Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters, nor do I make any profit from this fanfic.
Warnings: Contains yaoi, spoilers, possibly some violence, and some foul language. If you cannot handle that, then do not read.
Rated: M
Pairing: SasuNaru/NaruSasu
Summary: With 2 1/2 yrs and the defeat of Madara behind them, Naruto and Sasuke have been through much. But when Naruto is talked into dating Hinata, both he and Sasuke are forced to face an inner struggle they've avoided for years. Canonverse, SasuNaru, minor NaruHina.
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Chapter 10
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A few days later, Naruto walked steadily through the hallway of the academy building. It was shortly before twelve in the afternoon. The whole village was already animated and buzzing with activity, more so than usual. With it being the day of the Chūnin Exam final, tourists and anxious spectators were excitedly milling around the streets of the village, heightening the naturally blissful atmosphere.
Turning a corner, Naruto abruptly stopped when he nearly ran into a familiar person. "Iruka-sensei!"
The academy teacher smiled in surprise. "Ah, Naruto! How are you?" The older man's kind, dark eyes lit up as he gave the younger male a once-over. He smiled wider. "I see you're ready for the finals."
Naruto momentarily looked down at himself before giving a sheepish laugh. "Heh. Well, Tsunade-baa-chan insisted I wear my sage's robe for it," he admitted. To be exact, the old hag's closing words had been "Look sharp or else!". Knowing she'd meant business, he'd carefully retrieved his robe—one gifted to him after the end of the war—and donned it over his jōnin regalia.
"Was this before or after that prank you pulled?" Iruka asked with mild glance, putting a hand on his hip.
Naruto eyes widen briefly before chuckling guiltily, one hand reaching up to rub behind his neck. "Uh, so you heard about that, huh?"
Iruka gave him a pointed look. "The whole faculty knows, Naruto. Honestly," he said with a shake of his head. However, there was a vague glint of amusement in his eyes.
Naruto abashedly looked off to the side for a moment. A second later, however, mirth-filled blue eyes swung back to the other man's. "I know... but it was so much fun, Iruka-sensei," he admitted with a sniggle.
The older man grudgingly smiled, unable to help himself. He had to admit, he was secretly glad there was a part of his former student that was still the rambunctious youth he'd been before. "And what did Tsunade-sama have to say about this?"
Naruto squinted for a moment, as he recalled the scene. Tsunade hadn't been too happy when she'd found out about the prank some days earlier, to say the least. She'd been almost livid until he quickly divulged that he'd merely purchased a new set of blank cards to imprint his image and had securely hidden the others in a room within the administration building. He'd also cleverly managed to clear Sai's name by insisting that the ANBU nin's involvement had been an innocent one. The other truly hadn't grasped the purpose of what Naruto was doing, merely wanting to help.
After that admittance, the Hokage's temper seemed to dissipate, but not before warning him that he would be punished somehow. The old hag had yet to even reveal exactly what that punishment would be, much to his paranoia. There'd been an evil glint in her smug, golden eyes when she'd said it too—a glint that promised retribution.
"Well, she wasn't too thrilled at first, but she's gotten over it... I think," he added with a nervous laugh, scratching at the side of his cheek.
Iruka looked less than convinced. "Surely you aren't going to be doing this sort of thing once you become Hokage, Naruto," he said with a fatherly shake of his head.
Naruto crossed his arms, abruptly taking on a somber facial expression. "Iruka-sensei, many men have hobbies. Some men read and some men draw. I like to laugh at others' expense, definitely," he said with comical, sage-like, seriousness.
Iruka laughed heartily, shaking his head. "Well, hopefully you can curb that hobby of yours once you're instated, for your own sake." Truthfully, Iruka didn't have that much of an issue with it. It was a miracle that the impressionable Uzumaki hadn't picked up the more questionable hobbies of his other sensei. Kakashi was always reading those adult books and Jiraiya-sama... well, Iruka had heard plenty about the fallen Sannin's extracurricular adventures.
Naruto smiled. "I'll try, Iruka-sensei."
"Very well. So what brings you here anyway?" Iruka asked. "I'm on my way to the registration desk to pick up some files."
"Oh! I was just about to go to your classroom. I was looking for Hinata. I wanted to see her during first recess."
"Ah, well, she's already on the playground supervising the children." Iruka then paused, appearing thoughtful. "You know, Hinata has been extremely helpful. She has a natural ability with children. I never thought I'd see the day where a Hyūga would be helping me out in the classroom," he said with a chuckle.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, the Hyūga are often busy with their own matters, naturally. They are also choice ninja. Once they, or anyone, leave the academy, they move on to bigger and better things. I don't expect them to come back here," the teacher replied good-humoredly.
Naruto suddenly laid a hand on his former sensei's shoulder, which was easy to do now that they stood practically eye-to-eye. "Don't speak that way, Iruka-sensei. The academy serves its purpose just as much as the chūnin and jōnin do for the village. You help lay the foundations within aspiring ninjas. Even after we leave, we all still carry everything you taught with us, ya know," he said with a close-eyed smile.
Iruka stared at the other, somewhat taken aback. After his surprise passed, he then appreciatively smiled at being generously complimented by his former pupil. Well. When did Naruto become so insightful? It was a thought that had occasionally crossed through his mind in the last few course, he knew that the blond-haired ninja had matured over the years, but he was usually so carefree and flippant. When he demonstrated his depth, it was something that never ceased to surprise Iruka. Naruto may appear simple, but he in fact has many layers, he thought fondly.
He smiled. "Thank you, Naruto. I'm glad you feel that way. Now that I think about it, Hinata actually said something similar to me the other day."
