Author's Note:

Hey everyone, glad to see you liked that last chapter enough to come back for more! :D

Beware of self-gratification in this chapter. xD I could not resist.

I'm sorry lol

Anyway, please enjoy the chapter! :D

DISCLAIMER:

I do not own Naruto; Yuuki, however, is mine.

LOSGAP =D

Naruto awoke, groaning, to someone shaking him. He sat up and stared blearily ahead.

"Naruto, are you awake?" A voice whispered tentatively. Naruto blinked in response, staring dully ahead. There was a quiet sigh from beside him then something lifted him out of bed and placed him in front of a door he recognized as his bathroom door.

Clothes were put into his hands and he was gently pushed into the bathroom, where he could hear his shower running.

"I'll prepare breakfast." The voice said and Naruto visibly perked up at the thought.

He had to admit, having Yuuki around certainly sped up his mornings; he never usually woke up with enough time to shower and have a decent breakfast before he had to run to meet Kakashi (though he was always late, so he wondered sometimes why he bothered to come on time.)

Not to mention, the girl made a mean bowl of ramen, which automatically set her high in Naruto's eyes.

"Is there anything else I can do for you, Naruto?" She asked, following him to the door. He thought for a moment.

He had given up trying to avoid giving her things to do- without orders, she did them anyway, usually doing them in a way that would make things difficult, like picking up his things and putting them where he couldn't find them.

So he had asked her to help him get ready in the morning- in his semi-comatose state, he hadn't put up a fight as she calmly and quietly got him ready for the day.

"No, I can't think of anything." He said as Yuuki picked up his bag and shouldered it, her eyes challenging him to try and take it back.

He shrugged, deciding there was no harm in letting her do it, and left the matter alone as they walked to the usual meeting spot for training.

As usual, it was before dawn and he was half-asleep, but Yuuki was bright-eyed and alert, trailing just a little behind him.

"You know, you can walk beside me, instead of acting like a dog or something." Naruto said sleepily, looking back at her. She nodded and trotted up to his side, though Naruto noticed she was always just a little bit behind- old habits died hard, he guessed.

The two of them beat both Sasuke and Sakura, and sat down on the ground and waited for Kakashi. Normally, Naruto would have been hungry and would have had a bit of his bento to tide him over as he waited, but considering the three bowls of ramen he'd had that morning, for once he was fine.

He didn't remember nodding off, but the next thing he knew Yuuki was shaking him awake and pointing wordlessly to where Sasuke was approaching, Sakura not too far off.

"Well this is weird." Sakura commented as she came up. "Naruto actually got here first." Naruto grinned at her, instantly more alert.

"Who's she?" Sasuke asked, frowning down at Yuuki. Yuuki didn't speak, and looked over at Naruto.

"This is Yuuki," Naruto said after a minute, realizing Yuuki wasn't going to introduce herself. "She's my, uh, friend." He said and Yuuki's head whipped around, staring at him.

"Friend?" She repeated in a voice so soft Sakura and Sasuke couldn't have possibly overheard. Naruto nodded, and Yuuki's lips twitched into a smile before she looked away, staring shyly at the ground.

Naruto didn't care that he and Yuuki were sitting but Sasuke and Sakura were standing; he made no move to get up.

None of them tried to talk, though Naruto noticed the inquisitive looks both Sasuke and Sakura shot Yuuki- he was pleased to see Sakura's the most; he wondered if she was getting jealous.

He had a rather interesting idea just then and decided he would ask Yuuki about it later- the thought of it made him grin excitedly to himself.

OOO

Later that day, after Kakashi finally showed up, Team 7 split up to work on chakra control, a punishment exercise since Naruto had lost control during a routine chakra exercise.

"Hey, Yuuki?" Naruto asked as he hung upside down from the branch of a tree, frowning down at her. She looked up expectantly. "Do you need something, Naruto?" She asked.

He hesitated, then swallowed hard. "Um, I have a favor to ask." She looked almost amused. "A favor?"

She was starting to get used to his inability to give her orders.

"…will you pretend to be my girlfriend?" He asked hopefully. "Of course." Yuuki said, looking surprised by the request. "How would you like me to act?" She asked.

"Uh, I don't know." Naruto frowned thoughtfully. "I've never had a girlfriend before." He admitted. "I will take care of it." Yuuki said and Naruto beamed at her happily.

"Can you really play it up in front of Sakura?" He asked. "I want to make her jealous." He added with a devious grin. Yuuki blinked up at him. "You have feelings for her?" She guessed. He nodded, seeing no reason to hide things from his "girlfriend".

