Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, he would be able to do more than Rasengan everything and spam clones.
Hey guys, a quicker update because I wrote it faster than I expected… most likely chapter three will be up in a few days as well. I'm enjoying writing this story, I like it a lot.
When I use techniques they will be in Japanese, because I think they sound better honestly. I'll try my best to keep a jutsu list at the bottom of each chapter where it is used, but eventually I'll probably stop for repeated stuff like Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, just a warning.
I try not to use much Japanese anywhere else except for honorifics like 'san,' 'chan,' 'kun.' I don't think that's much of a problem, but I will use it in other places without thinking. I'll try and list any of those after the chapter as well, but don't worry I don't go scouring the internet searching for words so I can proudly display my knowledge of the Japanese language. I watched the anime in Japanese, so the so the 'character speak' is really pulled from there… sorrylol.
101010
Look at me now, I made it,.
See my hope now, I made it.
Reaching things now I never thought possible.
Here I am now, I made it,
Here is my life, my true dream.
I am not afraid even through the darkest moments i never gave up
In my mind what am reaching for a coming closer i do never gave it up
(I never gave it up)
I Made It – Dead by April
101010
"So, now he knows."
"I will make sure Ibiki tortures every possible bit of information out of Mizuki for this."
"Let him know I'm ready to help."
"I'm putting Naruto on your team."
"Hmm… I'm sure you can count, Hokage-sama."
"I know what I'm doing, don't get cute with me Kakashi."
"Sorry, Hokage-sama."
"If even you're disrespecting me, I shudder to think what everyone thinks of this old man."
101010
"We did it, Aiko. We're genin." Sasuke gave his sister a genuine smile, and she returned it from her favorite seat on their couch. The apartment they lived in now was at the outskirts of the Uchiha compound. Although it was their right, neither could bear living in the main family home.
"You're the top rookie of the year, congratulations." Aiko's tone was happy, but it lacked life, the life his sister used to have. It hurt Sasuke, as always, to hear her like this. Sure she interacted with him, but it wasn't the same Aiko. Itachi, their own brother had ruined her.
'I'll make you pay for this, Itachi.'
"I'm sorry if I'm not the same Sasuke, I've tried hard all these years." Aiko said softly, shocking him that she could read him so easily.
Sasuke replied softly, "You're still my sister, and I still love you."
"Do you think I've been foolish, all these years…? Not talking to anyone… driving everyone but you away…"
"I've done the same."
"I know quite a few girls who would say otherwise, they're draw to you."
"They're annoying, that's all they are."
Aiko came over and sat by him, and she slowly engulfed him in a hug, "Thank you, Sasuke-chan." She mumbled into his shoulder.
Sasuke patted her back awkwardly, "I haven't done anything."
"You've been my brother, that's more than enough." Aiko pulled away, her eyes were wet, but she was smiling. Feeling his gaze on her, she gave a little laugh that cracked into a choked sob. "I'm being silly, when we're placed on teams I can't act like this with everyone."
Teams. It made Sasuke angry that he might be split from Aiko, the only one in his class he really cared about. Plus, if they weren't on the same team how could he be sure she was safe? How could he look out for her? The last bit of family he had… and he might lose her because she was placed on a team with idiots.
Aiko saw Sasuke's darkening expression and playfully flicked his ear, bringing him back like she knew it would. "No reason to get moody… Sasuke-chan."
"I told you not to call me that," Sasuke attempted halfheartedly, but Aiko could see his smile.
"Yet I still do it, don't I?"
101010
Naruto couldn't stop grinning, he had passed. Against all odds he had passed… and he contained the Kyuubi within him. His grin lessened, and Iruka-sensei had gotten hurt saving him.
His grin faded, Iruka-sensei was alright at least, and the medic had fixed him up in a few minutes although he had quite a few bandages. He assured Naruto that he didn't blame him, even though Naruto knew the whole ordeal was his fault.
The blond played a bit with his headband, enjoying the feel of metal in his hand. The warm blue cloth pressed up against his head, signifying that he was finally a ninja of Konoha.
"What are you doing here, Naruto?"
Naruto turned to face a sleepy looking Shikamaru, who continued, "Only ninja who passed the exam can be here, and I know you didn't pass."