"Well, that makes her a very smart girl then. Doesn't it, sensei?" Naruto joked.
"Ha. Yes, I suppose so. You know, she's a great girl, Naruto," Iruka said, giving the other a considering glance. "I think that she will make you very happy. She will be a great support to you," he said warmly.
Naruto blinked at the unexpected comment. He then laughed a little, giving a nod, as he rubbed his nose. "Yeah... I think so too."
"Perhaps one day I'll have little Uzumaki children with Byakugan running around my classroom," the teacher then teased.
The whiskered shinobi suddenly blushed, giving a bashful chuckle. "S-Sensei! Let's not get too carried away now. One step at a time," he said, compulsively rubbing behind his head. "Although... it would be awesome to have two or three mini-me's running around, pranking you," Naruto offered with a mischievous look.
Iruka's eyes widen in horror at the mere thought. "Perhaps I take that back," he quipped swiftly.
"Hey!"
Shortly after, Naruto and Iruka parted ways; the former deciding to teleport to the playground located a few halls away. Hearing the familiar sound of laughing children, Naruto already felt a smile beginning to pull at his lips. One of the reasons he always liked to visit Hinata when she was at the academy was to be able to see the kids.
Hinata was sitting in a chair she'd brought out, partially turned to the side, as she watched over the children that laughed and yelled as they dashed around the playground. Two of the children, a little boy and girl who Naruto recognized, stood in front of her, avidly speaking to her. Whatever they were telling her, had her laughing vigorously. Naruto imagined that they were regaling her with silly stories, as the children tended to do. After the little boy said something, Hinata laid a delicate hand on his head, affectionately tousling it before he and his companion ran off to play.
The blond-haired shinobi found himself studying the scene—or more precisely, studying her. He had to admit that she did look rather cute looking after the children, and he agreed with Iruka-sensei. Before he'd begun dating her, he'd had no idea what she liked to do or where her passions lay. He now knew that aiding children was a fulfilling activity for her. For Hinata, the endeavor was a welcomed contrast to her duties as a clan member and shinobi.
Without a doubt, he knew Hinata would make a great mother, and that inevitably made him think of the current situation. While he knew children and fatherhood were still a far-off possibility for him, he understood the repercussions of cementing a formal courtship. If they decided to stay together for the long haul, it meant that Hinata could very well be his future wife.
Naruto had spent hours over the last few weeks thinking about her, as well as his feelings for the kunoichi. She loved him, he knew, and while he still wasn't ready to verbally reciprocate the sentiment, he acknowledged that he had come to care for her. It had become a habit to go visit her and have quiet walks in the park with her. He enjoyed the bento she would occasionally make for him. The little physical gestures of affection were something he was now used to and he admittedly liked them. Moreover, the kissing... well, that wasn't so bad either, to say the least, as long as it wasn't in front of their group of gawking friends. Physical interaction aside, somehow, Hinata always treated him well, and there was no doubt in his mind that she wished to make him happy. The knowledge of that, despite his insecurities, made him want to strive to embrace his mother's own advice—to fill one's self with love in order to achieve happiness. That, coupled with Shikamaru's advice, helped ease him into making his decision.
Although, the fact that Hiashi-san had apparently asked about him wasn't to be ignored either. Neji had casually mentioned that little tidbit to him the day before during an impromptu conversation Naruto had with the other. While Neji hadn't gone into specific detail, Naruto had taken the subtle hint that Hiashi would be waiting for him whenever he did decide to go over.
Suddenly smiling, he swiftly flashed away from one spot to another, coming to stand silently behind his girlfriend.
Hinata startled, snapping out her lax state when her vision was abruptly covered by hands. The stranger had masked their chakra. However, sensing a lack of malevolent aura, she gradually grew less wary and more curious. Tentatively touching the strong fingers, she rested her palms over the backs of the newcomer's own. She smiled.
"Naruto-kun," she murmured joyfully.
Removing his hands, Naruto chuckled. "You got it."
Eagerly standing up, she turned to greet him, thrilled that he'd come to see her. Suddenly she stopped, just short of hugging him, as she surveyed his form.
A blond eyebrow rose. "What?" Naruto watched, as she smiled one of those weird, soft smiles that she occasionally gave out of nowhere.
She shook her head. "Nothing. I just... you look handsome," she said, a blush tinting her otherwise pale cheeks.
He blinked before immediately raising a hand to rub the back of his neck, chuckling bashfully. "Heh, thanks. It's just my robe though. Still the same old me here."
Hinata simply smiled, tilting her head to the side a little. "I know."
Suddenly hearing shouts of greetings, Naruto looked over to wave at the children, who were used to his impromptu visits. Naruto smiled brightly as they waved back, the kids apparently in the middle of a game of tag.
He turned his attention back to Hinata. "So how has your day been?"
"Good. The children are excited about the final today. They want to see all the matches, but Iruka-san has been strict. He's only consented to letting them watch the final round."
"Heh. That doesn't surprise me," Naruto quipped. Sobering up a little, he then caught her violet-hued gaze. He took a deep breath and proceeded. "Hey. Uh, listen, do you have a moment so I can talk to you about something?"
Hinata blinked in surprise. "Um, sure, Naruto-kun."
He steadily took her aside beneath the bright, late morning sun. Stopping underneath a tall, shady tree, he turned to face her. Gathering his courage, he cleared his throat. "I was thinking and... I think it's time we go pay a visit to your dad together."
Hinata's eyes widened. Her delicate mouth opened slightly before closing again. "M-my father?"
