A/N: A big thank you to everyone who reviewed/fav-ed my fic. I've decided to make this a series of short drabbles, since I feel like writing more MinaKushi stuff. Please Review!

Kushina is cold, wet and twenty five minutes late for class when she finally makes it to the Academy. It isn't her fault that it started to rain with no warning; it is, however, a little bit her fault that she slept through her alarm the first time it rang, and that she broke it the second time.

There are a few giggles and titters from the other children and a disapproving look from the teacher as she makes her way to her desk, cold, wet and fighting to look dignified. She opens her soaking wet bag and is dismayed to find that her books are sodden as well. The pages have stuck together; they've even become slightly mushy.

With a shudder, she tucks the books back into her sodden bag and tries to look as inconspicuous as possible. She curses her hair, which has all the discreetness of a house on fire. Luckily, the first period gets over in ten minutes and the teacher doesn't call on her. Glumly, during their twenty minute break, she wanders outside where the rain has subsided to a muted sort of drizzle.

She climbs the rotting tree near the only set of swings in the playground manages to find a position that approximates comfort. She is just contemplating the merits of dozing off and missing the second period when, a few feet above her, someone says,

"You're soaking wet,"

With a surprised cry, she jumps—an unwise move—and nearly loses her balance. Moments later, after leaping to a higher branch, nearer the eye level of the other person, she peers through the curtain of leaves.

It is that blond buffoon who keeps answering in class.

"Namikaze?" She asks incredulously, "You idiot—what're you doing? Surprising me when we're twenty feet up a tree! You really are a moron. Just wait," she adds bloodthirstily, shaking her fist at what little of his form she can see, "till we're on the ground. We'll see if you can face me like a man."

He laughs. It is a rich sound, exciting a flock of sparrows to flight above them.

"I don't want to fight you," he says, quite sincerely.

"I could take you!" She retorts at once, hackles rising. She will not tolerate condescension from anyone. "If you're too chicken to fight me in school, just say where and I'll—"

"I really don't want to fight you," he says, sounding bemused.

"Oh," she says, mollified. There isn't any mocking undertone to his words. "What do you want, then?"

"It's—you—this morning, you were late, and um, I thought-if you want-I mean, Icouldsharemybookswithyou."

She stares at his mostly-hidden face through the foliage, confused. Why would he offer to share his books with her? He is top of their class and she is nearly at the bottom of it, beating out only that Hayate boy, and that was solely because he would only show up once in a week. Sick-leave, or something, their teacher had said.

Did Namikaze want to make fun of her answers and mock her spelling? Well, she could bear it. And, anyway, the alternative was being shouted at for ruining her books. It wasn't really much of a choice.

"Fine," she says grouchily, swinging down and hitting the ground hard with her sandal-clad feet.

"Don't think we're friends or anything," she adds quickly, turning to the tree where she can barely make out his blond hair through the laden branches.

"You're still annoying as shit." Turning away from him, she squelches away toward the classroom, purposely stepping in the puddles and splashing the other children. She smiles a little viciously as they squeal and back away from her.

Four minutes later, Minato joins Shikaku and Chouza on the terrace of the Academy building.

"Hey," Chouza greets him, "How'd it go?"

"Great," Minato says triumphantly, "She's going to share my books in class. I'm even planning on letting her cheat off me in the fourth period test she doesn't know about."

"There's a test fourth period?" Shikaku asks lethargically, eyes still fixed on a cloud shaped like a carrot. "Whatever. Like I'm even going to write anything. Anyway," he adds, "did Kushina even act like she could tolerate you?"

There is a brief pause. "No," Minato admits gloomily, "And she called me an annoying little shit."

"Wow," Shikaku says respectfully, "You're really wearing her down, man. Usually, Kushina'd punch you for talking to her." Chouza nods, looking slightly awed.

"Hey yeah, you're right," Minato agrees, more cheerfully. He lies back on the sun-baked terracotta tiles, "I'm definitely growing on her."

End of Part 2

TBC in Part 3

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