Naruto gave him a huge grin, "Oh yeah? I did pass, don't you see this regulation headband, huh, Shikamaru? I'm a ninja too!"
"Troublesome…" Shikamaru muttered and went back to sleep. Naruto turned back, facing the front again, his grin restored. The blonde watched as Sasuke and Aiko walked in and took seats in the row across from him. Aiko glanced at him, and feeling brave, he gave her a little wave.
She cautiously returned it, and Naruto's heart swelled. She was still there; Aiko wasn't an emotionless pit like her brother. 'I want to help you.'Naruto thought silently, 'But I don't know how.'
More than anything, he wanted to be on Aiko's team. Maybe then he could help her the way that she had helped him, by reaching out to him, all those years ago.
Iruka walked in the room with a slight limp, evading the students' concerns of his obvious injuries and bandages, he began his speech to the graduating class.
"Congratulations, everyone here now officially a ninja of Konoha! As per tradition, you will be split into teams of three to be trained under a Jounin instructor. You are no longer my students, but I am proud of each and every one of you. Now, there are an odd number of graduates this year, so there will be one team of four."
Ignoring some of the murmurs, Iruka began to call out numbers and Jounin senseis. Finally he got to a team that made Naruto pay attention.
"Team 7, Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura-"
A groan went up from somewhere behind him. Naruto ignored it, but was annoyed that he would have to deal with one of Aiko's former 'friends.'
"Uchiha Sasuke-"
That same voice cheered, and Naruto felt like rolling his eyes. To think he once thought Sakura was pretty…
"…and Uchiha Aiko. All under the instruction of Jounin sensei Hatake Kakashi."
A few complaints went up here, Team 7 had bothUchiha? It wasn't fair at all, Aiko wasn't quite at the top of the class with Sasuke, but she was a few spots below, and Sakura wasn't far behind her. Iruka ignored the comments and continued reading the teams.
"Team 8, Hyuuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, and Aburame Shino. Under the instruction of Yuuhi Kurenai."
Naruto was glad that he had been teamed with Aiko, but he had to deal with Sasuke as well! He didn't dislike the boy, but he knew the Uchiha boy didn't like him at all… maybe Sakura would distract him and he would leave Naruto alone, so he could make friends again with Aiko.
"And finally Team 10 will consist of Yamanaka Ino, Akimichi Chouji, and Nara Shikamaru, under the instruction of Sarutobi Asuma."
Iruka closed up his scroll and smiled at them again, "It has been a pleasure teaching all of you. You may break for lunch, and then come back to this room to meet your instructors." Iruka gave them a final wave, and disappeared in a puff of smoke.
The newest ninja of Konoha stood and milled around the classroom, looking for their new teammates. Naruto spotted Sasuke and Aiko leaving together and moved to follow, Sakura doing the same.
Moving around the other students, he was able to catch them as they were going out the door of the academy.
"Hey Aiko, and uh, Sasuke! Since we're on a new team together, maybe we should all go get lunch together!"
Sasuke gave a little snort and continued walking, Aiko stopped though, and Naruto looked at her hopefully. Sakura burst out of the door and shoved past Naruto who fell to the ground with a cry. She quickly sidestepped Aiko without a word and ran after Sasuke.
"Sasuke-kun! We should have lunch together now that we're on the same team…"
The boy continued walking as if she hadn't spoken, and Sakura followed unimpeded. Aiko stared after them for a second, and then turned to Naruto.
"Lunch together sounds like a good idea, Naruto." Aiko quietly replied, "But I don't think Sasuke will join us."
"Maybe we should ask Sakura if she wants to… come." Naruto forced out, wanting to be fair.
"…I don't want her to come."
"Oh… alright then." It seemed Aiko wasn't too happy with her past friend either. Naruto followed Aiko to a bench, and she pulled out a small lunchbox from her pack, and looked at Naruto questioningly. The boy realized she was looking for his lunch.
"Oh uh heh, I usually go out to eat at Ichiraku's…"
"Everyday?"
"Uh, yeah kind of." Naruto blushed sheepishly, "I… don't really like anything else." Naruto cursed himself inwardly, why was he blushing? He looked like an idiot! Where was his usually loud, confident and unbreakable persona?