He nodded. "Yeah. I know he's probably wondering about me, or, um, us. So, let's just do it. Does that sound good?" he asked watchfully.
Hinata's pale eyes searched his intently. "Are you sure?"
He nodded, eyes determined.
After a long, pregnant moment, Hinata slowly smiled, her expression positively glowing. "Okay then. Yes."
When she embraced him suddenly, Naruto automatically wrapped his arms lightly around her. Inwardly, he could only hope that if things continued to develop smoothly, they could truly be very happy together. Possibly, for a lifetime.
A few short hours later, among a crowd of several thousand, Naruto watched avidly as the showdown between the genin was gearing up to take place in the center of the arena. It would be the first match of the day's final tournaments. The arena itself was filled to capacity. Women, men, and children alike were clapping as the field was cleared by the introductory ceremony speechmakers.
Naruto fidgeted a little in his seat. He was assigned seating in the mid-section, beneath the Hokage's box, among a large group of other elite ninja. He was surrounded by the likes of Darui, Kankurō, Samui, and Kitsuchi, among others—all veterans from the Fourth Shinobi War. Most of the Konoha 11 sat in the rows in front of him. Meanwhile, next to him sat Kakashi, and to his sensei's left sat Guy. In the Hokage's box, Naruto was aware that Tsunade was accompanied by all the Kage of the shinobi villages, as well as General Mifune. As such was the case, security was tight. A disguised ANBU was stationed at every entrance and exit of the arena, in addition to the gates of Konoha and its perimeter.
After the end of the war, the Kage had all made a continuing effort to improve continental relations. As a result, invitations to national events were now often extended to fellow counties. Whereas, traditionally, the Chūnin Exams were used as a discreet way of keeping an eye on the ninja of all the hidden villages, nowadays it evolved to predominantly serve as an event for the allied nations to strengthen their bonds.
Naruto clearly recalled being summoned to the council room within the administrative building the previous afternoon. At the time, he'd been nervous, thinking that Tsunade had finally decided to inform him of the nature of his card-prank punishment. Instead, he'd been surprised to find her calmly gathered with the Raikage and Tsuchikage. The latter two had requested to see him for the sole purpose of greeting him and inquiring about his apprenticeship. It was an act that would have seemed highly unlikely to occur before the Shinobi War. However, now those gestures were fast-becoming commonplace after the war brought the leaders of the nations closer.
Naruto suddenly perked up a bit when he heard the familiar sounds of rapping reach his ears, towards his right.
"Sittin' at the Chūnin Exams, someone's about to get slammed, Naruto and B watching from the stands, that's the plan, baby," rhymed a jubilant Killer B, who was approaching him, holding a box of popcorn in each hand.
Dressed in his usual Kumo gear, the always good-natured jinchūriki had arrived along with the Raikage and his party the day before. Always willing to take advantage of any excuse to leave his village, the dark skinned, white-haired shinobi had become a close friend and ally to Naruto over the last few years. The experiences shared on the battlefield had strengthened a bond between the two them that no one else alive, besides the Kazekage, could truly understand—the bond shared between jinchūriki.
Naruto chuckled a little, as the other approached him. "That was fast. Thanks B," the younger shinobi said, as the other handed him one of the boxes.
With their free hands, they casually fist-bumped before the older shinobi took his seat next to Naruto. "I come from the land of Lightning. It shouldn't be surprising, fool, ya fool," he replied, his unoccupied hand moving in time with his verbal rhythm.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever," Naruto dismissed, waving him off. He then proceeded to stuff his mouth with popcorn. The man's raps really hadn't improved all that much, he thought absentmindedly, but they were always entertaining. Wherever he went, B still carried the little notepad where he wrote down all of his lyrical inspirations. To Naruto's amusement, Captain Yamato, to this very day, had trouble deciphering most of B's lingo.
As Naruto offered some of the popcorn to Kakashi, who politely declined, the finalists finally took to the field.
"There goes your friend, the serious one, yeah," Killer B commented, as he munched away next to him.
Naruto nodded a little. "Yeah," he replied, his gaze already riveted on the individual.
Amid collective applause, Naruto watched as the Uchiha escorted the finalists towards the center. Dressed in his jōnin uniform, Sasuke appeared cool and collected, as he came to stand in the center of the group. Naruto hadn't seen the other since the time he'd dropped off the tomatoes. He'd heard that the dark-haired nin was irate after the prank he pulled. However, Naruto assumed that the other had not sought him out due to their conflicting schedules. Naruto was admittedly a little anxious to hear what the jerk would say when he saw him.
"Uchiha's lookin' sane, you got through to his brain," Killer B rapped next to him.
Naruto grunted amiably. "I guess. Being in ANBU has been good for him though, ya know."
Things could've turned out very differently if B hadn't escaped when Sasuke and his team had set out to capture him all that time ago, Naruto thought. Unlike B, who held no grudges after the war, the Raikage still didn't care much for Sasuke. Initially, the Kumo leader's opposition towards Sasuke had made the negotiations for the removal of Sasuke's criminal status very difficult. It was only through considerable mediation and patience, over the course of several weeks, that an agreement on probation could be made. Now, because of the successfully collective effort made to avoid repeating past mistakes, Naruto was able to witness Sasuke's eyebrow tick every time B rapped to him.
Managing to remove his gaze from Sasuke, Naruto smiled at Konohamaru who stood proudly among the participants. The boy had a glint of determination in his eye. Naruto knew, without a doubt, that the young Sarutobi would win.
"Let's go, Konohamaru!" he yelled.