"I will do all I can to help you." Yuuki promised, smiling up at him. Naruto beamed back, and promptly fell off his branch.

OOO

"All right; that's enough for today, I have to leave for a mission." Kakashi said. Before any of the team could ask where he was going, Kakashi had disappeared in a puff of smoke. Yuuki jumped, as she had when he had first appeared that morning.

It was the first time Yuuki and Naruto had been with the rest of the team since Yuuki had agreed to play his girlfriend, and as soon as Kakashi left Naruto got a good taste of what an excellent actress Yuuki was.

Her arm curled around Naruto's waist and she pressed her cheek against his chest, winding herself around him. Sakura's eyes nearly popped out of her head.

"Naruto, do you want to eat now? It's about lunch time." Yuuki asked, her voice even softer then usual as she blinked up at him. Naruto flushed a bit, glancing at Sakura, pleased to see her stunned face. Even Sasuke, usually devoid of my expression, was staring in something akin to shock at the two of them. He flashed a grin at both of them as Yuuki led him a ways off, sitting down where the other two would not hear their conversation.

"I packed you your bento- you are a terrible cook." Yuuki frowned, handing him a new bento from the one he had originally made yesterday. "You are not supposed to make them the day before." She added as she pulled out her own.

"They are still looking at us," Yuuki said, not even looking up as she opened hers. Naruto looked over and, sure enough, both Sasuke and Sakura were staring over at them- Sakura was positively gawking, but Sasuke was at least a bit more subtle- but he was definitely still looking.

"Open." Yuuki ordered, holding up her chopsticks, tightly holding a clump of rice. Naruto blushed to the roots of his hair- Yuuki was good.

After they ate Yuuki insisted on making a big show on what she referred to as "cuddling"- she leaned back against him, turning her head so that her forehead pressed against his jaw.

"Um," Naruto cleared his throat- it was hard to concentrate on what he was saying with her doing that. "I see you know what you're doing." He commented; she nodded against him, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up straight in a not unpleasant way.

"My old master wished for similar things." She explained and Naruto frowned. He had a feeling he was treading on dangerous ground and decided to drop the subject.

Seeing Sakura was still staring at them- she hadn't even noticed that Sasuke had left a while ago- he grinned at her as he wrapped his arms around Yuuki, holding her close. Unfortunately he had been leaning on his hands until just then and lost his balance.

"Ow." Naruto grimaced as the back of his head bumped against the ground. "Are you all right?" Yuuki asked worriedly, looking at him anxiously. With her this close, lying on top of him, it was hard for Naruto to speak for a moment.

"I'm fine." He said weakly just as Sakura walked over.

"I see you two are a pretty serious couple." She remarked. "We are quite happy together." Yuuki replied- in her usual emotionless voice it didn't have much effect though.

"Yes, yes we are!" Naruto exclaimed, a little too loudly, pulling Yuuki close and grinning up at Sakura. Sakura just frowned at them then shrugged, wandering off.

"I think it's working." Naruto whispered happily to Yuuki. "I hope it is." Yuuki agreed as Naruto began struggling up, dumping Yuuki on the ground by accident. She was up again before he had time to ask if she was all right, picking up the remains of the bento and packing up the bag, shouldering it.

"What do you want to do now?" Yuuki asked, looking down at him expectantly as Naruto got to his feet.

"I don't know." Naruto shrugged. "What do you want to do?" He asked and Yuuki just blinked at him. "Oh right. No opinion. I forgot." He sighed, scratching his head. "I suppose I could try and teach you some basic skills, I guess…" He shrugged. If Yuuki was to come with on his next mission- which he had no doubt she would- she should learn to at least defend herself. He wouldn't be able to watch her back all the time.

"Come on; let's go find a good spot to practice, where people won't see us." He said, leading the way off into the woods.

OOO

Yuuki's hand flew up, her kunai blocking Naruto's as he threw her a test shot.

"Great!" He exclaimed. Yuuki beamed at his praise. "I am doing well?" She asked and Naruto nodded enthusiastically.

"Very well!" He said. "You have good reflexes." He noted, walking towards her and she nodded. "Thank you." She replied quietly, her cheeks tinged pink. "I am happy you are pleased with my training."

"Very pleased- you know what, we've been training all day, and I'm hungry- want to go get something to eat?" He asked and she nodded. "Master, if I may ask, do you never eat at home?" She asked politely as they started to walk.

"Not usually." Naruto admitted with a laugh. "Why, do you not like eating out?" He asked, and she shook her head. "No, I like it very much- it means I do not have to clean up." She admitted and Naruto laughed. "I like that part too." He grinned. Even though Sakura wasn't around to see, he slipped his hand into hers and led her on still faster. "Come on! I know a great place!"