Aiko didn't seem to notice, as she opened her own lunchbox and pulled out two sandwiches of what looked like roast beef. She handed Naruto one, "Here. You have to eat healthier from now on… no more ramen every day."
"Aww…" Naruto's persona went one eighty as his whiny side took over, "But Aiko-chan… I like ramen!"
"Let me guess, you eat it for dinner too."
"…Yes. But ramen is the best food in the world! It tastes really good!"
Aiko made him take the sandwich, "You're just like my brother. All he wants to eat is takeout udon every day of the week, if I didn't make lunch or dinner for him, that's all he would eat."
"Hmm I've never had udon. It looks good though!" Naruto mused about the noodles, similar, yet different from ramen. He had seen a few people eating it but never tried it himself.
"Why haven't you tried it?"
Get OUT of my shop you damn brat!
"Er… I don't like anything other than ramen! Why would I eat some other food when ramen is so obviously amazing?"
Aiko shrugged and began to eat her sandwich; Naruto cautiously took a bite of his own and found it tasty, "Aiko-san… I feel kind of bad taking your lunch…"
"We're teammates now, teammates share with each other. We'll probably eat out a lot but some times I'll make lunch for us; it's not that hard to make a couple more sandwiches."
"But you don't have to do that…"
"Like I said, we're teammates now, Naruto-san. We have to help each other out… even if you don't like my brother very much, and I don't really like how Sakura chases after him."
Naruto was feeling it again, for the first time in a long time. The feeling of having a friend, a real friend. He couldn't keep the stupid grin off his face as he finished up the sandwich. Luckily that's how he usually looked anyways.
After they finished lunch, he and Aiko sat in silence. Although she was talking to him, she was obviously still uncomfortable with talking at all. Naruto respected that and didn't say anything, in fear of scaring her off.
After a few minutes of this silence, Naruto was broken out of his reverie, in which he had been staring at a tree, as Aiko stood. "I think we should head back to the classroom now. We don't want to be late and miss our Jounin instructor."
Naruto agreed and followed her brisk walk back towards the academy. He was a bit in awe of her… she had suffered so much in her life, and although she had the scars to show it, she pressed on.
'I can too! I'll be a great ninja so Aiko can rely on me to have her back!'
Not many people could even stand Naruto in the village, to have someone open up to him, and admit that they would depend on him, and he could depend on them… it was a huge thing. That trust was not something he was willing to easily break.
101010
"Aww where is he?" Naruto complained for the umpteenth time, they had been sitting for two hours after everyone else had left with their instructors.
"Stop complaining Naruto, you're just making it worse." Sakura said with a glare at him, "He won't get here any faster because you keep talking."
Naruto scowled, he couldn't help himself, and they had been waiting here for what felt like forever. Naruto didn't like sitting still for any period of time, why did their teacher have to be the no-show? Quickly, he set up a little revenge for their missing teacher in the form of an eraser lodged in the door, set up to fall when the door would finally open.
"He's a Jounin; he's not going to fall for that." Sasuke said, rolling his eyes at Naruto's obvious stupidity. Sakura quickly agreed with her crush, who was Naruto to think he could get one over a Jounin?
Aiko sat, quiet in her own little world. Sasuke knew better than to disturb her, his sister refused to talk to anyone if she didn't want to. She could remain silent for hours on end, despite how much he pressed. She didn't sit with him for lunch today, but that wasn't surprising, she usually didn't so she could avoid his fangirls that never left him alone.
'Did she eat with the dobe?'Sasuke glanced at his new teammate, decked out in a garish orange jumpsuit as always. When he had suggested they eat lunch together, Sasuke blew him off easily enough, but Aiko had stopped to talk to him. Sasuke quickly moved on to escape Sakura, so he wasn't exactly sure what was being said.
It didn't matter; his sister could do what she wanted, even if it was hanging with a loser like Naruto just because he was on their team.
The door opened, and the eraser plopped down onto a silver head of hair. Naruto started laughing, and Sakura began to apologize for her new teammate's prank. Their new instructor spoke for the first time, "My first impression of you… you're all a bunch of idiots."
He turned to leave them, "Meet me on the roof."