Two hours later, Naruto's prediction came true when Konohamaru won his battle with a Rasengan K-O. What was left of Naruto's popcorn had gone flying everywhere when he jumped up in celebration.
Sasuke left the arena with a sigh. It was around seven in the evening now and he was tired. All of the commotion and excitement of the day had been unexpectedly draining. He could've easily taken on an S-class nin and not have felt as mentally beat. Afterwards, he'd spent well over two hours helping with closing activities after the conclusion of the final. Now there was nothing he'd like more than a warm meal, and a thorough soak in a bath.
It was near dark now. With his hands in his pockets, he made his way around the corner of the arena and onto the paved sidewalk.
"So, job finally done?" commented a familiar voice.
Sasuke turned slightly to find Naruto resting against one of the outer decorative pillars of the arena. He subtly took in the blond-haired shinobi's form. The times that the idiot decided to dress up, he always somehow managed to look... decent. The Rasengan-user didn't always wear his robe, but when he did, it suited him—not that Sasuke would ever tell him so.
"Yeah. I'm done for the day," he replied, watching as his friend approached him. Judging by the content look on his tan face, the other was in a good mood. "What are you waiting around here for?" he asked, despite having a good idea why.
Naruto grinned, stopping in front of him. "I caught the final," he replied, sidestepping his question. "Not bad, Head Proctor Uchiha."
Sasuke snorted, shifting his head slightly to move his bangs from the corner of his eye. "You should be ecstatic. Your devoted disciple won."
The whiskered shinobi chuckled. "Yeah, I saw. He fought well. I congratulated him before he went off to celebrate with his friends. Um... I gotta say, I'm glad you were there for the exams. I think he fought harder than ever," he said, rubbing the back of his neck, as his blue eyes held his.
Sasuke blinked, the unexpected gratitude from the other catching him off guard. Uncomfortable with the warm sincerity emanating from those eyes, he shifted his weight onto one leg, and crossed his arms. "Hn. It wasn't as if I trained him," he casually dismissed.
"No, but you did scare the piss out of him, and that served him well," Naruto quipped then, his eyes bright with amusement.
Sasuke smirked. "Idiot. It's a wonder he passed considering how much like you he can be. Nineteen years old and you're still pulling pranks?"
"I get my kicks where I can get them, bastard. Man, the look on your face must've been hysterical," Naruto said with a snigger.
Sasuke glared at his friend, who was giggling just like his former thirteen-year old self. "You'll be the one with the hysterical look on your face soon enough," he said with a leer.
"And what's that suppose to mean?" Naruto asked bewilderedly, his laughter subsiding.
"You'll find out soon enough," Sasuke replied enigmatically.
Naruto shook his head, the blond tendrils of his fringe shifting as he did so. "Whatever. Anyway, I came to see if you wanted to grab a bite at Shushuya."
Sasuke could feel his stomach growl lightly at the thought. "Fine."
"C'mon then. The whole gang's waiting," he said, pointing a thumb sideways.
Sasuke looked over to where he was indicating. Standing beneath a light pole were all the members of the Konoha 11, as well as Karin and Temari. However, his sharp black eyes immediately honed in on the one incontestable figure standing next to Neji—Hinata.
Immediately, Sasuke felt his mood begin to sour, his finger compulsively twitching in the crook of his arm. The disparaging voice in his head was quietly urging him to protest and renege on the acceptance of his friend's invitation. If he did, it would, without a doubt, spare him perhaps a solid hour of aggravation.
However, before he could say anything, Naruto was already moving forward, calling for him to hurry up. Clenching his jaw a little, Sasuke calmly caught up to Naruto and the others. He mindlessly responded to everyone's greetings, as he covertly noticed Naruto sidle up to Hinata a few paces away from him, which put the blond-haired shinobi in between Hinata and himself.
Throughout the whole walk towards Shushuya, Sasuke stayed relatively quiet among the others, only grunting now and then when asked a question. The group avidly spoke of the day's events and of the yearly doctor's examinations that were scheduled for all ninja in a few days. Sasuke actively focused on staring ahead of him and trying in vain to shut out the constant chattering going on between Naruto, Hinata, and Sakura, the latter who was walking in front of them with Ino and Sai.
Within fifteen minutes, they arrived at the restaurant, and promptly split into three groups, each sitting at consecutive booths. With everyone around him excitedly shuffling to find a seat, Sasuke unhurriedly walked a few paces behind Naruto. His friend was animatedly talking with the Hyūga captain, as the latter took a seat in the far corner of the first booth, and Naruto slid in after him. Just as Sasuke neared the table to take a seat next to Naruto, a voice interjected.
"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura said. Sasuke glanced at his old teammate, who slid in next to Sai on the other side of the booth, across from Neji and Naruto. "Why don't you sit here?" she said with a smile, as she patted the empty space next to her.
As she spoke, Sasuke suddenly felt someone move past him, approaching the seat he'd planned on claiming. Now alert, he watched out of the corner of his eye, as Hinata slid comfortably into the vacant spot, smiling at an oblivious Naruto.
Sasuke could feel a sudden sliver of concentrated ire ignite inside of him. Just like that, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, she'd taken his seat. Sasuke mentally steeled himself, unwilling to show any emotion, although there was nothing more he desired than to shoot the girl the strongest glare he could conjure.
He coolly sat down next to Sakura without a word and crossed his arms.
"Let's decide on what to eat," Naruto insisted merrily.
Within fifteen minutes, a large platter with a variety of yakitori was served to them with a side of stir-fried vegetables, lettuce, and rice. After brief words of thanks, everyone tucked in. Within minutes, the side of the restaurant occupied by the Konoha 11 was alive with chatter and laugher.
