A/N: Ahh... I am starting this way too late on a school night. Gah! I'm a
college student! 10:30 on a school night is not supposed to be late! Why
did I ever have to sign up for 8:40 classes? *sob* But anyway... Since my
teachers suck and since I have *counts* four tests, my second midterm oral
exam (stupid me is taking French and Spanish at the same time) and a speech
all coming up this week (not to mention the imminent arrival of
boyfriend!), I don't know how much this will be getting updated until
October 21. I will try to get at least two or three chapters up in the
meantime (knowing me it will likely either be a lot less or a lot more),
but no promises. I guess you should all be keeping your fingers crossed for
my teachers to bore the hell out of me in what few non-test classes I
actually have, huh? Seeing as how that's where I do most of my planning and
writing... *grin* Anyways... Read and give me reviews! *insert shameless
plug for reviews here* The reviews one of the biggest reasons I keep
writing this =) Umm... Anything else? This is going to probably be a long
chapter since I have a lot to say that is relevant-ish to this time period
and since this story is fast becoming a major source of stress relief.
Review replies are at the end, yadda yadda yadda... And flashbacks are
still denoted by **'s at the beginning and end. If someone wanted to
comment and tell me how to get ff.net to let me use italics through
Microsoft Word (I've tried the html tags), I would be forever in their
debt... Anyway! On with the story!
Warning: If you don't like fluff you prolly won't read this chapter, although I personally think it's sweet.
Disclaimer: As I'm sure you could have all guessed, Naruto's not mine, nor are any of the characters found therein.
............
Stifling a yawn, Naruto could not help but glance at his teammates to determine whether they appeared to be as bored as he was. He should have saved his energy. As usual, Sasuke stood, arms crossed, staring straight ahead with a stony expression. Sakura-chan was, predictably, staring at Sasuke. This scene had repeated itself every single day for a week.
Throwing his arms nonchalantly behind his head and staring up at the sky, the boy sighed loudly as he raked his mind for something to say which would fill the silence. It was unlike him to be this quiet, yet today he could not seem to think of a single thing to prattle about. Spending an hour or more babbling every day to the same two people for a week had severely depleted his store of creative nonsense. Being obnoxiously perky certainly had its difficulties!
At last he resorted to a traditional and well-worn complaint. "Where is Kakashi-sensei? He told us to be here an hour ago. Why doesn't he ever come on time? We're here just like he said we should be so he should be too!" Despite herself, Sakura nodded agreement, silently egging him on. Sasuke only narrowed his eyes, saying nothing. This, too, was a very well rehearsed scene. As Naruto opened his mouth to continue whining, he was cut off by his teacher's abrupt appearance.
"Ohay-" Kakashi-sensei began, raising his hand in greeting.
"You're late!" cried two frustrated students, pointing accusingly while the third simply closed his eyes and smirked.
"Yeah... Sorry guys, but I remembered something important that I had to take care of..." The man absently rubbed the back of his head, his visible eye crinkling as he smiled. He did not acknowledge the angry shrieks of "liar!" that followed his excuse, instead choosing to explain their mission for the day. "We have been assigned to clean up some of the trash that's lying around outside our village. It will probably take all day since we have a lot of ground to cover. We will be splitting up into pairs to do this more efficiently. Sasuke and Naruto, you take the North and East sides of the village. Sakura and I will take the South and West sides. Meet back here when you are done. Slowpokes buy dinner." Again, their teacher smiled, apparently pleased at himself for turning a dull task into a team competition.
"But what does that have to do with being a ninja? We're not even training," Naruto grumbled, squinting up at his teacher. His complaints followed the team's mission statements like clockwork, and the rest of the team had stopped responding after the second day. He knew that they expected him to complain, though, and so he did. He had to admit to himself that he really would have liked to try something at least slightly more challenging, but he did understand the reasoning behind such simple assignments. SOMEONE had to do them, and the new genin were the logical candidates. Furthermore, most missions did not take up the full day, leaving them time to either accomplish two missions or spend the afternoon training as a group. The assignments were certainly boring, yes, but not unreasonable. And they did promote teamwork.
As he accepted the largish bag and pointed stick that Kakashi-sensei thrust at him and followed Sasuke out of the village, loudly complaining the entire time, Naruto reflected on the events that had occurred within the last week. In the week since team seven had officially passed their training exam, much had changed.