The four stood and walked in a group to the roof of the academy, although Sasuke and Naruto had a bit of a fight over who would walk in front. They made it with little injury to either, to find Kakashi already sitting on the ledge.
The man was decked out in full Jounin body armor and a light green flak jacket. He was masked up to his nose, and only one eye was viewable, the other covered by his headband, which was tilted at an angle. The grey haired Jounin gestured for them to take a seat.
"So… how about each of you start by introducing themselves. Likes, dislikes, hobbies, dreams, that sort of thing."
"Why don't you start, sensei?" Sakura suggested politely, "We don't know anything about you."
"Hmm, good point. My name is Hatake Kakashi; I like some things, and dislike some others. My hobbies…" The man gave a little laugh, "Well, anyways. I don't have any dreams."
The genin face-faulted, they hadn't learned a thing from their strange instructor. Kakashi was undeterred, pointing at Sakura, "Alright pinky, you first."
Sakura ignored the barb at her hair color and began, "My name is Haruno Sakura. I like…" She glanced at Sasuke and giggled, "Uhm, well I dislike loudmouths like Naruto and Ino, and as for hobbies I like to do my hair, read, and…" Another glance at Sasuke. "My dream is to…" A blush formed on Sakura's face as she looked at Sasuke again.
"Right…" Kakashi sweatdropped, "You're next, loudmouth." Kakashi pointed to Naruto, who quickly stood.
"I'm Uzumaki Naruto, and I like ramen! I dislike the three minutes it takes for ramen to cook. I like to train and eat ramen, and my dream is to become the greatest Hokage ever!"
"Okay… you, the quiet girl, you're next."
"…"
"Nothing to say?"
"My sister doesn't feel like talking right now." Sasuke spoke up for Aiko, who was ignoring Kakashi's questions, "She won't until she wants to."
"Right… well how about you then, moody?"
Sasuke glared, "Uchiha Sasuke, I like my sister Aiko, and I dislike almost everything else, especially fangirls and dobes." He glared at Sakura and Naruto here, "My hobbies are training, and my dream is an ambition… to kill a certain man, and to revive my clan."
Sakura looked on admiringly as Kakashi sighed inwardly, 'A ramen obsessed blond, a fangirl, a mute, and an avenger. What a great team…'
"Alright then. Tomorrow we're going to meet at Training ground number 7 at 0700 for some survival training."
"Survival training, sensei?" Sakura looked confused, "I don't understand, I thought we were ninjas now… training is over."
"Oh," Kakashi chuckled, "You're not quite ninjas yet. There's one more test. Although there were 28 graduates this year, only 9 will officially become genin. That means at least two of you are going to fail and go back to the academy after tomorrow."
A wave of protests went up from Naruto and Sakura. Aiko and Sasuke remained quiet, Aiko didn't even seem to register the news, and Kakashi had to wonder if she was like this all the time. Sasuke simply had a look of determination, as if he was ready for anything Kakashi could throw at him.
"Also, you should bother eating tomorrow." Kakashi said, preparing to use Shunshin to teleport away, "You'll just throw it all up."
With that, Kakashi disappeared in a flurry of leaves, leaving his wayward team behind. Sasuke stood immediately, and turned to Aiko, waiting for her to do the same. The black haired girl stood up with her twin, but as he turned to leave, she turned back to Naruto and Sakura.
"Since we're teammates, you both should come to our home for dinner tonight."
"Dinner?" Sakura intoned, "At Sasuke-kun's? Sure Aiko, that sounds great!" Naruto nodded slowly, he had never been over someone's house before… what was he supposed to wear? Did he have to bring a gift?
"Aiko…" Sasuke muttered, why did his sister have to try and make friends with these losers? They were just going to drag them down; hopefully tomorrow he could ensure that only he and Aiko passed Kakashi's tests, so they could get rid of these two. Sakura was already praising Aiko's idea and debating about what to wear, while Naruto looked nervous.
"Sasuke-chan." A smile flittered across Aiko's face, and Sasuke was startled by it. Aiko hadn't smiled like that in years, "These are our new teammates, we should treat them like family."