"Naruto-kun, why didn't B-san come with us?" Sai asked, as he ate his food in his typically lithe manner.
Naruto carefully swallowed a bite of beef before answering. "The Raikage called on him after the final ended. They'll be leaving early tomorrow. I couldn't even see Gaara, because of all the hustle and bustle going on. Temari said that he would be attending a meeting and dinner for the leaders and dignitaries tonight. Kankurō is with him too."
"I'm surprised Tsunade-sama didn't insist you go too," Hinata said.
Naruto grinned at her. "She cut me some slack this time."
"When are all the dignitaries and Kage leaving?" Sakura asked.
"Tomorrow. All the leaders and their aids are," Neji replied before carefully taking a sip of his drink. Having been dressed in ANBU gear throughout the final competition, the Hyūga clan member had promptly changed into plainclothes.
Sasuke, in the meantime, ignored the conversation. His eyelids were half lowered in indifference, as he tactfully chewed on a piece of chicken from a skewer.
"Ah, so Gaara gave Temari the night off so she and Shikamaru could spend time together. How sweet!" Sakura declared with a smile.
"The Kazekage is a good brother," Sai commented.
With his mouth full, Naruto vigorously nodded in agreement.
Quietly, Sasuke reached out with his chopsticks to pick up a small helping of mushrooms. When the wooden utensils collided with another set at the same time, he eyed the two pale, dainty hands gripping the opposite pair. Dark eyes instantly snapped upwards to catch full-lashed, pearly ones. Sasuke's gaze narrowed a fraction, as his irritation simmered.
Hinata, in turn, smiled awkwardly, gradually removing her hand when he said nothing. Seconds later, she uncertainly looked away.
Such a weakling with no conviction, Sasuke thought with dark satisfaction, as he leisurely proceeded to pick his share of mushrooms.
"The same could be said for you too, Neji," Sakura continued, unaware of the small interaction that had transpired.
The graceful shinobi raised a smooth brow beneath the dark material of his hitai'ate. "What are you referring to?"
"I believe Sakura-chan is referring to your dedication as a cousin and Hyūga clan member," Sai offered perceptively.
"Yes. The same way Gaara is supportive of his siblings, you are as supportive of Hinata," she said thoughtfully. "And now that Naruto and Hinata are together, I've seen you three around together often, like a happy family."
"Hn," Neji merely replied with a slight curl of his lips.
Naruto chuckled. "I guess Neji is a cool big brother type," he joked, giving the older shinobi a poke to his side.
Sasuke watched the interaction with vague disinterest, drowning out the occasional bursts of laughter that would erupt from their occupied friends in the nearby booths.
Naruto sobered. "You know what though, Sakura-chan? Neji and Hinata are an addition to a family I already have. You, Sasuke, Iruka-sensei, and Kakashi-sensei were the first family I ever really had. It's just grown bigger over the years," he said contentedly, his blue eyes bright with warmth.
Sakura smiled. "Well, imagine if you and Hinata ever got married. Your family would grow enormously! There are many members in the Hyūga clan, right Neji?"
Like clockwork, Sasuke felt his finger inadvertently twitch against his glass of water at the comment. As he stared hard at his plate in front of him, he thought to himself that, at that moment, there was nothing more he wished for than for the kunoichi to cease her unsolicited blabbering.
Naruto chuckled, a slight flush blossoming on the apples of his marked cheeks. "S-sakura-chan!" Next to him, Hinata was an interesting shade of red.
Sakura giggled at the both of them.
"There's also the Uzumaki clan to consider," Sai clinically pointed out.
"What's the matter, Sasuke?" Neji suddenly asked in an uncanny manner, looking at the other. "You look a bit... ill."
The Hyūga captain appeared straight-faced, but Sasuke had incredibly sharp eyes. Neji's pale gaze seemed indistinctly... amused. Sasuke cast him an apathetic glance. "I assure you, I'm fine. You needn't concern yourself," he stated, deadpanned.
Next to Neji, Naruto dumbly look back and forth between the two men before settling on Sasuke. He smiled a little. "Sasuke's fine. Besides, he did an awesome job today and with the exams in general. He's becoming captain material now. Right, bastard?"
"Sasuke-kun has always been skilled. I'm not surprised," Sakura said encouragingly.
Sasuke merely grunted, shifting his eyes to look at nothing particular.
Sakura sighed contentedly, well used to the other's monosyllable answers. "I'm surrounded by such talented ninja." Her light green eyes looked fondly at Naruto and the other shinobi present at the table. "My teammates either were or are ANBU, and the other one is the Hokage candidate."
"Not only us. All of the Konoha 11 and friends are superb ninja. Our generation is truly an amazing one," Naruto insisted with a confident grin, bracing an elbow on the table in front of him.
"The generations after us will have good mentors," Neji added sagely.
"Yeah. Hopefully our children will take after our will," Naruto replied readily with a smile.
Hinata laid a hand in the crook of his arm, beaming up gently at the blond-haired shinobi. Everyone at the table smiled.
Everyone except Sasuke.
Rolling his eyes away from the scene before him, the raven-haired nin leaned back and crossed his arms—his appetite completely diminished.
An hour later, everyone had finally had their fill of food and drinks. With all the shinobi full and tired after the long day, the shinobi made short work of paying the bills. They exited the restaurant, chattering and jubilant, gathering in front to give their goodbyes.
Sasuke impassively stood among Sakura, Sai, and the others. He looked to his side and saw Naruto speaking with Neji a few paces away, Hinata at their side.
