Natsumi

(Beautiful summer)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Naruto (except the head protector I'm currently making) and Naruto was made by Kishimoto-sama. So I'm not to blame for that wonderful Manga that haunts me day and night ^_~ hee..

Authors note: This is bound to be a AT (alternative timeline) ~ before the Chuunin exam. So I forgot everything about the story and concentrate on keeping them IC (at least after my standards... or.. uh.. forget it) I'll just concentrate on delivering a likeable story for Leila and the rest of mina-san! O.o R&R!

...this is actually the first story I posted after only starting two weeks earlier (I can't write everything in one go, as you might notice on my updates, gomen!) and because I wanted to get it out fast, I missed some critical errors. For that I apologize. ;_; I thought that Sasuke didn't know he wasn't hit on the critical points, but I remembered wrongly...

About some reviews I got: (thank you for them! *^_^* Made me really happy!)

Solitan – I will keep the Japanese, since I've learned to like Naruto stories with Japanese expressions in them... makes it feel more genuine... I know, cheep thrill... but what can I say ^^'' Thank you for noticing the error I did!!

Yami no Tenshi – Oh! I never actually though about what would *happen* (^_~) between Kakashi and Iruka, but I guess that if people want it... I put in a part! So there! ^-^ I'm actually doing what I call a smutty KakaIru stand-alone right now.. if you are interested in helping me, you know where to go (I hope!!)

Ino and Sakura? Yeah... I knew that they used to be best friends *nods* but the question is, under their supposed 'rivalry' how much did they interact? Oh well.. I guess that it's what makes fiction.. fiction!!! O.o Though I can't believe I misspelled "Dolphin"..

Need to knows:

NATSUMI – Beautiful summer (so there, now you know ^_~)

Juujin Bunshin – Beast/Human Clone

Buta – pig

Iruka - dolphin

Iya da – no way

Chikushou – dammit

Sou ka – maybe

Yappari – I though so

Kyuubi no Kitsune – nine tailed fox.

Dôjinshi [Dou-jin-shi] – (dj) the word means group effort (doujin: grupp) in Japanese. It's usually a group labeled circle. Inspired by a manga/anime they draw their own stories based on e.g. their favorite manga and sell them on 'comic market' in Japan. This is called 'fanzine' in English. Hence, self produced works (they have no connection to the manga-ka who has done the original). Doujinshi's can also be original work that aspiring artists sell to gain popularity.

Warnings: Shounen ai! SasuNaru and KakaIru. Cause I like it, no reason, the Japanese sites I've been at are affecting me ^^''

During writers block, trying to push some sense into this story. As I have no real idea on where this is headed.

On with story:

~ ~ ~

"What?!?" Iruka's heart raced, Naruto was evidently not old enough to read a book like that "You mean, Icha Icha Paradise? The one Jiraiya wrote?" he stared, not even he would go low enough to check that book out. / except if Kakashi asked me to / he made a face and groaned at his ridiculous thought.

"Haha.. he really doesn't understand who he's dealing with, not even after Zabuza..." Kakashi barely whispered the last words, a contemplative look on face. "Oh well! Shall we go?"

"Shall we go?! Are you crazy?? We have to get the book back!!"

"Iruka, you might not know much about me, but I do master Kawarimi perfectly" Kakashi said picking out a Icha Icha book from his pocket. "I left him with Icha Icha Violence!" With that he laughed and started walking away with a wildly gesturing Iruka behind him.
"You did Kawarimi no jutsu on the book?!"

"Yeah..."

"But still, it's not good for Naruto to read that either!!!"

"Give it a rest!" The two of them raced each other between houses, bickering as always. People who knew them well never really understood what they saw in each other since they argued regularly, but when they didn't they where really cute together (Not it that way!! ...yet ^_~). And Iruka had promised himself to give the ex-anbu a chance, even though their differences sometimes seemed more than their similarities. He, for instance, didn't like the relaxed and easy way the Jounin dealt with team 7.

Iruka smiled in spite himself, Kakashi did bring a blush to his cheeks most of the time. / But I wanna know more about him. actually, it feels as if I don't know anything about him! / he thought as he looked towards the white-haired mystery that was Hatake.

"You surprised me when you decided to come with... I didn't even know you had a bathing suit." "Don't be silly, of course I have one!"

