Title: Wearing of Cap Won't Make You Able To Use Rasengan

Summary: MildSasuNaru. The next morning, ten year old Sasuke was so sure that he didn't sleep with this funny-looking nightcap on.

Note:
This is a mild SasuNaru.
A mild SasuNaru this is.
I got the idea of the title from one of Bandai's merchandises. :D

oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo

"Don't forget to do your homework today." Iruka-sensei called to the rest of the class as we piled up our books and head outside of the classroom. Some of my classmates were patting my back, congratulating me for answering the difficult questions during recitation today. Everybody seemed to think I was all in this study-thing today. If only they knew that the moment I stepped inside the classroom today, I started feeling bad.

I remember I woke up with this throbbing headache this morning. I just ignored it and hoped that it would go away after eating breakfast. Then I headed for the academy. It just got worse as the girls in my class swarmed around me, doing their routine of bugging me.

When the afternoon came, I was itching to get out of the room. I wanted to go home and just sleep this damned headache away. I watched as my classmates were started to get fetched by their parents, one by one. I saw Ino waving goodbye to Sakura as their hands were held by their mothers. Then the both of them waved back at me to say goodbye. "See you tomorrow, Sasuke-kun!" I heard, but I didn't catch who said that. My vision was starting to swim because of the headache.

I sat down on one of the swings and decided to let this uncomfortable feeling pass by before I head for home. I didn't want to fall down in the streets. It would be disgraceful.

So, I continued to sit there, until no one seemed to be in the playground. The trees were casting longer shadows, which meant that the sun would be setting real soon. I was about to stand up from the swing when someone sat beside the swing just next to me.

"Hey Sasuke, mind if I sit here?" Naruto asked. He didn't even wait for my reply. He just sat down on the next swing and continued chatting as if a formal conversion has started already. "I usually sit here during the afternoon, before going home." Why was he telling me these? Why was he even talking to me?

"Mind your own business. And I didn't give you the permission yet to sit near me, yet." I snapped, hoping that I sounded pissed and that he would leave me alone. What was I doing talking to this idiot?

"Sheesh. You're such a grouch, you know." Naruto pushed his feet against the ground and he started swinging. He was like this for a few minutes as I wondered what was he still doing here. Then I heard him ask, "Ne, Sasuke…? Are you okay?"

Amazing, someone finally noticed. But of all the people, it had to be this moron. "I'm fine. Now, shut up." I looked away and folded my arms in front of chest.

"But you don't look fine, temee." I felt a cool hand press against my cheek, "Waa! Sasuke! You have a fever!" I didn't know if Naruto just said that or shouted that but his voice was ringing in my head. I wanted to reach out and strangle him right here just to make him shut up.

Also, I have never been sick before. I am an Uchiha. I have an inhuman immune system. Maybe I'm just too tired today.

But Naruto wasn't finished, "We should tell someone!"

I was trying to bat his hand away, while protesting, "I don't need help, usuratonkachi!" I didn't succeed though, the pain in my head was getting worse. I stood up weakly and picked up my books and my bag. "Just leave me alone." I told him. I didn't mean to sound too harsh, but I just wasn't used to people caring at me anymore. Especially not from some kid who was dead-last in class.

I tried walking a few feet away from Naruto and the swings. But just as I was about to take the first step, everything went black. I remember that my body hit the ground. Thankfully it wasn't hard because the playground was filled with sand. Just before passing out, I also remember hearing Naruto called my name.

Sleep.

I didn't know what happened after that. The next thing I was aware of, was waking up to the smell of strong medicine. I opened my eyes and sat up groggily. Even if I just woke up, I could definitely tell that I was feeling a whole lot of better. The headache was gone and from the way my body didn't feel like getting up, I knew I had a good, long sleep.

Something on top of my head felt funny. But I ignored the feeling.

Then my door and opened and Iruka-sensei came in. "Oh, I see you're awake already, Sasuke-san." Iruka-sensei walked towards my bed with a silly smile on his face. "That looks cute on you." I wondered what he was saying.

I raised an eyebrow. I reached up on top of my head and felt a soft cloth. I pulled it off of my head and held it on my hand to see it. It was a black sleeping cap, with a pair of funny eyes and two buckteeth. "What the.."

