Hewwooooo sowwy for the late update...hopefully the lil' bonus at the end will make up for it!
Disclaimer: I Donut Own Naruto
Chapter Summary: Stares. STARES. SO MANY STARES. And running. (Why is it always running?)
REALITIES
~Chapter 3:~
Running and Staring
A week into Academy life and Kuria was dying.
She tried to avoid as much of the future clan heads as she could, but it was ridiculously difficult since all of them were in her class, with the exception of the Hyūga twins (small mercies, small mercies). But of course, things couldn't go smoothly.
She was a loner.
Being one wasn't the problem, no (Clara had been a loner, too), the problem was that the hyperactive children around her had noticed her reserved, distant attitude.
This wouldn't have bothered her (Kuria was a little like Clara more than okay with being avoided by the other killers-to-be), if it hadn't garnered so much attention.
And from a Nara, at that.
The unreasonably smart boy kept sending her curious glances (she could really do without his attention. Please.), the future Hokage would glance at her with a little guilt (why the fuck?) and on many occasions, he'd approached her and opened his mouth as if to say something.
She bolted every time, of course. Duh.
Unfortunately, (somehow) the Nara was always watching with perceptive, narrowed eyes whenever the bright blond closed in and Kuria made a speedy exit.
(Thank god Geruto focused on speed and stamina all at once, she would think before the girl actually had to do the training.)
It also didn't help that a nobody, an unknown, a question mark like her excelled in the physical portion they'd done so far. Never mind her always-correct answers when the teacher asked her a question. Kuria never put her hand up though.
After coming face-to-face with the Yellow-Flash-to-be, Kuria had stoically, emotionlessly walked to the desk in the right corner at the back of the class. She did so in such a detached manner that some part of her felt possessed. Everything was a blur as her thoughts whizzed around her head frantically, only snapping out of her stupor at the sound of a booming, heavy voice.
"You will refer to me as Kibishi-sensei. Sit down." A plain tanned brown-haired man with strangely blank black eyes said stonily.
(Needless to say, they all shut up.)
"Follow me to the courtyard. I'm going to see how much I will have to work on you." The intimidating teacher said, "Don't fall behind."
(Shivers spread across the room...)
.
.
.
They did some running.
Running.
The cruelty!
Kibishi-sensei ordered them to do as many laps as possible (cue a certain Nara's horrified expression) around the (too big) field by the Shinobi Academy. It was far too similar to what her father made her do (she had cold sweat running- ha! -down her neck already) for her comfort.
Some of the civilian children (yes, she will continue referring to them as children.) decided to sprint all the way: they didn't last much more than a lap or two.
The shinobi children (plus Minato - technically he also comes from a clan, but only Clara knows that), however, kept going for about ten laps, some even more. Pretty darn impressive, considering they were five to six-year-old children
(part of Kuria -Clara- was absolutely terrified)
But there was one thing they all had in common during this pleasant activity:
They gaped like wonderstruck fans who'd just been kissed by their celebrity crush as Kuria flew past all of them, overlapping them over and over while keeping the same pace, only stopping after nearly fourteen laps.
(She collapsed, panting like a dog, afterwards.)
Through her foggy vision, she saw her new sensei's face appear above her.
"Why did you put so much effort into it?" Kibishi-sensei asked, coal eyes gaining a curious spark in them, his twitching face telling her he was reluctantly impressed.
"What's the use in outlasting your enemy if you can't outrun them?" Kuria drawled out, tongue heavy in her mouth as she tried to formulate her thoughts.
He smirked.
(The Nara was watching with narrowed eyes once again, only there was a new spark in them that hadn't been there before.)
(Kuria didn't notice. She was too busy dying, thank you very much.)
It was honestly a bit absurd, in the dark blonde's opinion.
After her little stunt, the children would either try to get all chummy with her, stare with awe or jealousy (or both), or they'd stay as far away as they could.