"Really? I'm not too sure, you never take off that mask, for instance"

"maa.. who said I was going to?" Annoyance played in Iruka's eyes,

"What? You're gonna wear it?" to that he didn't receive an answer, the older man had taken the lead and was jumping a few trees ahead of him.

~ ~ ~

Eyeing the book embarrassed, Naruto applauded his success. He had been quite surprised at Kakashi's lack of alertness back then. Usually the stoic sensei caught on to any of the blond's pranks. But this time Naruto had seen passed Kakashi's kawarimi and done the same in a matter of seconds. Once more congratulating himself at a splendid job, he shoved the book into his pocket. It was embarrassing to even have it, though he really wanted to check it out.

"Ah, I should really go play with Konohamaru, but that will take all day. And Sakura-chan did say that Sasuke is waiting... they'll get annoyed if I don't come... team work, yadda yadda, praise Sasuke, blah blah.." swinging the door wide open he rose his arms above his head, as a victory sign, and slammed the door shut while jogging away. The paranoid thought about bad omens still in mind.

Passing some youngsters standing in a circle he noticed Kiba and Shino in the middle of the commotion, and being Naruto just left the blond-haired curious about what was going on.

"Oii!! What's up?" he yelled running towards the group. Shino turned around and simply stared at him while Kiba didn't even notice; where the strange girl Hinata was Naruto had no idea. "You better keep out of this, it's none of our business.." Shino advised him,

"None of our business? You seem pretty caught up in it too!!" Naruto spat back, instantly taking the other Shinobi's statement as an insult.

"Really, it was just that Kiba ran headfirst into trouble dragging me with him.." / playing leader as always / Shino finished in his head. Suddenly the quarrel seemed to end and Kiba came walking towards them, Naruto staring at him with bewilderment.

"They were making fun of Akamaru, I guess they haven't heard of the incredible Juujin Bunshin technique" he growled angrily, with the small dog dancing around his feet.

"Great minds discuss ideas, averaged minds discuss events while small minds discuss people... you shouldn't let it get to you."

"Whatever, don't boss me Shino. Oii, Naruto? What are you doing here?"

"eeeehhh?" Kiba turned towards Naruto for the first time and the blond shrugged "I'm gonna meet Sasuke by the memorial I think..." he said.

"Have fun!" Kiba lifted Akamaru up on his shoulder and the dog climbed onto his head, Shino walked away "well, we're off to find Hinata"

And so they parted.

~ ~ ~

Lying on stomach in the thick grass Ino flipped a bang of hair out of her face, she looked quite displeased.

"Gaah... forehead girl, I won't forgive you for making Sasuke not come..."

"Hey! It wasn't me who had him turn down the offer, for all I know it could have been you, Ino buta-chan..."

"Whoa, not a chance in the world... besides, I know you, and I'm betting you didn't even get around to ask him" at that Sakura sulked, turning around facing Shikamaru, whose garden they were currently occupying, he was sitting cross-legged in the grass with a Go board in his lap.

"Ahh... your fighting is really troublesome," he declared as Choji made his move, putting a white piece on the go board, trapping three of Shikamaru's pieces at that.

"Oii! Choji, you have really improved!" Ino cheered.

"Improved? Well... yeah I guess, sou ka..." Choji said blushing.

Shikamaru looked his move over quietly, holding his hands up in a seal motion which surprised Ino / is he really loosing to Choji? / After a slight hesitation the 'troubled' teen put his piece down on the board. Silence. Sakura edged over to the board, all of them now hanging over it. Choji countered and Shikamaru had suddenly trapped the other, making him give up 7 of his pieces.

"WHAT?!? How did you do that, I never even saw it coming..." the constantly hungry boy exclaimed, but Shikamaru just smiled knowingly.

"Yappari..." Ino said offhandedly, suddenly not at all impressed.

~ ~ ~

Walking out towards the clearing Naruto saw the three poles, one of which he had been tied to on their initiation test. / Gaah, I remember the pain it was to get out of those ropes... damn, I never did master rope-untying / a little ways down he saw the memorial, it had been pure guess that he said they where gonna meet there. / I never remember stuff like that!!! / Naruto sent an accusing thought towards Sakura-CHAN! / Nyehee hee /

Evidently his all-time rival had fallen asleep in the grass, since there he was sleeping soundly. The blond troublemaker didn't hold it against himself that Sasuke clearly needed a lesson hard learned, so sneaking stealthily towards him Naruto plotted.

