The following morning, he made his way to class like ever other morning. He steadily got to his desk whilst his classmates rushed to their seats.
Sasuke rested his elbows on and stared off into the dark green board. The sudden shift of the desk alerted the raven of another's presence. He turned to the girl. " Don't move from your seat. We'll talk during recess at the edge of the forest, behind academy. " Ayame subtlety bobbed her head. Yes, she had agreed to meet the Uchiha. Why? She had a chance to talk to the boy who seemed to be a mystery to everyone in the village, like Naruto, it leaked her interest.
The Ryū looked to the front of the class. The aforementioned blond seemed to be coping with the work they had just received. There was no reason to move.
Recess and Ayame made her way to the edge of the forest behind the academy. Kana had not come to school that day. The green head figured, the purple head must have been sick. " Ryū " her name broke her from her thought bubble. She turned on her heal and followed the male deeper into the woods until he came to an abrupt stop. Ayame stopped a foot away from the male. It was silent for a while until a sigh left the girl's lips. She brushed back mint green tendrils, only for it to fall on her face again. She let out an annoyed huff. " Why did you ask me here? " she questioned and raised a skeptical brow. It was silent for a couple of seconds as if the male readied himself on what to say. " Don't leave your seat, okey " his faced broke into something close to annoyance? Or nervousness? Ayame was taken aback by the sudden display of emotion. " Explain, 'cause I don't understand? " the Ryū asked.
Sasuke pursed his lips. He knew he had to voice his words very carefully. Of he said something that would cause the green head to lash out on him, she surely would find every opportunity to to leave her seat and leave him to the
' others. ' He internally cringed, he did not want that to happen on a daily basis. He wanted his last days at the academy to be filled with some silence so he could think of ways to end that rotten man. " D-Don't leave your seat, ever again, when you leave they will come " Sasuke played a vulnerable card. He had to look slightly scared and nervous. If he showed this side of him to the girl, she surely would not want to leave him again, seeing as she loves to help those who are - Naruto. Maybe Naruto, did not have to show that but the definite hurt he showed pulled, Ayame to help the Uzumaki. " They? Wait, you mean your fanclub? " Ayame watched the raven with a concerned expression. He nodded quickly. " W-What do they do to you? " Ayame questioned. The green head was concerned, she thought having a fanclub meant that the people follow your every wish, that they would never dare to hurt their precious idol. The raven followed a lump. Ayame thinking it is something that is difficult to say, whereas the raven was trying to come up with something believable.
" T-They... " he swollen again and looked to the floor. He was internally scolding himself for acting so weak but he had to, to keep the girl there. " T-They touch me... " he hugged himself. " I can't do anything 'cause then they'll make fuss and if I complain! " he gasped and squared down and held his head. " It will make me look weak... In front of Iruka-sensei and the other teachers, our classmates, the village... " he trailed off. " What will think of me? I'm the last of my clan, they will label me as a disgrace then will do the same for the rest of me dead family! " his voice wavered a bit. Ayame watched silently. She had no idea the Uchiha went through this.
She concluded that if her sitting with the Uchiha prevented him from going through such trauma she would gladly sit by him. She knew the male was not one to look for for a pity-party. " I won't move from my seat " said the green head with determination " A promise, I'll keep until we graduate, Sasuke " her face split into a wide grin and her eyes into crescents. The Uchiha's breath hitched and his heartbeat skipped a couple of beats. He shook himself from the feeling rising from his chest. Ayame turned on her heal " I'll see you after recess, next to me, right, Sasuke? " she said and looked over her shoulder. The male nodded at the girl. She returned the gesture and walked back the way she came.