'Like family…?'What was Aiko thinking, a wave of rage swept through Sasuke, they had no family! Itachi had made sure of that… Aiko's smile never left her face as she placed a light hand on her brother's shoulder, which had been tense, but relaxed under her touch.
"We've been alone for too long, Sasuke." She murmured, as Sakura continued to wonder allowed about Sasuke's house, "Its time to open up again."
"…Hn." Sasuke turned away, breaking contact. Naruto watched the scene curiously, as Sasuke walked away. Aiko smiled at them, but this time it was more forced, Naruto noted.
"Is 6:30 good for you two?"
Sakura nodded quickly, and Naruto nodded as well, a bit slower. With that, Aiko bid them goodbye and turned to follow her brother. Sakura rushed off without as much as looking at Naruto, who turned to go to his own apartment.
'Where do they live anyways?'
101010
After pestering a few people that didn't hate or ignore him (Iruka and the Hokage,) Naruto got the location of Sasuke and Aiko's home, an apartment near the entrance of the Uchiha district. Iruka also assured him that he didn't have to wear anything special, and the Hokage insisted that a gift was not necessary. Naruto was a bit dubious on that, from what he had heard about going to people's homes, but he took their advice at face value.
Around 6:25 pm, he entered the Uchiha district cautiously. The place was a ghost town, much as he had heard. Although it had never been officially confirmed, the rumor about what had happened five years ago was set in stone as fact, a member of the Uchiha clan had gone insane and killed all the members of the clan except for Sasuke and Aiko. Why he had left them alive, no one seemed to know (although there were many guesses,) but the man, Itachi, had fled soon after to become a missing-nin.
To kill a certain man…
Was that who Sasuke was talking about? Naruto wondered if Aiko felt the same way. He also wondered why she had shut down and refused to talk to Kakashi, the man had seemed nice enough to Naruto, even though he was over two hours late.
Naruto left his thoughts behind as he knocked on the door of the only lit apartment in the district, mentally willing himself to be brave. It was only a dinner; he had no reason to be nervous. The door opened and Aiko greeted him with a smile, she had her hair down now instead of her customary ponytail or bun that she usually wore to the academy.
"Come in Naruto, you're right on time."
Naruto cautiously stepped inside, into a well lived in sitting area. A few kunai were on the table, a manga that Naruto recognized lay open on the couch, and there were a few pairs of shoes and sandals by the door in a neat little row. Naruto took off his own shoes obligingly.
The living room opened up into a dining area with a single table large enough to seat six or seven people, and Naruto could see another opening that led into the bedrooms and a bathroom. It was a larger apartment than his own, obviously meant for two or three people. Sasuke was sitting at the head of the dining room table, staring at the wall with a disinterested look.
"You can sit with Sasuke, dinner is almost ready… we're just waiting on Sakura I guess." Her tone didn't reflect it, but Naruto remembered the distaste in it for the pink haired girl this morning. She moved through another open doorway that obviously led to a small kitchen, Naruto could spot the sink.
He pulled a chair out by Sasuke's own and sat by the boy, who was wearing what he had wore earlier in the day. The Uchiha boy turned and looked at him for the first time, glaring.
"That's Aiko's seat."
Naruto quickly got up and moved to the seat next to it, not wanting to offend his irritable host any farther.
"Er… sorry."
Sasuke merely grunted and turned back to his fascinating wall. Naruto stared at the table, not wanting to be seen staring around the place with awe. It was clean, much cleaner than his apartment which was quite honestly, a pigsty.
There were no ramen cups and clothes littering the floor here. Although it was obviously lived in, everything was orderly. Aiko and Sasuke had a bookcase that was filled with many different types of books, manga, and scrolls. Naruto recognized a few popular manga, and also saw some cookbooks, stories, ninja manuals, technique scrolls, and some of their old academy books.
"Uh… you have a nice home." Naruto offered to Sasuke, who simply grunted again. Naruto felt a pang of annoyance, but ignored it. This wasn't his home, he reminded himself. He was a guest.
A few knocks on the door made both Sasuke and Naruto turn. Aiko's voice called from the kitchen, "Get that will you, Sasuke-chan? I'm a bit busy."