"KYAAA!!! SNEAK ATTACK!!"

Flying in the air, up in the trees, Sasuke was now hanging from a low branch, feet clamped on it, and he seemed to be clearheaded as always.

"*sigh* dobe? You know what?"

"What?" naruto answered annoyed.

"You can't scream 'sneak attack' while performing one..."

"Baah, minor detail" the sealer of kyuubi no kitsune answered, all sound of annoyance gone and he actually seemed cheerful. Sasuke shook his head at that, jumping down next to Naruto.

"So, you do wanna spar?"
"Sure, I've been dying to try out a incredible trick of mine on you" Naruto agreed.

~ ~ ~

Rubbing the small of his back, Iruka whimpered at the small scratch mark that he had acquainted while jumping through the bushes after Kakashi. He now immensely regretted doing that since it had left his entire arms with small scratch marks too, all of which itched like crazy. Feeling something grasp his hand, his eyes widened as someone pressed his arm upward in an uncomfortable way, hard.

"You shouldn't stand like that, with your guard down..."

"Ah! Ka-ka..kakashi.."

"Shinobi Knowledge, I don't want you to get hurt!"

"But, ack, you are hurting me!!"

"Really? A small prize to pay considering the way you were just inviting for ambush just now" Kakashi's eye shone with mischief, that Iruka couldn't see, as he edged closer to the teacher and then pushed his knees to the back of the younger ones, forcing him down on them because they buckled.

"Kakashi?" Iruka said in disbelief, but was instantly released.

"Maa... sorry, I shouldn't have done that" Kakashi shrugged distancing himself with a step backwards, "It just worries me sometimes.. that if I might not pay enough attention to.."

"...Obito?" Iruka interrupted, rising from the ground.

"What? What do you know about.."

"Nothing, but it wouldn't kill you to tell me... though I wont ask about it." Kakashi just looked quietly at the suddenly concerned teacher, who was scratching his cheek while contemplating something. He, too, was contemplating a response.

"I guess it wouldn't..." he responded gravely, "and water won't kill you!!!" With that he attacked Iruka, once more flinging the other up but this time over his shoulder. Iruka had a full blush and battered Kakashi's back furiously as Kakashi raced down into the water throwing them both in. / lucky that Asuma and the others aren't here, I know Iruka would get really angry if anyone else saw us like this, though I'm sure he likes me... / Iruka dived in dodging a splash of water that Kakashi directed towards him, and then he broke the surface outside Kakashi's shoving range.

"'Bout time you stood up for your name!" Kakashi teased.

"Oh shut up!"
". . ." diving once more Iruka came up next to Kakashi, splashing water in the Jounin's face, so that the mask was sticking to his face, rather revealingly, though his eyes lit up with a smile.

"One step at a time, ne?" Kakashi agreed as he took the mask off with one hand, the other sneaking up behind Iruka, traveling up to his neck and nuzzling the hair, and then pulling him towards Kakashi. Iruka couldn't nor wouldn't tear his eyes away from Kakashi's pale handsome face, one that now was married with the slightest blush. / How long since he showed his face? / For a while they just stood like that, until the said dolphin leaned in for a kiss. They locked lips slowly, tasting each other for the first time; experimentally Kakashi licked at Iruka's lips and then they pressed their mouths together hungrily. / I never thought he would be the one taking the initiative... I do underestimate him /

They only broke free when the need for air was bigger than the need for contact, even though Kakashi didn't fully let go of Iruka as they walked up towards shore.

"Isn't it ridiculous telling you that I never actually dared to believe that my feeling was mutual?"

"Not really... though I knew mine was!" that received him a frown from Iruka.

"Sometimes it feels like I'll never understand you, with all your joking..." he declared modestly

"Hey hey now, I was being serious!"

~ ~ ~

Sasuke's POV:

"Sure, I've been dying to try out a incredible trick of mine on you" Naruto agreed. The only reason, I can think of, why I declared I hated him was in fact because I like him. I actually feel this as well as anybody, though I won't really allow myself, since love was my weakness the last time.

