No matter how many times Sasuke threw the ball, it was hit by the batters more often than she liked. It was a realization that she always feared true: no matter how hard she tried, because of her size, she would never make it in the major leagues. She was only a freshman in high school now, but she wouldn't kid herself that she'd grow any taller. No amount of appropriate muscle mass for a pitcher would ever compensate for what a man in the majors could do. The gap was too large because of her height. The acceptance was devastating.
After practice, Sasuke was putting her things away, still wrestling with the idea that she could never achieve her dreams. Maybe she didn't have to accept it. Maybe she could still try.
Who was she fooling?
No, she wasn't going to cry over it again, she thought, lifting her head from looking into her bag as she put her glove and ball away.
Naruto was face to face with her. "Sorry," he said, "I was just trying to get my bat." He pointed under the bench. "Under there."
Sasuke reached under and grabbed it for him. While handing it to him, Naruto seemed to be studying her over (though he sees her as a male right now).
"Something wrong?" Naruto asked.
Sasuke shouldn't have exposed herself to him, but she did. She told him of her fears about baseball. That she'd never make it.
"You never know until you try," Naruto said. It was nothing Sasuke hadn't heard before. But Naruto continued, "There's been so many people out there that have been told they couldn't do something. And you know what?" Naruto said, grinning. "Many of them fail, but some don't. Some go on to prove everyone wrong. Even those closest to them."
Sasuke thought of her father.
She then began to see Naruto differently. It was like a yellow light was around him, just outside her peripheral's view. When she tried to find it, it disappeared. Then Sasuke realized she was developing feelings for Naruto, and that was absolutely not going to happen. Run away!
"Thanks, Naruto," Sasuke said, gathering up her bags and starting to walk off. The feeling she was having was for Sakura, she was sure. Wait, didn't she get her magic because of Naruto? "See ya tomorrow."
"Yeah, see ya," Naruto said.
So what? It wasn't because of love.
Hate.
No, jealousy.
Sasuke stopped in her tracks, a few yards away from Naruto, and lit by a stadium light. She was jealous of him, she realized, and it had made her not see him correctly. Would she ever see the real Naruto? Or would her feelings always make her hide herself from him and not be able to?
That didn't matter. What really mattered was the implication that she might not see Sakura right, either.
"Naruto," Sasuke said, turning back to him. They looked at each other from a distance, then Sasuke began to walk towards him. She had to be sure, and get rid of these feelings before she stuffed them inside. She shut her eyes and when she opened them again, they were no longer red.
"Sasuke?" Naruto asked. "What are you doing here?" He had no idea what was going on.
Sasuke wondered if Naruto saw the baseball equipment she had, or if that were just an illusion, too. But there was no time for that, she had other thoughts to deal with. Staring Naruto over, she instantly noticed how he looked at her differently. It could just be because of the jarring scenario, though. To him, she wasn't supposed to be there. Were there two realities, or was it a form of hypnosis?
She turned back into a male and Naruto's expression changed. She did it again. And again. And again. It was like taking an eye exam, except it was impossible to tell which image was clearer. Or was it?
This definitely had to be unethical, but there was no time to think about it. Her heart racing, Sasuke, as a female, kissed Naruto. Never had she expected that to happen. Normally you'd have to launch her out of a canon at Naruto to get her to touch that scrub.
Not unexpectedly, Naruto accepted the kiss and kissed her back.
Oh god, she thought, it was so awful. She was so wrong! Thank God she was so wrong. Save me, Sakura! she thought, trying to picture him.
Sasuke opened her eyes and watched Naruto coming at her like a rabid chihuahua. She casually tried to push him away, but it was probably a lot ruder than intended. She turned back into a boy then ran for home.
In bed, she tried her hardest to ignore all the confusing thoughts. Like a saving grace, she remembered her moral dilemma. Possibly because she was so exhausted, possibly because it was the truth, possibly because she needed to lie to herself, Sasuke decided that people use unfair advantages every day, so it was definitely okay. Besides, they were treating her a certain way just because of how she looked anyways.