Sasuke scowled, but stood to go answer the door. Naruto snickered a bit at what Aiko called her brother. 'Sasuke-chan! Haha! How embarrassing.'
As soon as Sasuke opened the door, Sakura's bubbly voice filtered toward Naruto, Sasuke ignored her and returned to his seat at the table. Sakura tried to take 'Aiko's seat' and was given the same angry glare, Sakura quickly moved to the seat on the opposite side of the table, still near to Sasuke.
Watching Sasuke talk about his sister, Naruto realized how possessive he was of her. She was his only family now; Naruto wondered if he would be equally as clingy if he had a brother or sister.
Sakura seemed to have gained the good sense to be quiet, although she made a comment about Naruto's clothes being the same as the ones he had worn earlier. It made Naruto want to roll his eyes and yell that Sasuke was wearing the same thing as well, but he decided against getting in a fight at the first house he'd ever been invited to.
"Food's ready!" Aiko exited the kitchen with some takoyaki and udon with shrimp. "Could you get the rest, Sasuke?" Sasuke rose and went into the kitchen; he came out with a large bowl of miso soup, cutlery, and a stack of four plates, which he quickly distributed.
With a quick chorus of "Itadakimasu!" The new teammates dug in. There was no ramen, but Naruto found the takoyaki, which was basically breaded balls that were filled with octopus, to be delicious. Sasuke was scarfing down the udon quickly, but Naruto was able to snag a bowl, under Sasuke's glare.
"Eat something else, Sasuke-chan!" Aiko chided, "You can't just eat udon all the time." Sasuke grunted, but grabbed some takoyaki to appease his sister.
Sakura didn't eat much, instead taking the time to gaze at Sasuke with star struck eyes, Aiko ate a modest portion, but it was clear that Naruto and Sasuke were consuming the bulk of the food.
Naruto quickly tore his way through several bowls of miso soup and nearly a dozen balls of takoyaki, while Sasuke had consumed much of the shrimp udon and ate his fair share of the takoyaki. Soon there was only one takoyaki ball left, Sasuke and Naruto eyed each other, Sasuke slurped up one last udon noodle and Naruto gulped down the rest of the takoyaki he was currently eating. Their chopsticks moved at the same time and began to joust over the last ball.
"It's-" Sasuke grunted.
"Mine." Naruto growled.
Aiko scowled, "Sasuke! Naruto is a guest, let him have it!"
Sakura quickly took the other side, "Naruto its Sasuke-kun's home! Let him have the last takoyaki!"
Both of their chopsticks moved away at the same time, Sasuke stiffly spoke, "Take it." Naruto replied, "I don't want it."
"I insist."
"No, Iinsist."
"Boys." Aiko muttered, she quickly moved her own chopsticks in and deftly swept the ball up and gobbled it up, swallowing quickly. "There, problem solved."
Sasuke snorted, Naruto laughed, and Sakura giggled. Soon all four, even Sasuke, were laughing. Any tension that had been present disappeared, and the four teammates all helped clear the table and clean up.
They then retired to the living room, Aiko offered to pull out some board games, but Sasuke and Naruto quickly agreed on playing poker. It wasn't the most interesting game with only four people. Sakura was inexperienced with hold'em, and quickly went out. Aiko, who wasn't that interested in the game followed soon after.
Sasuke and Aiko had played many card games in earnest to pass time over the years, and Sasuke was well experienced with many types of poker, and hold'em was his best game. Naruto had spent years sneaking into Konoha's casinos and bar rooms, and had even sat in at a council poker game for the Hokage who had to deal with some business at the time, even though they had been playing a mixture of five card draw and stud poker, which were different than hold'em.
Hold'em was one of the simplest games, each player was dealt two cards face down, and a round of betting proceeded. Three community cards were then put down in the middle, another round of betting followed, and then two more cards were placed down, with betting between them. Then the players would showdown their hands, and the one with the best hand won the pot.
More than anything, Naruto was lucky when it came to games of chance. The Hokage had only been gone for fifteen minutes, yet Naruto had managed to knock out and seize the chips of three of the players, not really out of skill, but luck of the draw. In this friendly home game, he had made the best hand by the river (the last community card dealt) nearly every time.
