Days passed into weeks as Team 7 carried out their tasks. The summer season soon began reaching its peak. Thus, the genin endured the scorching heat as they carried out various tasks.
They were assigned many D-ranked missions. Finding lost cats, dogs, pigs and a snake (oh yes a very large one), working out in the fields, gardening, doing some old lady's laundry and delivering paintings and vases were just to name a few.
It all seemed to be boring, frustrating and pointless. Yet life moves on. So another day arrived and with it another day of full of mission work.
Naruto yawned as he arrived in front of the Hokage's building.
"Good Morning~ " he said cheerfully to Sasuke and Sakura.
"Morning" Sasuke mumbled.
"Morning idiot. You're late" said Sakura.
"Yeah but sensei is going to be even more late" Naruto replied.
He stole a glance at Sasuke.
Naruto had now developed a habit of getting a good look at Sasuke. He did it first thing in the morning, when they met and then the moment before they all went home.
A few days passed and then Sasuke automatically started looking back at him.
So every time they met or parted they gave each other a firm glance as if to say some kind of secret message.
And at that moment Sasuke was looking back at him.
Beautiful blue irises met the dazzling dark eyes. Their eyes alone portrayed thousands of emotions and thoughts.
Naruto felt his heart leap and sparkle. A small blush appeared on his cheeks and his hand instinctively went to the back of his neck.
Sasuke felt like a volcano, ready to explode. Just thinking about Naruto had been troubling for the Uchiha in the past few days. As he looked at his blonde, his hand moved on its own and carefully brushed the hair behind Naruto's ear.
Naruto felt his mind screaming internally. It was something like:
'AHHH! There it is again! Why do my cheeks feel SO WEIRD?! AHHH!'
"How many times have I told you?" Sasuke said softly. "Comb your hair, Naruto".
Naruto's heart jumped. Sasuke has called him by his name. For some reason it made him even more flustered. He averted his gaze to the ground and mumbled "Yeah...I'll...um do it"
Then there was of course Sakura. Watching them in moments like these she had become aware of the changes in their behaviours.
Naruto had started taking by addressing Sakura and Sasuke. Usually it was only her. She found it strange and annoying. Especially when Sasuke responded to Naruto.
When she discussed this with the other genin they didn't find anything particularly strange. Only Shikamaru and Kiba had a look in their eyes as if they knew something. Thankfully, Sakura didn't take notice.
"Team 7!" someone called interrupting her thoughts.
It was Kurenai Sensei. She and her Team were exiting from the Hokage's building. "Kakashi is in the office waiting for you" she said.
"Thank You sensei" Sakura said politely.
"What?! He's already there?! Naruto said with disbelief.
So Team 7 went ahead. As they passed by, they briefly greeted the genin of Team 8. Akamaru gave them a friendly yap and wagged his tail as Sakura petted him.
When the puppy approached Sasuke however he looked confused. He stared at the Uchiha and then at Naruto. Then he looked at them each of them with a dazed look.
Kiba also stared at them but decided to keep silent. He didn't need Hinata fainting again. 'I'll have to tell the others about this later' he thought mischievously.
At the assignment office the Hokage and his advisor Iruka were assigning a mission to some chunin. After they were done the Hokage addressed them.
"Today for squad 7 we have many tasks available" he said. "Among them are babysitting the chief counsellor's three year old, helping his wife to do some grocery shopping, digging up potatoes—"
"No!" Naruto whined. "Gramps can you give us a real mission for once? Like something challenging and exciting. Not this kids stuff!"
'He's got a point' thought Sauske.
'He's such a pain' thought Sakura. 'Why does he have to embarrass us in front of the Hokage?'
Kakashi has a flat look on his face 'I knew this was coming'
"Naruto!" Iruka scolded. "You have no experience! That is why like everyone else you start with simple missions to develop your skills and learn to work as a team!"
"That's stupid!" Naruto argued. "Babysitting is just— Argh!"
Kakashi knocked him on the head with his fist. "Will you put a lid into it?" He said in a tired and annoyed voice. The kid was really wasting his time. (His quality time of staring at Iruka and fantasising that is)
"Naruto. It seems you do not understand the tasks you've been given" said Lord Third. "Remember the missions are ranked according—"
"Ugh! You always lecture me like you're my grandfather or something!" Naruto interrupted again. "But I'm not the little brat who used to pull pranks all the time. I'm a ninja and I want a ninja mission. Hmph!"
Having said that he turned around, crossed his arms and sat with an angry pouted face.
Sasuke looked at him and suppressed a laugh. He had such a childish look on his face. The way he pouted was so adorable. Sasuke really had an urge to punch his cheeks like he had done so many times when Naruto was asleep.
His mind then shouted 'Stop thinking like that!'
Iruka smiled warmly. He was glad to know Naruto was make an effort to change himself.
The Hokage chuckled. "Naruto wants us to know he's not a brat" he said. "He's a former brat. So he it."
All of the genin perked up.
