado. "How much you wanna bet? Sen yen? Ichiman?" he threw out there.
Gaara shook his head. Naruto recognized the grin.
"If I win, you wear a dress at the culture festival. If you win..." he paused, clearing his throat before lifting green eyes to meet his. "well, I guess that's up to you. I suppose if you win, I'll have to do anything you want."
Naruto swallowed. Hard. He was certain that the odd feeling in his stomach had something to do with the racing of his heart. And had it been anyone but Gaara, he would have been certain there was a purr to that "anything." Naruto inhaled sharply and clenched his fingers to remind himself to stay calm.
"You're on raccoon boy!"
Gaara quirked a brow. "Haven't heard that one in awhile," he said, turning away from the mural. "I guess we have a deal," he said, sparing one more look over his shoulder. Naruto grinned weakly and waved him away. He beat a hasty retreat back to the gate, where he clutched his chest and let out a big sigh of relief. He knew he had a big mouth, but sometimes he simply couldn't help himself.
He snuck a peek around the bend to the school entryway where he had stood just minutes before, where he had stood next to his sempai and failed not to notice the form fitting burgundy blazer; the white collar of his pressed shirt bunched near the buttons that fed into snug gray pants.
Keep it clean Uzumaki, he thought to himself before that train of thought could progress further. The last thing you need right now is a bike ride with a hard on. Naruto inhaled deeply and willed his body to calm down. He walked toward the bike racks slowly, willing his heartbeat to slow down. He had to go home, he told himself, and train. Yeah. Definitely train.
Naruto unlocked the chain on his bike and pulled it free of the rack. His fingers clenched around the bars with more enthusiasm than he had experienced in some time. This year's taiikusai wasn't just a simple school competition anymore. This time, there was a prize to be won.