They were all settling into their new roles in each others' lives with some difficulty. Kakashi-sensei, for example, had never trained a team of genin before, nor had he ever been held responsible for children. The missions that were assigned to the team did include him, and he could not always mask his boredom with a flakily cheerful attitude. The man was still largely a mystery to Naruto, but unless the boy was completely mistaken... In only a week, Kakashi-sensei had certainly developed a large amount of affection towards his team. He was certainly making progress in dealing with a very difficult situation.
Sakura-chan seemed to be at least trying to get along with the others. She, too, had had a very sticky situation thrust upon her, and she had not had the luxury of a choice to opt out of her predicament the way Naruto assumed Kakashi-sensei had. Although her obvious dislike of Naruto had not faded, and although she had not stopped fawning over the uninterested Sasuke, she was making an effort to be universally cheerful. Without exception, it was she who put forth the most effort in their missions. Her chatter seemed to rival Naruto's at times, and when she seemed to forget that it was Naruto she was working with she could be downright pleasant. The pair had not stopped quibbling over little things, and Naruto had not curbed his apparent interest in the girl, but they were quickly developing an odd sense of camaraderie if nothing else.
Sasuke... Naruto could not stop himself from glancing over at his dark- haired teammate as they wandered around the fringes of their village a few yards apart, snagging the occasional piece of litter. Neither spoke, and neither so much as acknowledged the other's presence, but this was typical. In public, Sasuke had changed very little in the past week. True, he would work with his teammates readily enough when ordered to do so, but he remained condescending and cold at all times. Always calculating. Sakura- chan's advances were brushed off, and Sasuke chose to disregard the rivalry that seemed to be developing between himself and Naruto while Naruto, for his part, did everything he could to penetrate his teammate's damning calm. Their behavior was an act more now than ever before, carefully played out to protect their mutual secrets. The insults they flung at one another were becoming endearing as their competitive spirits aided and forced their mutual growth.
To an outsider, Sasuke may not have changed very much, but in private... In private, all bets were off concerning Uchiha Sasuke. His shell was cracking where the blonde was concerned. Every time Naruto saw the boy in private, the changes were more and more apparent, yet neither said anything about them. At first, it had only been little things...
**The offer of dinner had caught Naruto off guard although he was grateful in retrospect. That night, they ate side by side at the counter of Icharaku, speaking little, simply enjoying the company. After, standing awkwardly outside the little restaurant, the silence had become somewhat uncomfortable as they each struggled for words. Both boys were essentially social outcasts, and neither knew how to voice his thoughts.
Naruto had sighed. Who would have thought that meaningful words would be so difficult to say? He was reluctant to end what had been a surprisingly pleasant day with someone who had turned out to be a surprisingly pleasant person. Unhappily, he realized how late it was getting. "We should get some sleep. We start our missions tomorrow-"
"Let's meet again. Tomorrow-" Sasuke had begun at the same time.
They exchanged amused glances. Naruto laughed while Sasuke gave one of his typical smirks.
"Meet at the same place we met up tonight? No one really goes there," Naruto suggested, tactilely agreeing to Sasuke's suggestion.
"Sure. After dark." For a few moments more, they lingered before parting for the night.
Oddly enough, Naruto's home had never seemed as empty as it did when he returned that night.**
Those initial small changes had spread with unbelievable swiftness. It was as though there were two different Sasukes: the cold bastard that halfheartedly taunted Naruto during the day and the uncertain boy with whom he spent his nights.
**Their meeting that next night was a relatively short one. Their task of helping an elderly woman clean her house had taken its toll, leaving both boys physically exhausted. Neither felt much like talking about anything serious, but it was still nice to spend a few minutes unwinding in friendly and unguarded company before heading off to their respective homes.
That night, as they lay sprawled side by side, gazing up at the stars and talking idly about their day, Naruto heard Sasuke laugh for the first time. The blonde was accurately mimicking their employer's high-pitched orders when his companion just... Started laughing.
Encouraged, Naruto expanded his imitation until he, too, dissolved into laughter. He did not, however, miss the way that Sasuke's laughter touched his eyes, and he resolved to make his friend laugh as often as possible.
Anyone who overheard them at that moment might have mistaken them for a pair of normal children.
In his customary tree, hidden from view, Kakashi looked up from his book and smiled.**
Stabbing at another piece of litter, Naruto glanced over at Sasuke in time to catch the other boy looking him, an odd expression on his face. Naruto offered him a smile which was returned ever so slightly as they both surveyed the area for more trash. Seeing none, they moved on.