OOO

Naruto gaped at the restaurant in front of him, and then grinned over at Yuuki, who frowned at him warily, knowing he was thinking.

"Sakura's here." He whispered as though letting her in on a big secret, pointing towards a back booth where Sakura sat alone.

"Should we join her?" Yuuki asked. "Of course." Naruto grinned, dragging Yuuki along behind him. He stopped in front of Sakura and was suddenly shy, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand.

"Hey, Sakura, I saw you're eating alone…" He said shyly. Sakura sighed. "Do you two want to sit down?" She offered, beckoning her hand towards the bench across the table before her. Naruto immediately scooted in, and Yuuki sat down quietly beside him.

Naruto was so pleased to be allowed to sit with Sakura that for a moment he forgot about his and Yuuki's pretend relationship, and jumped a little as Yuuki laid her head on his shoulder, looking challengingly at Sakura, who stiffened under her glare.

Yuuki's arm curled protectively around him as she continued to look pointedly at Sakura, who seemed to be glaring right back. Naruto had no idea what was going on between the two girls, but the air suddenly felt a bit colder to him.

"Um… did you order yet, Sakura?" Naruto asked, glancing between the girls, who were glaring daggers at each other. "No." She said stiffly. "Naruto, why don't you get our orders? It's busy tonight." She said, her eyes never leaving Yuuki's.

"Uh… sure?" Naruto glanced between them again, then stood and left, wondering what was going on.

Yuuki watched him go, making sure to fill her gaze with longing as though she ached for his return before she turned back to Sakura. She folded her fingers together and rested her chin on them, smiling coyly at the pink-haired girl.

"I see the way you look at Naruto," She said, and Sakura frowned. "I just thought that I'd let you know it's useless if you try and bat those pretty eyes at him anymore- he's mine now." She said and Sakura's eyes narrowed.

"He has eyes only for me now- you couldn't get him if you tried." Yuuki went on. Sakura's green eyes flashed with barely suppressed rage. "Are you saying I couldn't get him?" She snorted. "Please. He's had a crush on me for years."

"It's pathetic really, the way he moons over me." Sakura smiled with false sweetness at her.

"Like the way you moon over Sasuke?" Yuuki asked and Sakura flushed, glowering at her.

Yuuki nonchalantly reached into her pocket and pulled out the kunai Naruto had given her.

"I would rather you not speak poorly of Naruto." Yuuki added quietly. "I am so clumsy, and this thing tends to just fly out of my hand!" She laughed, flicking her hand and the kunai landed in the wall beside Sakura's ear. She swallowed hard.

As she leaned across the table to retrieve it, she paused, her lips close beside Sakura's ear.

"Insult him again, and you will suffer." She sat back in her seat and smiled sweetly at the very pale Sakura as Naruto returned.

"I'm back!" He announced, flopping down in the seat and flinging an arm around Yuuki's shoulders. Yuuki's eyes did not leave Sakura's as she smiled and said "I missed you." and rested her head on Naruto's chest.

"He's mine." Yuuki mouthed, curling her arms around Naruto and smiling at Sakura.

OOO

"Wow, did you see the way Sakura was acting?" Naruto asked eagerly. Yuuki smiled. "I did." She replied. After Naruto had returned, Sakura had been nothing but sweetness and sugar to him; Naruto may not have noticed the subtle flirting or the triumphant looks Sakura sent Yuuki whenever Naruto laughed or blushed at something Sakura had said, but Yuuki had been well aware of them.

Her plan was working; it was the old wanting what you couldn't have trick she had pulled on Sakura- in no time, Sakura would be pulling out all the stops to win Naruto away from Yuuki. Girls were petty, competitive creatures- Yuuki was well aware of this fact, and would use it to her full advantage.

She didn't mind the fact that Sakura would think she had won when she had stolen Naruto from her; it was Yuuki who would have truly won, by giving her master what he wanted most.

It was a strange request- her old master had never tried to have her win the hearts of women for him; this was certainly interesting.

But then again, Naruto was so unlike her old master- he was kind, he treated her with respect and valued her opinion- he wanted her to be free eventually. No one had ever told her that before- it made her feel special.

She looked over at Naruto, who was grinning to himself, still preening a bit about his brilliant plan to win Sakura's heart. She smiled to herself. Never before had she actually thought kindly of her master.

Author's Note:

Gah. Went just a little bit corny in the last bit. *sigh* Oh well. I promise there won't be too much of that.

So yeah. If you enjoyed the chapter, please review! No flames please :D

LOSGAP =D

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