Iruka-sensei must not have missed my stupid, gawking expression. "I think it belongs to Naruto-kun."

Eh? The dobe?

Iruka-sensei continued talking, "You see, Naruto burst in my room shouting about you needing help. You had a fever, Sasuke-san and you just overworked yourself today." Iruka bent down a little to pick something up. Next thing I knew, he handed me my bag. "Here, Naruto brought these, while we took you to the hospital. I think he put some things in there that you could use."

I looked down at the sleeping cap. Naruto, you didn't have to do that, you idiot. "Arigatou, Iruka-sensei."

Iruka-sensei smiled. "You must be hungry, ne? Would you like anything? I would go out and tell the nurse."

I reflected what I wanted for a while. Then at the thought a certain food, I heard my stomach respond loudly. I blushed in embarrassment. "Sorry…" I whispered. Then I looked up at Iruka-sensei, voicing out the food that I was suddenly having an unusual craving for. "Could I have some ramen, please?"

Iruka-sensei nodded. "That's a surprise. Yosh!" He headed for the door and opened it. "I'll have one sent in here right away." Iruka-sensei smiled back at me before closing the door.

After a few moments of sitting on the bed, I stared at the cap and thought of Naruto and this gratitude that I was feeling towards him. I let myself smile, no one was looking anyway. Then I nodded and confirmed what I was thinking. I put on the sleeping cap again and lied down. The smile never left my face for hours.

I asked Naruto why he put that cap on me while I was sleeping. He replied, "Because that always makes me feel better. And all day long I saw that you were being quieter than usual." He looked like he wasn't sure if he was supposed to tell me those. He put his hands behind his head and continued, "Anyway, I didn't mean for you to wake up wearing that. I was planning to get it before you woke up. The nurse told me you'd sleep till the afternoon, didn't expect for you to get up earlier." Then he smiled. He smiled, in that disarming way of his.

After this incident, Naruto and I went on with our lives as if it never happened. But one thing that was puzzling me, we might have been closer than I was aware of. We still fought with each other regularly, and he still made it clear to me that he would beat me someday. We weren't exactly good friends nor best friends, but he was my closest friend compared to anyone else.

So, a little of Naruto's personality might have rubbed off on me because of hanging around with him. I started to look at each morning with a little more faith and a little more happiness. The ramen-craving dissolved off after a few days. Thank you, God. But I did enjoy it when Naruto would invite me to hang-out at Ichiraku's, once in a while.

But there was no way in hell, that I would admit those. Especially not to this Usuratonkachi that I found myself stuck with.

--oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo--

Two years later, I still found myself stuck with him … and in my first mission, to make matters more amusing for everyone else but not to me.

The chakra control training that Kakashi had us mastered, wasn't quite as easy as it looked. I used up most of my chakra from repeating the same thing, over and over again. Naruto was the worst in controlling his chakra.

The day ended and my whole body was so tired… well, so was Naruto's. Afterall, we climbed all the way to the top of the highest tree in the forest. We went home and I had to physically support Naruto because he really couldn't walk fast enough.

During bedtime, Kakashi-sensei and Naruto were with me in the same room at the Architect Tazuna's house. Sakura was in the other room. While the dobe was sleeping, I couldn't help but smile. He was still wearing the nightcap that he had let me borrow two year ago. I didn't go to sleep immediately, I just sat there on my futon and stared at this blonde.

I didn't remember again exactly what had happened. But meeting Naruto in this world is not the miracle itself, but the reality that he could change you without you knowing it and without him knowing it either. So, we have started looking after each other … two years ago… the day when I woke up with a funny cap on my head.

Sometimes, when I think about it, I still found it amusing. Maybe if you wear the cap long enough, you would think you could wield a strong, electric-blue, spiraling charka… Maybe if you were it long enough, you would think that dreams have no limit. And that no matter what happens, you would achieve them.

I lied down and prepared to sleep, with a stupid smile on my face…

…nobody was there to see it anyway.

--oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo--

Notes: Tazuna was the bridge expert that they have escorted in their first mission. :)
This story was supposed to be called 'Wearing of Costume Won't Make You Able To Use Rasengan', but the title didn't fit. XD


Also, I am working on my new chapter for my other story "Coming Back". This thought just came into mind while I was working on it.

Jaa… Owarimashou.