**Their moonlight meetings had become tradition after that night. No matter how long their day, no matter how tiring their missions or training, they always gravitated back to the posts by which they had officially become a team. Their meetings were no longer just about two lost boys searching for companionship; now, they were about something more. They were a release from the pressures of their day-to-day lives. Support, comfort, empathy: things that both boys needed but that neither could expect from a family at home, they began to find in each other.
They very rarely talked about anything serious. Their pasts were ignored and the future was never discussed. These less cheerful aspects of life could be dissected and talked about at length another day. For one life- changing week, they lived in the present, taking each day as it came and allowing this unfamiliar feeling called friendship to blossom within them under the watchful eye of their sensei.**
As the sun began to color the sky, they surveyed their assigned area one last time. Satisfied with the completed task, they shouldered their full bags and trooped back into the village, hurrying to their appointed meeting spot. Because it was expected, Naruto lagged a few steps behind Sasuke, preparing a slew of excuses to explain how Sasuke had been responsible for their tardy arrival.
"Remember that I threatened you with the stick after I spilled your bag and blamed it on you, dobe" Sasuke said abruptly, smiling that amused half- smile that would have driven Naruto insane only a week ago. Shooting a vulpine grin at his teammate, Naruto filed that away as a possibility. Kakashi-sensei wasn't the only one who could think up outrageous excuses.
Unfortunately, Naruto never had a chance to voice the excuses that he and Sasuke prepared that day. Kakashi-sensei and Sakura-chan were nowhere to be seen when they arrived.
If possible, Naruto's grin grew even broader at the thought of the free ramen he was going to eat that night.
............
A/N: Hmm... That went in a slightly direction than I thought it would, but I think that I like it. I'll throw up my reviews and post this before people riot that I went two full days without posting anything. Next chapter will hopefully be up tomorrow (light day of tests), but please don't hold me to that. Hope you all enjoyed!
Silver Dragonfly: I think you're right about Sakura's covers. She's got more to her than I'm showing right now, but this is the Sakura you see in the anime and manga at this point. The only two characters I'm changing at all are Naruto and Sasuke, and I'm still trying to keep them as in character as possible. As for Kakashi... I promise, I will address that in my story sooner or later *grin*
Sonha: I kind of like following the series with my own little additions here and there. I think that it fleshes out the storyline nicely while allowing me some freedom with the characters. I am glad you like it!
Dreams Coast: I'm continuing as fast as I possibly can. Hopefully after this week I will have more time to go through the manga and anime and pick out the places where I had some inspirations so that I can continue writing this. I'm having a great time, and I'm glad my writing is getting some recognition!
:D: I'm sorry if you don't like fluff, but I think that in a story of the length I plan on making this it's kind of inevitable =( I kind of like it, and I really am going somewhere with this! I love how well Kakashi hides, too hehe.
Minna-sama no megami: Well thank you! I'm glad you approve of my fanfic =)
Firehedgehog: Thank you!
Bishiehuggler: Sakura's gonna catch on, but I haven't really gotten into that yet. Sasuke's not really a stalker, just lonely and curious, I think... I donno. And they're still developing a friendship. I'm doing this from the start so I can develop that friendship before they start to like each other as more than friends *wink*
Adyen: Thank you for your review. I agree about building a friendship.
Escuro de la Lus: Oooh, I like applause! Thank you! I will write more just for that!
Ace and Avalon Hunter: Hehe, you are funny =) I'll be looking into what you've written when I have some time. I'm really glad you liked it!
Evafreak: I don't want to rush the SasuNaru thing... That's actually something I've not liked about a lot of the fanfics. It'll come, I promise I promise. And when it comes it will hopefully be well worth the wait!
Ishda Kat: I'm glad I'm pulling this off in a believable manner. Trust me, Sasuke and Kakashi aren't the only ones who are on to Naruto, but to a twelve year old... Well, he's fooling everyone in his eyes =) And by the way, the longer review was nice. You actually had a lot of depth and thought in it, and I appreciate that, so thank you!
Luna Aelf Writer: Thank you! I will keep writing as long as people keep reviewing *wink*
Iceheart19: Laugh, my secret =) You'll find out soon enough! And fluff can be good sometimes, right?
Chibi Neko-chan3: I felt the same way about Sasuke too, but the characters in this series have a habit of surprising you, so I am giving him the benefit of the doubt at the moment. Call me crazy. I love the way the characters are being portrayed. Not too sissy but not too tough. They're... Twelve...