Right after recess, Ayame made her way to her seat and slumped in her chair. The raven did the same not long after but in a more graceful fashion. His face was unreadable - like every other day. The flashes of his pained face skidded across her mind. He and Naruto are so different yet they're the same. They act s-so tough! Yeah tough... When they're around others but they're not... I guess? The green head was too busy staring off into space that she did not notice the dark shadows that loomed over her. " What are you doing here? " said the blond. Her ash blond hair glinted like silver in the sun. " What do you mean? 'What am I doing here?' This is my seat " Ayame furrowed her brows. " Why don't you go and sit with your boyfriend, over there, he seems kinda lonely? " green Jade eyes disappeared when she smiled a devilish smile. The Ryū looked over to the place where Naruto was seated. He seemed to be quite content arguing over something with Inuzuka Kiba. She shrugged " He seems fine to me. " the green turned to her side. Usually three people can sit in these desks. There was a chair missing she realized. In her mind she thought it was Sasuke's doing.
Sakura caught on what the Ryū glanced over. She took it as an opening. She quickly ran around to grab any untouched chairs. However, before she could place the wooden work on the ground Umino Iruka stepped inside the classroom.
" Everyone standing go to your seats! " the Chūnin commanded. Just as she put down her seat she was
shoved - none to gently - on her side but she was stubborn and pushed back with equal force.
" I wanna sit next to my Sasuke-kun! Billboard-Brow! "
"No I want to my Sasuke-kun! Ino-Pig! "
And the insults kept going back and forth but it never changed.
" Ino-Pig! " Sakura spat and gave a deadly glare at the other.
" Billboard-Brow! " countered Into with equal venom.
Iruka sighed and rubbed his forehead. Even the village's prankster kept quiet which surprised some. " Girls! " Iruka's voice boomed, which startled the girls - and the class - out of their fervent dissing of one another. The expectant remorseful looks on their faces did not help their way out of getting detention later after school.
" You're right, you know " the green head whispered as she wrote down her work. Sasuke glanced over to the girl then back to his own work. " There are many things that I'm right about, you just have to be specific " he said with a hint of playfulness. " I have no doubt about your intelligence, though, your quite smart " this little statement caused the male to freeze in his movements - only a little - before continuing with his notes. The little silence made room for the girl to elaborate. " Your fanclub, they're brutes " Ayame scrunched up her face in disgust. " Indeed they are " the male said exasperated in a whisper.
A sudden chuckle brought the make beside her out from his thinking. He raised a brow at the girl's odd outburst. " Why you laughing? " he asked. The girl then erupted with giggles, hid behind her palm. " You know, with a this much fans you have you could make up an army " she tapped her pencil on her book. An army? Wondered the Uchiha. The Ryū seemed to pick up on his unspoken question. " An army, even though most of them don't have enough Chakra to perform a jutsu but when provoked their adrenaline makes up for it " the green head turned slightly to the raven. " Hmm... That is something to think about " he hummed. " What possed you to think of something like that? " the male inquired. " What possed you to think on it? " a dark chuckle left her lips. Sasuke nodded and turned back to the Iruka.
That evening, the Ryū sat alone by the kitchen counter. A cup of steaming ramen, fresh out of the microwave. The place was in pristine condition. " Itadakimasu. "
She spent most her nights like that. Her mother was mostly never home. On other nights, the young Ryū would go to an old woman who lives with her daughter and grandchild. The senior was gracious enough to extend an invitation to eat with them whenever the younger felt the need to come over. When her mother was home, dinner time was silent. Only the buzz of the technology and the tinking of cutlery. The silence however was not comfortable. It was tense and awkward. She wondered if having a meal with one's parents were supposed to be so, uncomfortable. She guessed it wasn't because it brought across such a horrible feeling from the pit of her stomach.
Ayame discarded the carton and went off to the bathroom. After finishing her shower she pulled out an oversized T-shirt with chibi pandas and a pair of black boxer-shorts. Her gaze lifted to the ceiling. " Tell me what I'm doing wrong " she whispered " What did I do to deserve this-this treatment from her? Does she hate me? What did I do to her? I wanna know... So I can fix it! So I get her love! " her voice wavered. She sniffed, the feeling of of tears tracked down her cheeks. She buried her face in her pillow " T-Tell me, please. "
The very next morning, Ayame made her way to her seat. She did not see Kana that morning which meant that the girl was probably late. The green laid her head in the desk. She did not get much sleep the night before. Her half-lidded eyes stared ahead at nothing.