~The fact that I loved my brother made me hesitate~the fact that I loved my parents made me freeze in terror~ Or was I only weak?

I've promised myself so many times before, that I don't even keep count, not to be affectionate again til my goal, my mission, is done. I will have to kill Itachi. And loving Naruto will just get in the way, and it will most definitely be a weakness since it will be a layback that Itachi can go after. If the love will ever be known, he will try to kill Naruto, or hurt him, or.. uhh.. in any other way mark my defenses. I have to be invincible, oh how I hate that. Either way, Naruto *does* consider me his rival and I need to live up to that commend.

"Aren't you tired of having such plain defenses?" he says as he edges away from me.

/ Are they that obvious?! /

"You always go about with a air of coolness, but anyone willing to look beneath that sees how you detach yourself from others, especially the ones you care about, so that you will not hurt them or get hurt. I'm not right?"

"Not really."

"Hey!! I know how defensive you get when people are in danger.." Naruto says thoughtfully, I changed the subject

"So what was that incredible trick you wanted to test?" it's said sarcastically but Naruto only smiles, brining his hands up in the Ram's seal (One hand locked over the other) and shouting

"Henge!"

*POOFF!!!*

Where Naruto had been standing a naked blond-haired girl, not quite unlike Naruto, appears in a cloud of smoke. I freeze, not moving an inch... but neither seeming at all impressed, actually I'm smirking. Damn the dobe, thinks he can get me with such a cheap trick. Like Iruka said, Stupid skill. And not at all that unexpected, I was actually wondering when he was gonna try it out on me. He turns back into himself in a whim

"NA-NANII?? Iya da! ...... chikushou.." he curses, it's more enjoyable to see him like that then transformed into the Sexy no Jutsu girl. "What's with you? First we kiss, and now you're immune to my Sexy skill... ARE YOU GAY or something???" I freeze again, but this time I'm actually troubled about the fact that he seems to be getting at me.

"What are you stupid, dead-last?" I try to sound cool and breeze it off, "YOU are the one who kissed me, not the other way around." However he doesn't even seem to listen, I don't think he heard what he himself said, or the impacted it had on me / not that I showed anything / though I'm sure he knows, since he saw so plainly through my barriers earlier.

"Jyodan? you must be kidding? Whatever... you'll never counter that either way!"

"Really?"

"YEAH!"

". . . ." I hesitate a second, / Hope he doesn't take this... shall I say "the right way"...? / "SEDUCTION NO JUTSU!!"

~ ~ ~

BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!!!

Now what is Sasuke up to? Has he totally lost his compose? Will Iruka understand Kakashi? (Will we ever?) And now that Shikamaru won, what is installed for them? Kiba, Hinata and Shino?

Authors end note: (don't we love 'em, actually I do, so people who do them: Keep it up!!)

Woo-hoo!! YATTA!

Now what was that?? Nyeheh!! Gotcha! XD *is evil* just had to leave it a cliffhanger... again? What do you think about this chapter? Have I improved at least a little? Wanna kill me cause I write the characters OOC? Well, feel free to do so (ehem) by reviewing!! Yay! Or at any rate give some constructive criticism.

I promised to introduce some of the other teams, and even though the plot diminish with every written word ^^'' I actually have a part for them now! Dunno if I should bring in their teachers or not.

Firedraygon97 – no revelation about what he will do with icha icha paradaisu in this chapter ne.. gomen :P

Grand thanks to:

Leila! For putting up with my slow beta-reading, and actually fearing that I would be angry.. Truthfully: not a chance!! ~ I'll finish BS soon, I swear *All4one in the background* ^.^

Waya, for joining my quest for Kakairu! And for being such a support! You never know how supreme you are. Especially great with the great follow-up to Boku no Chigiri (read it mina-san!!) ~ Watashi-tachi wa tomodachi yo, no da!

Yami no Tenshi – for inspiring me without knowing it, and giving constructive criticism!

Friends, one who actually gave me quite the inspire for this chapter by giving me a massage when I was sick! (Still am .___.) Kickass!

Raya, who did the small doujinshi with Naruto doing Sexy no jutsu on Sasuke – that totally made the plot go spinning in its current direction.

AND:

All you reviewers!!!! YOU MAKE MY DAY!! *glomps all*