The raven-haired nin's attention was suddenly diverted when he saw the Hyūga girl's small hand reached behind her, and then lift upwards, to touch Naruto's clothed back. With the conversation still ongoing between Neji and Naruto, the hand stayed poised in the center of his back before rubbing in a small circle, and then gradually sliding down the curve of the blond-haired shinobi's back, to his waist.
Sasuke's eyes had unwillingly followed the movement throughout. For some incomprehensible reason, the sight disturbed him, a lot. Just short of sneering, he shoved his hands in his pockets and turned away.
"Later," he muttered to no one in particular, before stalking off. He was only vaguely aware of the few goodbyes he received.
Sasuke briskly walked down the dimly lit street, his mood as sour as ever. He'd only managed to make it a good twenty feet, before he felt a presence nearing him.
"Hey! Wait up," Naruto said, as he caught up to him.
Although surprised, Sasuke said nothing. He merely cast the other a look from the corner of his eyes, before returning to stare ahead of him.
Walking alongside Sasuke's right, the whiskered nin raised his arms and folded them behind his head. "Man, I'm stuffed." After a brief silence, Naruto spoke up again. "What about you, Sasuke? You didn't eat a lot."
Sasuke continued to walk.
"Sasuke?" the other prodded curiously.
"What are you doing here, Naruto?" he finally asked brusquely.
"What do you mean?" Naruto asked confusedly.
Sasuke glared to the side. "You do realize that we haven't walked together in weeks? Shouldn't you be walking your girlfriend home instead?"
Naruto sent him a careful look. "Neji took her home. I wanted to walk with you," he said tentatively.
Sasuke merely ground his teeth, remaining silent.
For the next several minutes, they walked together in silence. It had gotten quieter now that they were walking through the residential area. The quiet sounds of crickets chirping and their own feet scuffing along the paved street, seemed almost loud to their ears, the silence was so heavy. As, they approached the crossroads where they would have to part, Sasuke sensed Naruto stopped. He paid no mind and continued walking until a strong hand grabbed his arm.
He stiffened, stopping in his tracks. Sasuke didn't want to hear whatever the other had to say. He was tired and thoroughly aggravated. He needed to be alone.
"Sasuke," Naruto murmured. "Is... are you okay?"
Sasuke's fists clenched tightly in the pockets of his pants. He could feel the heat of his friend's hand through the thin material of his long-sleeved shirt, gradually warming the cool skin of his arm. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine," he managed.
Naruto slowly released him. "You sure are moody tonight. Seriously. Are you—"
Sasuke sucked his teeth in frustration. He shot the other an exasperated look. However, the deep confusion and concern in his friend's blue eyes, which seemed to glow beneath the illumination of the streetlight overhead, stopped him short. He sighed heavily, feeling momentarily resigned.
"Just go home, Naruto," he insisted tiredly. "I'll see you later." Holding his friend's gaze only a moment longer, he eventually faced forward again and resumed walking. The sound of his friend's "Sasuke…" quietly reaching his ears, as he kept walking, leaving Naruto standing by a street lamp.
Once he got home a short while later, Sasuke let out a pent-up breath. He toed-off his ninja sandals and immediately peeled off his chūnin vest, hanging it in the nearby closet. The house was dark. Out of habit, he turned on the soft overhead light in the kitchen, leaving it as the only light on within the house.
Slipping on regular sandals that he kept by the back sliding door, he walked into the small laundry room at the side of the house. Sasuke pulled his shirt off and unceremoniously tossed it into the washer with some of the other clothes he would launder later on in the week. He mechanically did this, not even flinching when the washer door fell shut with a heavy bang that reverberated in the still of the night.
He felt restless and irritatingly rattled. As he walked around the side of the house and back onto the deck, he felt his finger twitch again, and Sasuke quickly clenched his fist. He needed to work off some of this stress.
Heading inside, he grabbed his weapons pouch and returned outside. On the opposite side of the garden, there was a single training post he kept as an alternative option for when he didn't feel like heading to any of the training grounds. With his pouch at his hip, Sasuke stood some distance away in front of the post. He hadn't bothered to turn on a light. His Sharingan would be all the illumination he needed. Without further delay, he fluidly began to throw kunai.
He hated this feeling—this feeling of something dark and unnamable swirling within the core of his being. He couldn't understand what it was. It wasn't hatred, or quite like anything else he was familiar with from his past. However, whatever it was, he knew that the cause of it revolved around that damned squeaky-voiced Hyūga girl.
Somehow, she had cleanly eased into Naruto's life, and as much as it burned his gut to admit it, Sasuke felt that she was also easing her way into a place that he felt belonged to him, the same way she'd literally done it earlier. The mere thought of it angered him in such an acute manner that he threw one of his kunai with a little more force than he intended—the weapon sinking halfway through the wood, just outside the bulls-eye circle.
Sasuke sucked his teeth, continuing. It didn't escape him how much more familiar Naruto and that girl seemed to be with each other, either. She was always touching him, and while Naruto wasn't being overly receptive in turn, he let her do it. For some inexplicable reason, it was so nauseating to watch that sort of physical interaction between them. It just didn't seem right. He would rather not care at all... but, dammit, he did, and it was eating him inside that he couldn't explain why. He was a man who liked and craved control. After so many years of upheaval in his life, it was the element of control that gave him structure. It helped ground him and kept him in command. Nevertheless, all it took was a simpering Hyūga heiress to throw a wrench into the stability of his feelings. Utterly ridiculous.