Aiko and Sakura chatted as the boys sparred with their chips. In the final hand it came down to a race, Sasuke raised a lot of chips preflop (the first round of betting), and Naruto called him down with a suited king and a ten of spades. The board came 2 7 A, with two spades. Sasuke raised again, and Naruto thought for a moment, before shoving the rest of his chips in.
Naruto had Sasuke covered, but the boy called, flipping over two aces. This gave Sasuke three of a kind and put him ahead with Naruto drawing to a flush, five suited cards. With the board he had four of the five needed, with two more cards, the turn and river, to come. Sure enough Naruto hit his flush on the river to win the pot and the game.
"Lucky." Sasuke muttered with a grimace, but held his hand forward in good sportsmanship. "Good game." Naruto took it with a grin, and then raked in the chips. The game finished, all four cleaned up and sat down to talk. Aiko made some tea for them, and Naruto found it surprisingly good, although it began to make him drowsy. It was getting close to nine at night, and he usually slept early.
"Naruto, you're pretty good at poker." Aiko commented, "I can almost never beat Sasuke when we play hold'em." Naruto then spent a good five minutes bragging about his awesome skill, and how he 'knew' what cards were coming. It was really bull, Naruto knew that he had gotten lucky a lot, but he knew all games of chance seemed to go his way in the end.
Sakura, respectful in someone else's home, didn't pester Sasuke, instead spending much of the time talking to Aiko. The girl hadn't talked to any of her old friends in the academy in years, and Sakura was happy she was finally talking to her again. She had tried for weeks to get Aiko to open up after the Uchiha massacre, but it was to no avail. She and Ino had both drifted away from the Uchiha girl, before drifting apart from each other soon after.
She realized that she had been chasing after Sasuke for so long; she didn't even know how Aiko felt about it. 'If I had a brother, I don't think I would like a bunch of girls chasing after him.' In her mind, she decided to back away from Sasuke, at least in Aiko's presence. She didn't want their budding, but frail, new friendship to be ruined.
Sakura realized suddenly why she was afraid to lose Aiko again, because she had been alone and friendless for awhile. The boys were too immature to make friends with, and all the girls chased after Sasuke and treated anyone else as competition, the only one who didn't was Hinata, and she was too shy for Sakura's taste in a friend. Inwardly, she wondered if every other girl in their class felt as she did.
Soon Sakura departed, "I'd like to stay later," she apologized, "But my mother will worry. Good night Aiko, Sasuke-kun… Naruto." Her three teammates bade her goodbye.
The other three chatted a bit more and Naruto grew drowsier from sitting next to the two Uchiha on the warm recliner, the tea settling warmly in his stomach.
"Naruto…?" Aiko murmured, before whispering to Sasuke, "I think he's asleep."
Sasuke scowled, "So let's wake him up, we all have to get up early tomorrow."
Aiko looked at him disapprovingly, "Sasuke, it's nearly eleven… we can't send him home like this. He can have the guest room for the night."
Sasuke looked at her incredulously, and she firmly met his eyes. The Uchiha boy shrugged, he knew better than to fight with his sister when she got like this. He stared at Naruto for a few seconds, before lifting him up gently, trying not to wake him. He carried the slumbering blond to the guest room, which was directly across from his. Sasuke then laid his sleeping teammate down, and then threw a blanket over him.
Naruto yawned and rolled onto his side, Sasuke rolled his eyes and walked out with a mutter, "Sweet dreams, dobe."
101010
No jutsu just yet, but a couple words that I'll clarify:
Dobe: Dead last.
Itadakimasu: Literally translates to 'I humbly receive,' but also used to mean 'Let's eat.' It's sort of like saying grace… really quickly.
As for the food in this chapter, udon is a similar noodle dish to ramen but uses different noodles. Ramen is actually Chinese in origin, and uses Chinese noodles. Takoyaki are dumplings stuffed with octopus, I've never had it but it sounds delicious. Miso soup is soup (duh) that's main ingredient is dashi, a stock made of softened miso paste. Miso itself is fermented rice, barley and soy beans.
Yes, they played poker, I doubt they will again, but I might mention them playing. It felt weird; they're ninja, they should have cheated… lol.
Next chapter should be out around Friday, unless I decide to release early again.