"Since you are so determined, I'm going to give you a C-ranked mission. You'll be bodyguards on a journey" said the Hokage with his fingers crossed and his pipe in his mouth.
"Really? Alright!" Naruto rejoiced. 'I wonder who it is? Maybe a rich noble or a princess or?...'
--
An hour later Team Seven stood at the A-un gates, ready to depart.
Their 'C-rank' mission turned out to be protecting the drunk bridge builder Tazuna. He had said that he needed protection from bandits and thieves while in his way home to the Land of Waves. He also expressed his disbelief at the fact that 'these snot nosed brats' who don't even look like ninjas would be protecting him.
Then Naruto got angry and tried to 'DEMOLISH' him but was thankfully stopped by Kakashi.
So as they got ready to leave Tazuna looked over at Naruto with a disdainful look. "Why do you have this brat on your team? I'm not placing my hopes on him" he said.
"Hey don't you dare insult me! I'm Naruto Uzumaki and I'm going to be Hokage! The greatest one ever!" the blonde declared.
"Hokage are powerful and wise. You are puny and brainless" said Tazuna. "The day you become Hokage I'll sprout wings and fly" he scoffed.
"I'm willing to do anything to become Hokage!" Naruto argued. "And when I do everyone'll have yo admit that I'm the top ninja including you!"
"Hmph. You can become Hokage ten times over and to me you'll still be nobody" Tazuna said. "A loser" he added.
"Why you! I'm gonna make you pay!!" Naruto said and tried to attack Tazuna.
Kakashi grabbed him by the back of his collar and stopped him. "Naruto you're supposed to protect the client not kill him" he calmly reminded.
"Lemme go! Lemme go! I wanna smack him!" the little brat said as he struggled to get lose.
Sasuke, who had been looking at him the whole time, could see that Naruto was not only angry but also sad and offended. Of course most of the time the boy was always told that he would never be Hokage. He was a brat. The nine tails brat. Hokage? Never.
Sasuke felt irritated by this realisation. It was a strange feeling he couldn't suppress.
He went to Naruto and put his hand on his shoulder. "Don't waste your time trying to convince people who won't believe you. Become Hokage, and prove them wrong" he said.
Naruto looked at Sasuke and stopped struggling. As he heard the words he spoke Naruto smile. "Yeah you're right" he said.
Sasuke's heart sank into relief seeing his smile. 'So cute-'
Without realising, Naruto had put his hand over Sasuke's. He was glad to know that there was someone close to him who believed in him and his dreams.
Kakashi watched them and his heart warmed.
"Don't worry about Naruto Mr. Tazuna. He's my genin after all and I'm perfectly capable of handling him" said Kakashi, giving him a look. "Now, shall we get going?"
"Right" said Tazuna uneasily.
So the five travellers departed on their journey to the Land of Waves.
They travelled for hours in which Sakura asked about the Land of Waves and Tazuna's work. Kakashi also joined in to elaborate, while Naruto made some (unnecessary) remarks and comments.
After a while (when Sakura told him to shut up for being too loud) Naruto was silent. So he did something else instead.
He stared at Sauske.
The two of them had been acting awkwardly normal and pretending as if they were their usual selves. They argued, insulted each other pointlessly and had their regular fights. But even when they did so, there seemed to be a kind of strangeness between them.
Naruto tried to ignore the fact that he was having...certain feelings by deliberately challenging himself against Sasuke and trying to be angry with him. But it never worked. In his heart he was smiling even when they 'argued'.
It didn't help that Sasuke seemed to be helping him sometimes or seemed to always be near him. When he was, Naruto could not help but glance at him.
Then thoughts would pour into his mind like a flood. The way he smiled,...the ramen he had made which Naruto craved,...his beautiful hair, the scent of his clothes...and speaking of clothes he remembered the shape of his body when they had bathed together...
When such thoughts sprang into his mind he would get so flustered that he instantly messed up what he was doing.
Sasuke on the other hand tried to distract himself by being more active during work. He listened intently and even talked more often. Of course he too thought that arguing with Naruto would help. But it was no use. He would immediately get distracted by his beautiful eyes, his blonde hair, his cheeky smile and his cute cheeks and...
Then Sasuke would shake his head, like he was doing right then, and his mind would throw thoughts of denial at what he felt. 'No. I don't like how he looks. The weather is just too hot' his mind stared.
'Or maybe Naruto is' the other side suggested.
'Shut it'. Sasuke told it.
The travellers then crossed a small planked bridge over a small river. As they were went across and walked beyond Kakashi saw a puddle of water.
He eyed it and was about to move but hesitated. He did some quick thinking, ignored it instead and kept waking.
In the next few seconds, two men immediately surfaced from the puddle and attacked.
Clad in black clothes they sprang forward whipping out long spiked chains. They used this to wrap Kakashi up. "What?" The jonin said with surprise.
As they genin and the bridge builder turned around, they saw Kakashi being squeezed by the chains until he was crushed to pieces.