Shoelaces
summershine
Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, do not own Naruto. If I did, SasuxNaru sap would be much more prominent.
Author's Note: The entire gang is around 7-8 in this one shot. I'm not quite sure of ages, but it's after the Uchiha Clan Massacre and around the time everyone starts at the Ninja Academy. I really wanted the feel of Elementary School though, but I suppose you can imagine it as you like.
/-/-/-/-/
Naruto gave a feeble tug at the grass stained shoelace in his right hand. His small, sun-browned hands were striped white and red from his fruitless efforts, and tears were perched at the edge of his eyes from the sheer frustration of the task. Naruto could simply not tie his shoelaces.
Having tied shoes in Konoha was not a requirement, but the standard dress regulation for each ninja required tight, laced-up boots, something that did not agree with Naruto's casual foot attire of bare feet. After having endured four days of laughter by his peers for his state of shoe attire, Naruto had sat himself down on the dock and attempted at the tying of his shoes. He had nodded fiercely once and assured himself that he would not leave until the rudimentary task was completed. Unfortunately, the sun's sinking rays were now low on the gleaming lake, and Naruto's stomach was rumbling – his voracious appetite for ramen was appearing, and needed to be satiated. Naruto whined piteously.
"C'mon… it can't be that hard! Everyone can do it – Sakura, Ino, Tenten and Hinata can. Kiba and Shikamaru and Chouji and Shino can. Neji and Lee tie their shoes everyday." He paused. Then… "Sasuke can tie his shoes."
Naruto contemplated this fact for a moment before diving at his shoes again and working at the laces with an inhuman-like fervor. But as sunset faced into dusk and dusk darkened into night, Naruto resigned himself to another day of humiliation. His tummy was tight with hunger, and he grudgingly got onto his feet, shoes clutched miserably in his aching hands. He trudged past the silent lake, stars twinkling happily down upon him, and made his way to Ichiraku Ramen, where he could be assured of a hot meal.
But upon reaching Ichiraku, he noted to his dismay that the usual school gang already filled its stools – Ino and Sakura seated to Sasuke's right and left, offering him bites of their miso ramen, Chouji eyeing his bowls of ramen with immense satisfaction, Shikamaru sleeping next to his half-finished broth, Hinata and Neji sitting in polite reservation, Lee babbling to Kiba of his new exercises, and Akamaru sniffing Chouji's empty dishes with doggy anticipation for the remnants of human food.
Naruto paused at the entrance, his hand grasping his shoes tightly and his thoughts becoming dejected as he thought of their laughter. But as he turned to leave, his eye caught Sasuke's, who had glanced up, his face showing irritation at Sakura and Ino's antics. Naruto winced slightly, waiting for the typical drawl of "dobe" that would alert the rest to his presence, but no verbal acknowledgement came. Instead, Sasuke gave a small yawn and stood up, grabbing a take-away container in which to empty his untouched ramen. He exited the shop silently, leaving the girls crestfallen in his absence, and approached Naruto, who was watching him warily. Naruto, who was expecting an insult, was instead handed the container of ramen, to which Sasuke muttered, "Not hungry." And with a quick glance towards Naruto's bare feet, Sasuke strode off, hands in his pockets. Naruto eyed the ramen with surprise, before crooning in happiness at the delicious smell that wafted from it.
But even after Naruto had tucked himself into bed that night, he was still wondering at Sasuke's actions.
The next day, Naruto arrived at school to find Sasuke enclosed by a tight gaggle of girls, who, surprisingly, were not staring at his locks, but rather at his feet. Naruto caught a squeal and a babbled, "His shoes are soooo cool!" before he noticed the new shoes the Uchiha sported: sleek, wooden, toeless, lace less shoes. His eyes met Sasuke, and he was agape to see the slight dust of pink that settled around the Uchiha's cheeks.
The next week, every student in the academy wore shoes akin to Sasuke's, and the teachers finally threw their hands up and gave up trying to persuade them otherwise. The dress code was changed, and Naruto found himself wearing brand new shoes that week that required no lacing up.
And the next moment he was at home, Naruto sat his old lace-up boots in front of himself, and taught himself how to tie them. Only this time, he did so with a faint smile on his face.
Owari