Sasuke noticed the girl's sudden demeneer. She was usually cheerful but nit to a point where it made someone gag but tolerable. The Ryū could a pair of eyes on her, in reaction she turned to face the window.
For the next hour, Iruka had left the green head. He had noticed she seemed off. Sad even, he had never seen an actual frown her face, the occasional pursed lips and blank looks but never a frown. He let it slide. When it neared the next hour and the class was to go outside for their Kunai Test. He approached her just before she got off her desk. " Ayame? What's the matter? " he asked softly. The girl let out a tired sigh and placed a weak smile on her face. " I'm fine, Iruka-sensei " he could only nod. If she wanted to talk she would, on her own. " Okay, just know you can come to me, right? " Iruka gave a gentle pat on her shoulder. The Ryū nodded and follows the rest of the students to the open training field.
The class was split into teams of three, since they were joined by another class. " Sasuke, why don't you join Ayame and Naruto? Hm? " Iruka gestured the Uchiha to the Ryū and the Uzumaki - who were talking about the up coming trials for the Genin Examination. " But Iruka-sen— " said Chūnin sent a warning glare towards the blond. Naruto huffed and folded his arms over his chest, a noticable scowl on his face while he grumbled silent insults and curses towards the Uchiha.
" I'm glad this not group work " Sasuke muttered. Naruto turned to the raven. " Why is that? Uchiha? " questioned Naruto, an annoyed look on his face. He knew where this was going to go. " So I don't have my record tarnished by a Dobe like you " Sasuke said with a bored tone. " Watch it! Teme! I could beat you this time! " Naruto growled which earned a scoff from the raven. " Tch, let's see about that, Dobe " Sasuke readied his stance. " Oh, you will, Teme! " Naruto hissed and did the same. The Ryū ignored the duo and found another stump to practice on. Her aim was not perfect but it could do better. After fifteen minutes of constantly trying to throw the Kunai, her breathing had already become shallow and her hands had a slightly clammy. On normal circumstances, she could practice for an hour straight before slumping on the ground due to mental fatigue. The restless night she had did not help her predicament. She was ready to fall when she felt a string grip on her shoulder. With half-lidded eyes she looked up into dark black pools. " You need to rest for a bit, Ryū " he said in his usual bored tone. Ayame shook her head " N-No, I'm fine, need to get this right so I can pass " her voice was shaky. She turned to towards the target and was ready to throw when the Kunai was taken from her hand. " He— " she was ready to protest but she was met with a stern glare from the Uchiha. She dropped her eyes and her arm to her side. She had lost. Like always no one can stand the cold look from the Uchiha. Woe to those who have defied them.
She shrugged off the hand that was still attached to her shoulder and took a seat under a tree. She brought her knees up to her chest and hugged her legs close as possible to her frame. Just ten minutes and the Ryū was dragged from her seat and to the stump where her team was originally supposed to practice and take their test on. " We're going to help you " said the Uchiha, not looking at the Ryū or the Uzumaki. " Y-You seemed to be struggling so-so—" the blond gulped " We put aside our differences to help you! " said the blond in one go. Ayame stared between the blond and the raven with a stunned face. " Don't make me go through that again, Ayame! " Naruto exclaimed. By the grimace of the Uzumaki's face, the Ryū could tell that being with the raven was hurting his pride. " Uhm, okay, thanks, both of you " said the green head. Sasuke nodded and Naruto stuck a thumbs up.
Another ten minutes later and the sensei from the other class had come to inspect their work. They were put in teams to help one another. They were assessed individually. Sasuke had as per expectations, beat said expectations. Naruto was just slightly off but still passed. The evident, anger from the Chūnin did not go unnoticed by the blond but pretended as if it was not there. Ayame was in the same boat at the blond but just a bit better with her accuracy. She passed and for that she was thankful for.
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