Unwavering Gaze - Chapter 10

My lids rose to the scene before me, my room, but it was void of life for the exception of me. I lay on my back; the familiar blonde was no where in sight. I would have felt guilty, but was incapable of that emotion. Though, it was possible that Naruto was even more confused now than ever, so I would set out to find him.

I roused from my bed and noticed the clothes he had borrowed neatly folded upon the top of my dresser. Closer inspection, after walking over to the strange sight, I realized it was just the shirt. Even just a foot away from the fabric, I could still smell Naruto. I wondered faintly if my bed also smelt of him…

My body moved of its own accord while thoughts shifted to this and that, not staying on one thing in particular as I changed clothes, got a bite to eat, and headed out the door.

Naruto must be more advanced than I thought to get out of my grip without waking me in the slightest. I thought it had been a fluke to wake up without him laying on me before because it would have been so easy to just walk away, but apparently not. I was underestimating him.

Just as I set foot outside, I ran into someone. I had to get my mind off of that…baka.

My eyes caught pink hair as she stood upright from stumbling backward from the collision. "Sakura?" I asked perplexed as to what business she would have at my house after formally denouncing whatever ties we had before that would never flourish into something she wanted: more. Sakura was one of persistence, I'd give her that.

"Sasuke," she said softly. By the looks of it, something was weighing heavily on her shoulders.

"What is it?" That actually came out a little harsher than I intended, but Sakura didn't falter.

"It's about Naruto," she set her light green eyes on mine which were devoid of color at the moment.

I looked away, over her shoulder. "What about him, Sakura?"

"I just saw him sneak out of your house with a bundle in his arm while I was on my way to the hospital. I thought it was odd so I… Does he spend every night at your house?"

My eyes trained on hers, narrowing a little, "What business is it of yours what he does around me?"

"Well… we're all friends…" She said hoping that I wouldn't deny her that as well.

"Sakura, we both have places we need to be, and you're wasting our time with this nonsense chit-chat." She paled at my assertion, but nodded and turned on her merry little way with her little cute nurse's uniform. I blinked for a second when I thought I saw blonde hair instead of pink… I shook my head, and strode off in search of the loser who took off with a piece of my property.

---

After scouring everywhere I could think of, which had been Ichiraku and his apartment first and foremost, I finally found Naruto at a long forgotten training ground where weeds grew in abundance as if it hadn't been used in years.

Bending my legs I shot up into a tree to land soundlessly on a branch to watch what the lone blonde intended to do with his time. Currently he was punching a tree. It didn't seem to bide his time well with his training as he stood in one place and hit the same spot repeatedly taking turns with each fist. So, I imagined, he was letting off steam because of me. Though, just as I was about to break into the bubble of tension Naruto created around himself as he released said built up tension, someone else approached the blonde.

I watched as Kiba, Choji, Shikamaru, and Shino all advanced on Naruto who had yet to stop punching his enemy, the tree. The group paused for a moment before Akamaru barked to get Naruto's attention. He turned slightly seeing everyone, and grinned that stupid grin of his.

"Heh, guys! How long have you been standing there?" Sweat ran down his face in small rivulets, but those droplets were wiped away when Naruto swiped his face with the sleeve of his dirty black t-shirt he had been wearing the past couple of days. This weak attempt to look less dirty resulted in smearing dirt across his cheek, though that cheeky grin was still in place.

"A good, pointless ten seconds."

"Today is barbeque night! You coming, Naruto?"

"Sure!"

"But if you intend steal the last piece of barbeque pork like last time…" Choji's eyes were shadowed and his killing intent waft through the mid-morning air like a foul odor.

"Anou…anou…Choji! You know I wouldn't attempt that again!"

Kiba chuckled, "You'd have to be a complete idiot to try that again."

"Naruto, why haven't we seen you around lately?" Shikamaru asked lazily, though all of a sudden before Naruto could retort Kiba's comment.

"Uhh…" Naruto closed his eyes and a hand found its way to the back of his head, "I've…been busy."

I narrowed my eyes at Naruto as I stood on the branch above the group, causing Shino to look in my direction. He didn't acknowledge my presence, and turned back to the others around him who were oblivious to my presence, that was unless Shikamaru noticed, but he gave no indication. It didn't matter whether they knew or not if I was there.

Kiba grinned, "With Sasuke?"

The faint blush that crossed the blonde's cheeks was noticeable even from my standpoint.

"He's a better rival for Naruto, seeing as he defeated you during the first Chunin exams," Shikamaru pointed out.

"Easily," Choji added.

Kiba turned to Choji and cracked his knuckles, his eyes were shadowed as Akamaru stood my his side ready for a fight, "I'll make you eat that word!"

"If you're going to treat me, Kiba, I would rather have something with more flavor," Choji stated, not in the least effected by Kiba's rage that seemed to be boiling at the moment as he let Choji's words stew around him angering him all the more.

Naruto smiled gently while Kiba and Choji bickered. Shino just stood there while Shikamaru looked …bored with the situation.

"So, what do you guys have planned until we go for barbeque?"

"Haven't really thought about it," Shikamaru answered Naruto.

"We four-" Akamaru barked as Kiba and Choji rejoined the group, "Five." Shino corrected himself, "Just got back from a mission." The bug nin stated bluntly and evenly.

"Tsunade is only giving us a couple days rest before the next…" Shikamaru elaborated on the situation, but not much by clearly stating his objections to the few days he was given rest by the fifth.

"At least you have missions," Naruto said forlorn that he may be being overlooked by the Godaime Hokage.

"Don't you…" Kiba started, but cut off his sentence when Shikamaru and Shino looked his way. Kiba grinned, but didn't say another word. Akamaru barked curtly alerting Kiba, he looked down at his partner and nodded. "We should be going," he said his grin no longer in place.

The others looked solemn for a moment before moving their separate ways, Kiba and Akamaru heading off first, followed by Shino.

Choji smiled at Naruto, "Don't forget! Barbeque tonight!"

Naruto smiled his goofy smile, "How could I forget about free food?!" He yelled at their retreating backs.

Shikamaru turned about fifteen feet away, "Anou, Naruto-kun. It's your turn to pay."

"EHHH?!?"

Shikamaru just smiled, and walked away with Choji at his side mumbling something about making Naruto pay for the barbeque pork he stole last time.

Naruto sweat dropped as he took out his less than fat green frog wallet, and opened it. A white moth flapped its wings as it gained freedom, thus causing me to sweat drop…