TheSeer: The idea originated during the Chuunin exams, and after going through the series a second time I caught a lot of discontinuities that supported it. I'll be exploiting them during this fanfic, to be sure =) I will definitely be taking you up on your idea for original fiction, and thank you very much for the suggestion!
Dia5: It's coming, it's coming, but I am NOT going to just jump into it after I've gone to so much trouble making the story realistic. I promise it's coming though cause I'm a huge fan of this pairing =)
A/N: Ahh! It's 11:30! Time for bed, all. I'll write more tomorrow. Ninite! *runs off*
Warning: If you don't like fluff you prolly won't read this chapter, although I personally think it's sweet.
Disclaimer: As I'm sure you could have all guessed, Naruto's not mine, nor are any of the characters found therein.
............
Stifling a yawn, Naruto could not help but glance at his teammates to determine whether they appeared to be as bored as he was. He should have saved his energy. As usual, Sasuke stood, arms crossed, staring straight ahead with a stony expression. Sakura-chan was, predictably, staring at Sasuke. This scene had repeated itself every single day for a week.
Throwing his arms nonchalantly behind his head and staring up at the sky, the boy sighed loudly as he raked his mind for something to say which would fill the silence. It was unlike him to be this quiet, yet today he could not seem to think of a single thing to prattle about. Spending an hour or more babbling every day to the same two people for a week had severely depleted his store of creative nonsense. Being obnoxiously perky certainly had its difficulties!
At last he resorted to a traditional and well-worn complaint. "Where is Kakashi-sensei? He told us to be here an hour ago. Why doesn't he ever come on time? We're here just like he said we should be so he should be too!" Despite herself, Sakura nodded agreement, silently egging him on. Sasuke only narrowed his eyes, saying nothing. This, too, was a very well rehearsed scene. As Naruto opened his mouth to continue whining, he was cut off by his teacher's abrupt appearance.
"Ohay-" Kakashi-sensei began, raising his hand in greeting.
"You're late!" cried two frustrated students, pointing accusingly while the third simply closed his eyes and smirked.
"Yeah... Sorry guys, but I remembered something important that I had to take care of..." The man absently rubbed the back of his head, his visible eye crinkling as he smiled. He did not acknowledge the angry shrieks of "liar!" that followed his excuse, instead choosing to explain their mission for the day. "We have been assigned to clean up some of the trash that's lying around outside our village. It will probably take all day since we have a lot of ground to cover. We will be splitting up into pairs to do this more efficiently. Sasuke and Naruto, you take the North and East sides of the village. Sakura and I will take the South and West sides. Meet back here when you are done. Slowpokes buy dinner." Again, their teacher smiled, apparently pleased at himself for turning a dull task into a team competition.
"But what does that have to do with being a ninja? We're not even training," Naruto grumbled, squinting up at his teacher. His complaints followed the team's mission statements like clockwork, and the rest of the team had stopped responding after the second day. He knew that they expected him to complain, though, and so he did. He had to admit to himself that he really would have liked to try something at least slightly more challenging, but he did understand the reasoning behind such simple assignments. SOMEONE had to do them, and the new genin were the logical candidates. Furthermore, most missions did not take up the full day, leaving them time to either accomplish two missions or spend the afternoon training as a group. The assignments were certainly boring, yes, but not unreasonable. And they did promote teamwork.
As he accepted the largish bag and pointed stick that Kakashi-sensei thrust at him and followed Sasuke out of the village, loudly complaining the entire time, Naruto reflected on the events that had occurred within the last week. In the week since team seven had officially passed their training exam, much had changed.
They were all settling into their new roles in each others' lives with some difficulty. Kakashi-sensei, for example, had never trained a team of genin before, nor had he ever been held responsible for children. The missions that were assigned to the team did include him, and he could not always mask his boredom with a flakily cheerful attitude. The man was still largely a mystery to Naruto, but unless the boy was completely mistaken... In only a week, Kakashi-sensei had certainly developed a large amount of affection towards his team. He was certainly making progress in dealing with a very difficult situation.