He flung the next kunai hard at that moment. To his shock, it landed several inches from the bulls-eye, unlike all the others. He clenched his fists, growling a little. He stalked towards the post, reaching it. In an action of concentrated frustration, he pulled the kunai out, and roughly stabbed it into the center with the other kunai. The dull, thudding sound of it spearing into the wood was loud to his ears.
Sasuke took a deep breath. He hadn't even realized he was panting a little. This is fucking stupid, he thought, thoroughly disgusted with himself. Willing his anger to abate, he took a few more deep breaths, and gradually felt his tension ease slightly. He suddenly felt tired. Drained, physically and mentally. The whole day seemed to catch up with him in that moment, and he felt his shoulders sag.
He found himself leaning against the post, his right hand still clutching the handle of the wayward kunai. All these complex emotions... he didn't understand them. Whenever Naruto asked him what was wrong, or how he felt, Sasuke refused to give a direct answer, not because he wanted to avoid him, but because he honestly didn't know, himself. The fact that Hinata was weak and unfit for his friend didn't seem to cut it as an explanation anymore, either. All he knew was that he didn't like her being around Naruto anymore, now more strongly than ever. He didn't like what she might mean to him and what role she had in his life, and if things moved along at the rate they were going, she would no longer simply be his girlfriend, but his wife. Then, Naruto would not only be married, but also married into another clan. The implications of what that meant troubled him more deeply than he cared to admit.
Sasuke sighed. He maneuvered himself until his back was pressed against the side of the post. He lifted his face up towards the dark, star-lit sky.
How the hell could he continue being a good friend at this rate?
Hinata dodged a barreling kick from Neji.
The following afternoon, within the confines of the large, outdoor Hyūga training area, Hinata stood her ground, breathing hard as she evaded her cousin's palms. Her pale eyes were activated and alert as she read Neji's movements, countering a sharp strike towards her neck that would've left her stunned if she hadn't been on her toes.
Swiftly, she struck towards Neji's chest, face, and shoulder in rapid succession, the elder Hyūga just managing to block her with strong, proficient hands. The only evidence of Neji's exertion was a quiet grunt that Hinata was able to make out due to her close proximity.
She has improved outstandingly, Neji thought to himself as he persistently delivered a slew of strikes towards her. Her long hair swung wildly behind her with the movement, swaying behind her chakra-infused body in which Neji could see each pathway as clear as the day. Her eyes were no longer filled with hesitation like so many years earlier. They were now far more focused and determined when she fought—a drastic change from the frightened, insecure gaze she once donned.
Edging forwards as he attacked, Neji inwardly counted twenty-one blows that she managed to dodge in succession. Suddenly, Hinata lifted both chakra-charged palms up just as he did, the both of them aiming for each other's chests. As their palms solidly connected, the blast of concentrated energy from both ends abruptly pushed them backwards in opposite directions, the sound of their sandals skidding across the cracked ground, loud within the field.
"Enough," Neji finally said, straightening from his defensive stance. "That was very good, Hinata-sama," he said with a hint of a smile.
Hinata eased up with a smile of her own, wiping the sweat from her brow. "Thank you, Neji-niisan. I rarely have to fight like that these days, but these training sessions with you always keep me in good form."
With an acknowledging nod, Neji headed over to the steps of the deck on the edge of the training field. He gracefully sat down, Hinata doing the same, and handed her one of the two water bottles they'd brought with them. The both of them had dressed appropriately for the exercise, Hinata in her chūnin uniform and Neji in Hyūga robes. She opened her vest with one hand as they quietly drank their fill, the wooden deck's roof shading them from the bright midday sun.
Hinata sighed, setting her bottle aside as she felt her heartbeat gradually returning to normal. She didn't always get the opportunity to train with Neji these days. Although they resided in the same compound, Neji's ANBU duties often made him unavailable. She was always busy with missions and teaching aid duties, as well, the latter having become especially important to her in the last few years. She had never really considered teaching in any form, having been satisfied enough with her duties as a clan member. She hadn't really known how to do anything else. After the end of the war, however, there'd been a great need for structure, the ninja academy departments included. After making inquiries, she'd offered assistance to Iruka-sensei, who wholeheartedly accepted. After the war, a huge influx of new students began to pour into the academy – not only in Konohagakure, but in all the hidden villages across the continent. Iruka-sensei explained to her that after asking many of these students himself, they'd told him that they all wanted to be great ninja, and more specifically, heroes like Naruto.
The knowledge had made her heart swell with joy, then. Today, it made her heart swell with pride, because that hero would be the future Hokage, and that hero was also her beloved.
"Have you seen Naruto today?" Neji inquired politely next to her.
She looked at him in surprise. Her cousin possessed this uncanny ability to inquire upon the subject on one's mind without prompting. It was an ability that had the power either to impress, or to unnerve an individual.
"He is well. He said he'd be with Tsunade most of the day. "
"Ah. The Hokage-sama is working him diligently. She knows what she is doing," Neji assured.
Hinata smiled a little. "Yes. Tsunade-sama believes in him, and he trusts her."
Neji nodded in agreement before taking another sip of his water.
Hinata sighed a little. Her thoughts gradually shifted away from Naruto. Since last night, she couldn't stop thinking about the strange exchange with Uchiha Sasuke. She had kept it to herself, not wishing to trouble Naruto with it. It hadn't been aggressive, after all, or at least, not on the surface.
"What's wrong?" she heard Neji ask then.
She looked up at him. There was no use trying to hide her thoughts when those nearly identical eyes were looking back at her. "Nothing. Well... that's not exactly true." She fidgeted a little. "It's just... lately... well; I have a feeling that Sasuke-kun m-might not l-like me very much," she admitted uneasily.