(She really shouldn't have done something so attention-grabbing...but Clara had been taught to put her all into things)
What really made her regret her actions were two main things: the first one was that Kuria realized her sensei now knew what to expect of her, so she'd have to keep up the same level of effort.
(…Kibishi-sensei was scary when he glared.)
The second came in the form of a (by far) too sparkly-eyed blond-haired boy.
"Kuria-san! How was your weekend? What did you do? Did you train some more? You train at home, right? Who trains you? Please, please give me some pointers! I'm an orphan you see, I don't have anything or anyone to turn to for help-"
It was a Monday morning, and the future leader of killers had attached himself to her side.
How come she could avoid him before but not now?
"-if you can't that's more than ok! I really don't want to bother you or annoy you or - oh kami! I'm annoying you, aren't I? I'm really really really sorry! Is there anything I can do to make up for it? I feel so bad-"
The future Yellow Flash just wouldn't stop and Kuria began to doubt the fact that Naruto's boundless energy came solely from his mother.
"-I should shut up shouldn't I? And leave you alone...but you really were amazing! I don't think the Academy has ever had someone do so well in a decade or two! I mean I checked the archives - without the teachers knowing, of course - and-"
He. Won't. Fucking. Stop.
"Wah! I shouldn't have said that! Please don't tell anyone, I'll do anything-"
"Stop. Talking." Kuria finally ground out, left eyebrow twitching violently on her forehead.
Minato gulped, letting out a squeak that sounded suspiciously like a "sorry!".
Kuria sighed, feeling far too old for someone just over five years. Something (the solid, unshakable quality the glint in his eye had) told her Minato wouldn't stop pleading for her help, even if it meant following her everywhere.
"Just...I dunno... Run. As far as you can, as fast as you can, every day." The brown-eyed girl told the blond with a hesitant tone. "And ask the Academy instructors for more help or, gah I don't know, get some scrolls from the Shinobi Library or something."
The little genius's (admittedly beautiful) blue eyes were shiny with what was too similar to tears for Kuria's comfort as he…bowed.
What the actual fuck?!
"Don't bow! Please don't bow!" Was Kuria's panicked and uncomfortable response.
"Thank you." Sniffed the little boy before her when he'd straightened.
Shifting uncomfortably and muttering an awkward "no problem", Kuria made a mad dash towards her seat at the back of the classroom (this had all happened on her way to their first class of the day).
With a sigh, Kuria pulled out her not-so-new-anymore notebook and pencil and began doodling as Kibishi-sensei started with the register.
What do I have again?
A quick memory scan told her that the Monday (how she Clara hated Mondays) was going to start with a boring two-hour-long history lecture (what was the use of this? Kuria would really like to know).
Someone, please tell her.
Eh, she (Clara) knew enough (most of it) anyway. The dark-blonde drowned herself in her own thoughts as she let herself doodle instead of pay attention.
It was a good idea to start improving her drawing skills early, anyways.
^~^~^~^ BONUS-ISH ^~^~^~^
The Nara stared at her too much.
"What, are you developing a crush on me or something?"
Granted, a five-year-old should probably be thinking more along the lines of "ew, she has cooties", but Shikaku Nara was exactly that: a Nara.
If you hadn't noticed.
When the dark-haired clan heir's sharp, piercing stare morphed into a deadpan one instead (how was that possible) she retaliated with another snarky comment.
Because there was no way he didn't catch her indirect "STOP STARING".
"Am I infested with cooties?" Kuria looked down at her arms as she scanned them sarcastically.
(Was that Minato trying to muffle his snickering?)
When her tactic didn't work and the Nara didn't look away-didn't even blink, Kuria finally gave up.
If he wanted to stare, let him stare.
(This would become a battle of wills.)
(Neither of them would ever acknowledge that, though. Minato would always laugh at that fact.)
Thanks for reading and please tell me what you think of it!
(Am I taking too long on the Academy Arc?)