Sakura-chan seemed to be at least trying to get along with the others. She, too, had had a very sticky situation thrust upon her, and she had not had the luxury of a choice to opt out of her predicament the way Naruto assumed Kakashi-sensei had. Although her obvious dislike of Naruto had not faded, and although she had not stopped fawning over the uninterested Sasuke, she was making an effort to be universally cheerful. Without exception, it was she who put forth the most effort in their missions. Her chatter seemed to rival Naruto's at times, and when she seemed to forget that it was Naruto she was working with she could be downright pleasant. The pair had not stopped quibbling over little things, and Naruto had not curbed his apparent interest in the girl, but they were quickly developing an odd sense of camaraderie if nothing else.
Sasuke... Naruto could not stop himself from glancing over at his dark- haired teammate as they wandered around the fringes of their village a few yards apart, snagging the occasional piece of litter. Neither spoke, and neither so much as acknowledged the other's presence, but this was typical. In public, Sasuke had changed very little in the past week. True, he would work with his teammates readily enough when ordered to do so, but he remained condescending and cold at all times. Always calculating. Sakura- chan's advances were brushed off, and Sasuke chose to disregard the rivalry that seemed to be developing between himself and Naruto while Naruto, for his part, did everything he could to penetrate his teammate's damning calm. Their behavior was an act more now than ever before, carefully played out to protect their mutual secrets. The insults they flung at one another were becoming endearing as their competitive spirits aided and forced their mutual growth.
To an outsider, Sasuke may not have changed very much, but in private... In private, all bets were off concerning Uchiha Sasuke. His shell was cracking where the blonde was concerned. Every time Naruto saw the boy in private, the changes were more and more apparent, yet neither said anything about them. At first, it had only been little things...
**The offer of dinner had caught Naruto off guard although he was grateful in retrospect. That night, they ate side by side at the counter of Icharaku, speaking little, simply enjoying the company. After, standing awkwardly outside the little restaurant, the silence had become somewhat uncomfortable as they each struggled for words. Both boys were essentially social outcasts, and neither knew how to voice his thoughts.
Naruto had sighed. Who would have thought that meaningful words would be so difficult to say? He was reluctant to end what had been a surprisingly pleasant day with someone who had turned out to be a surprisingly pleasant person. Unhappily, he realized how late it was getting. "We should get some sleep. We start our missions tomorrow-"
"Let's meet again. Tomorrow-" Sasuke had begun at the same time.
They exchanged amused glances. Naruto laughed while Sasuke gave one of his typical smirks.
"Meet at the same place we met up tonight? No one really goes there," Naruto suggested, tactilely agreeing to Sasuke's suggestion.
"Sure. After dark." For a few moments more, they lingered before parting for the night.
Oddly enough, Naruto's home had never seemed as empty as it did when he returned that night.**
Those initial small changes had spread with unbelievable swiftness. It was as though there were two different Sasukes: the cold bastard that halfheartedly taunted Naruto during the day and the uncertain boy with whom he spent his nights.
**Their meeting that next night was a relatively short one. Their task of helping an elderly woman clean her house had taken its toll, leaving both boys physically exhausted. Neither felt much like talking about anything serious, but it was still nice to spend a few minutes unwinding in friendly and unguarded company before heading off to their respective homes.
That night, as they lay sprawled side by side, gazing up at the stars and talking idly about their day, Naruto heard Sasuke laugh for the first time. The blonde was accurately mimicking their employer's high-pitched orders when his companion just... Started laughing.
Encouraged, Naruto expanded his imitation until he, too, dissolved into laughter. He did not, however, miss the way that Sasuke's laughter touched his eyes, and he resolved to make his friend laugh as often as possible.
Anyone who overheard them at that moment might have mistaken them for a pair of normal children.
In his customary tree, hidden from view, Kakashi looked up from his book and smiled.**
Stabbing at another piece of litter, Naruto glanced over at Sasuke in time to catch the other boy looking him, an odd expression on his face. Naruto offered him a smile which was returned ever so slightly as they both surveyed the area for more trash. Seeing none, they moved on.
**Their moonlight meetings had become tradition after that night. No matter how long their day, no matter how tiring their missions or training, they always gravitated back to the posts by which they had officially become a team. Their meetings were no longer just about two lost boys searching for companionship; now, they were about something more. They were a release from the pressures of their day-to-day lives. Support, comfort, empathy: things that both boys needed but that neither could expect from a family at home, they began to find in each other.