Neji titled his head slightly. "What makes you say that?"
"It's just... the way he looks at me... the way he behaves around Naruto-kun and me. He hasn't really done anything mean. I just d-don't think he d-does," she admitted glumly.
"Hn. If it is any measure of comfort, you should realize that Sasuke isn't the type to really like anyone," he said wryly.
"What do you mean?"
Neji flicked a strand of long, dark hair that had come loose from his tie, over his shoulder. "Sasuke is an island onto himself. The things he has been through, we can never truly relate to or understand. We might call him a friend, but in a sense, it is said as a loose term with no solid foundation. To him, we are merely comrades. The only people he's let into his life are those within the unit of Team 7. The only person who truly understands him, however, is Naruto. He is the only one Sasuke permits to understand him."
Hinata quietly took in the information. "I understand that Naruto views him as a friend. It's because of that that I want to be on good terms with him. I wish I understood their bond better, so that I could get along better with Sasuke too," she said, idly running a few fingers along the seam of her shirt.
Neji shook his head. "Trying to understand it is futile, Hinata-sama. It is a unique bond; something that surpasses anything we can properly understand the average friendship to consist of, and only they understand that bond. Don't get upset for not understanding. I would only advise you on one thing."
Hinata looked up at him expectantly.
He looked at her directly in the eye. "Tread lightly when it comes to their friendship. Sasuke is one of Naruto's most precious people in this world. His attachment to Uchiha is something that runs deep within him; they are in their own way, fated together." Neji smiled a bit at that, thinking that Naruto might argue with that choice of words. "I advise you to be someone who helps cultivate that friendship. I believe that neither Naruto nor Sasuke would be happy as people if they weren't getting along. Likewise, I'm sure Naruto would be unhappy if he knew you were unhappy. Whatever issues occur, ensure they are solved, so that no one is hurt in the end."
Hinata blinked at him, surprised. "O-okay. I think I understand."
She might never understand Sasuke, but Naruto did, and she loved Naruto. She didn't want to be a burden. The only thing she could do was continue to be there and support Naruto, and, whether Sasuke knew it or not, she would be a friend to him, too, if he ever cared for it.
It was the only thing she could do for now.
Naruto was walking down the street on his way to Ichiraku's. After having spent a long day locked in the administration building, he was starving for his favorite meal. It had been quite a few days since he'd last had ramen.
As he made his way into the stand, he smiled at Teuchi and Ayame. "Hello!"
"Ah, Naruto-kun," Teuchi, dressed in his usual apron and hat, smiled back at him from behind the counter. "You hungry?"
"You know it. I'm starved," Naruto said breezily, sitting down on one of the plush stools.
"So what will—" Teuchi abruptly stopped midway as he was nudged by Ayame. She gave him a pointed look.
"What's wrong?" Naruto asked quizzically. Teuchi looked strangely regretful.
Ayame smiled sheepishly, scratching the corner of her cheek. "Sorry, Naruto, it's just that, we can't serve you any ramen today." She laughed anxiously.
"What? Why?" Naruto asked, surprised.
Ayame and Teuchi pointed towards the corner of the counter. Naruto looked over and his eyes widened. At the corner was a propped, framed flyer with the image he'd burned onto the prank ninja cards. Beneath it, in big bold lettering: "Do Not Serve Ramen to Uzumaki Naruto for 3 Weeks. By Order of the Hokage".
"Ehhh?" Naruto was beside himself. When Tsunade-sama said that she would serve out a punishment, she'd really meant it. "This is too cruel," he whined, his shoulders visibly slumping.
You'll be the one with the hysterical look on your face soon enough.
Sasuke's words suddenly rang through Naruto's head clearly, as if he'd been standing next to him saying them. It had probably been that bastard's idea too, he was sure of it. If anyone knew where to get him where it hurt, it would be Sasuke.
With that thought, Naruto sobered considerably. Last night had been strange. The dinner had gone well, but the walk afterwards had been awkward. He'd thought his friend would be content to have him walking with him; instead, Sasuke had been grumpy and tense. He'd been intent on pursuing the dark-haired nin for answers until he saw the pinched, exhausted look on the other's face. It was then that he'd relented.
Naruto sighed. He wasn't quite as hungry anymore. He rose from his stool and waved off an apologetic Ayame and Teuchi, ensuring them that it he'd be fine, and would return when the three weeks were over. He'd go cook up something at home.
With his hands in his pockets, he quietly left the ramen stand with only one thought on his mind: as soon as he could, he would talk to Sasuke.
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Author's Note: I would've published this earlier but I've been dealing with one hell of a sinus issue and daily pain, which left me unable to focus long enough to write, so I give my sincerest apologies. Thanks to my beta LauraNeatO and to everyone who has recently put this story on their alerts and to those who left reviews. This time around, I especially want to shout out all those people that follow me on Tumblr and leave those awesome messages/questions and reblogs, particularly LadyStardusttt, TheQuietMoments, and those that for whatever reason like my long-winded, weekly Naruto rants. I can't help but let my thoughts out lol. That, along with reviews, really gives me encouragement and pleasure, so thanks.
I watched the Blood Prison movie and I have to say, all the vague S&M and harassment on poor Naruto was... interesting lol. He's always put in these unwilling scenarios with other men, poor kid. Although, I do agree with that one prisoner who called Naruto a "fine looking one".
I only have a few things to say about this chapter. One is that writing for Bee was an interesting experience. I'll also say that the friendship between Naruto and Sasuke is about to get considerably... complex. Until next time.