When they arrived at the tower that would end the second part of their test and Kabuto met up with the rest of his team all of them split up to get into the tower on their own. Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto quickly walked into one of the many room that littered the outside of the tower and, as Sasuke closed the door, they opened the scroll and threw it onto the floor as it summoned their sensei.

"Whew," said Iruka, "you guys just made it on time."

"We had a couple complications on our way when we were trying to get here," Naruto smiled as he sat on the ground to rest.

Iruka smiled as he knew that Naruto was probably the complications. "Well it seems that you three have passed the second part of the test. I'm very proud of you all," Naruto grinned widely at hearing those words, "but there is still another part that you have to pass if you want to become chunin."

"We know Iruka-sensei," said Sakura.

"But we're ready for this competition," said Naruto.

"We're definitely ready to become chunin," said Sasuke.

Iruka grinned at his students. "Well while I'm here I have to explain the saying that's on the wall here."

"We already know what it means," said Sasuke.

"Really?" asked Iruka with a surprised face, "but this is your first time taking the test."

"We're not stupid," answered Sakura, "It's obvious that this whole test has been about teaching us how to be chunin and that is just trying to add to it."

"Oh," Iruka was shocked by their knowledge, but, then again, both Sasuke and Sakura had been the top of his class throughout the whole year. And if Naruto wanted to know what it meant they could explain it to him. "Well I guess I should congratulate you all on getting this far," Iruka smiled, "I'll treat you all to ramen."

"I'll take you up on that offer," said Naruto with a grin of pure happiness.

Iruka smiled and watched Naruto as he sat and rubbed at his shoulder. By the looks of it Naruto must have been really sore. That couldn't be good for what was coming next for the group. "You'll be careful right Naruto?" he asked with concern.

At that moment the air seemed to grow colder and there was a moment of silence until Sakura broke by almost yelling, "For God's sake Iruka-sensei. Didn't I tell you before to stop underestimating Naruto? You are supposed to be acting like a father, not the proud person who underestimates him and then gets thrown off his high pedestal because he was wrong."

"Sakura," sighed Naruto as he saw that her words were upsetting his teacher.

"No!" she growled, "He needs to hear this. If he doesn't then he'll just keep underestimating you and I'm getting sick and tired of it. If he keeps acting like this he'll be just like the villagers who hate you for something that you couldn't control. I won't allow it. He needs to learn a lesson."

"Sakura," this time Naruto's voice took on a stern tone.

"But Naruto," she seemed to deflate at his tone, but she still wasn't willing to let Iruka-sensei hurt him anymore, "Doesn't it upset you when he underestimates you?"

Naruto smiled and with a soothing voice he said, "Yes Sakura it upsets me very much, but that was not him underestimating me. That was him worrying about me as any parent would. I'd be upset if he didn't worry about me."

Sakura let her gaze hit the floor and nodded her head. How could she be so stupid as to scold Iruka-sensei when he was only worrying . She should have known.

"Sakura," said Naruto from where he still sat, but she still did not look up out of embarrassment so instead he allowed two words to go through their connection to penetrate her thoughts. They were a very heartfelt, "Thank you." She smiled quietly.

Naruto stood and nodded at their sensei saying a quick goodbye and turning to leave, but as the other two left Iruka stopped him and said, "Naruto I'm really sorry about underestimating you."

"No you're not," answered Naruto.

"What?"

"You're not sorry about underestimating me because if you were you wouldn't still be doing it." Then he quietly left the room to follow his teammates.

When he found his teammates in the room they were to stay in, which was a room barely large enough to hold the three beds that sat side-by-side with only enough room to allow them to get in and out of their beds connected to a bathroom, the first thing he did was give Sakura, who was sitting on the bed closest to the door a huge hug. "Thank you so much Sakura."

"I'm sorry Naruto," she sighed, "I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions."

"I'm just happy that you stood up for me," answered Naruto.

"Besides," interjected Sasuke who was sitting on the middle bed, "he deserved it."

"Sasuke," Naruto said in a tone that seemed to be a mix of scolding and happiness.

"I only speak the truth," said Sasuke with a shrug.

"We all know that's a lie," Sakura smirked.

"No, I don't think it is," said Naruto putting his finger to his chin in a playful thinking pose, "Maybe that's why he doesn't talk that much. There might be something that he's not telling us."

"How could you Sasuke?" Sakura gasped playfully, "Keeping secrets from your own teammates. You're not a girl are you? Oh what a tragedy for Konoha that would be."

"I don't think it'd be a tragedy," said Naruto with a playful smirk, "all of Sasuke's secret fanboys' would finally be able to come out of hiding."

"Of course you would know that," Sasuke smirked, "You being one of those secret fanboys."

"I am not," said Naruto indignantly though there was a definite blush creeping onto his cheeks, "I would never act like that."

"Of course not," Sasuke said sarcastically.

Sakura watched happily as the two of them talked. They really were a cute couple, and she wanted to get them together, but no matter what she did to try to get them together they were always to dense to see it. Perhaps she could try again.

"Sasuke?" asked Naruto.

"Hmmmm?" was his reply.

"My shoulders really hurt," he said rubbing one of his shoulders, "Could you give me a massage?"

"Sure," answered Sasuke motioning for Naruto, who had been sitting on Sakura's bed while they were talking , to come over to his bed and sit down. Naruto sat in the middle of the bed with his legs crossed and took off his shirt throwing it onto his own bed which was near the one small window in the room. Sasuke often gave him massages back in the future, because he had to do all that paperwork and it often gave him a crick in his neck, so he knew exactly what to do. He had done it so often that he forgot about the seal on his neck until Sasuke's fingers came up and touched it.

He shot up, almost falling over and turned to Sasuke with his hand covering the cursed seal. "Sorry Sasuke," he said with an apologetic smile, "I forgot about that. I'm sure they won't hurt after a good night's rest."

"Oh no you don't," said Sasuke grabbing his hand as he went to go get his shirt, "We both know that these stiff beds aren't going to help at all. Come on let me help you."

"But," Naruto protested as Sasuke was already shifting him back into the position he had been in.

"No buts," said Sasuke calmly as he sat on his knees behind Naruto, so it wouldn't be uncomfortable for him, and began to give him a massage before he could move away. Naruto immediately melted into the feeling of Sasuke's hands working all of the kinks out of his shoulders.

Oh yeah, Sakura was definitely going to try again. And for her first attempt she would leave the two of them alone while she went and took a shower which she desperately needed.

I know this is like reeeeaaally short, but it's kind of between chapters and didn't really go with the previous or the next chapters so i just decided to make it a chapter on its own. i hope you like it