They very rarely talked about anything serious. Their pasts were ignored and the future was never discussed. These less cheerful aspects of life could be dissected and talked about at length another day. For one life- changing week, they lived in the present, taking each day as it came and allowing this unfamiliar feeling called friendship to blossom within them under the watchful eye of their sensei.**
As the sun began to color the sky, they surveyed their assigned area one last time. Satisfied with the completed task, they shouldered their full bags and trooped back into the village, hurrying to their appointed meeting spot. Because it was expected, Naruto lagged a few steps behind Sasuke, preparing a slew of excuses to explain how Sasuke had been responsible for their tardy arrival.
"Remember that I threatened you with the stick after I spilled your bag and blamed it on you, dobe" Sasuke said abruptly, smiling that amused half- smile that would have driven Naruto insane only a week ago. Shooting a vulpine grin at his teammate, Naruto filed that away as a possibility. Kakashi-sensei wasn't the only one who could think up outrageous excuses.
Unfortunately, Naruto never had a chance to voice the excuses that he and Sasuke prepared that day. Kakashi-sensei and Sakura-chan were nowhere to be seen when they arrived.
If possible, Naruto's grin grew even broader at the thought of the free ramen he was going to eat that night.
............
A/N: Hmm... That went in a slightly direction than I thought it would, but I think that I like it. I'll throw up my reviews and post this before people riot that I went two full days without posting anything. Next chapter will hopefully be up tomorrow (light day of tests), but please don't hold me to that. Hope you all enjoyed!
Silver Dragonfly: I think you're right about Sakura's covers. She's got more to her than I'm showing right now, but this is the Sakura you see in the anime and manga at this point. The only two characters I'm changing at all are Naruto and Sasuke, and I'm still trying to keep them as in character as possible. As for Kakashi... I promise, I will address that in my story sooner or later *grin*
Sonha: I kind of like following the series with my own little additions here and there. I think that it fleshes out the storyline nicely while allowing me some freedom with the characters. I am glad you like it!
Dreams Coast: I'm continuing as fast as I possibly can. Hopefully after this week I will have more time to go through the manga and anime and pick out the places where I had some inspirations so that I can continue writing this. I'm having a great time, and I'm glad my writing is getting some recognition!
:D: I'm sorry if you don't like fluff, but I think that in a story of the length I plan on making this it's kind of inevitable =( I kind of like it, and I really am going somewhere with this! I love how well Kakashi hides, too hehe.
Minna-sama no megami: Well thank you! I'm glad you approve of my fanfic =)
Firehedgehog: Thank you!
Bishiehuggler: Sakura's gonna catch on, but I haven't really gotten into that yet. Sasuke's not really a stalker, just lonely and curious, I think... I donno. And they're still developing a friendship. I'm doing this from the start so I can develop that friendship before they start to like each other as more than friends *wink*
Adyen: Thank you for your review. I agree about building a friendship.
Escuro de la Lus: Oooh, I like applause! Thank you! I will write more just for that!
Ace and Avalon Hunter: Hehe, you are funny =) I'll be looking into what you've written when I have some time. I'm really glad you liked it!
Evafreak: I don't want to rush the SasuNaru thing... That's actually something I've not liked about a lot of the fanfics. It'll come, I promise I promise. And when it comes it will hopefully be well worth the wait!
Ishda Kat: I'm glad I'm pulling this off in a believable manner. Trust me, Sasuke and Kakashi aren't the only ones who are on to Naruto, but to a twelve year old... Well, he's fooling everyone in his eyes =) And by the way, the longer review was nice. You actually had a lot of depth and thought in it, and I appreciate that, so thank you!
Luna Aelf Writer: Thank you! I will keep writing as long as people keep reviewing *wink*
Iceheart19: Laugh, my secret =) You'll find out soon enough! And fluff can be good sometimes, right?
Chibi Neko-chan3: I felt the same way about Sasuke too, but the characters in this series have a habit of surprising you, so I am giving him the benefit of the doubt at the moment. Call me crazy. I love the way the characters are being portrayed. Not too sissy but not too tough. They're... Twelve...
TheSeer: The idea originated during the Chuunin exams, and after going through the series a second time I caught a lot of discontinuities that supported it. I'll be exploiting them during this fanfic, to be sure =) I will definitely be taking you up on your idea for original fiction, and thank you very much for the suggestion!
Dia5: It's coming, it's coming, but I am NOT going to just jump into it after I've gone to so much trouble making the story realistic. I promise it's coming though cause I'm a huge fan of this pairing =)
A/N: Ahh! It's 11:30! Time for bed, all. I'll write more tomorrow. Ninite! *runs off*