Chapter 03

Half-Asleep

by

ensngre

Naruto woke up early. He usually did. He always did. He wasn't quite sure why… but he reckoned that it was an old habit from the War. The War, huh… The War hadn't been easy on anyone. But he wouldn't start pondering about it now, it'd only drag him down.

His alarm-clock showed 03:07AM. He groaned, only having slept for five hours. Turning to lie on his back again, he stretched his arms and legs as far away he could, and let out a loooong yawn. Clenching the blanket with his left, he pulled it off him, and got into a sitting position off the side of the bed.

Groggily, he got up and made his way to his closet. Opening it, he grabbed his green Jounin-vest, a pair of long-legged black trousers, a black shirt and some clean underwears. Not socks, he never wore socks. After that, he walked out into the corridoor of his and his father's massive house, to the showerroom. Dressing off, he grungily stepped into the shower and let the water wash away the yesterday.

Feeling new and clean, he opened the door to the shower, took a white towel and started dry himself. Then, putting on his nice boxers and black trousers, he paused for awhile to look himself in the mirror. Naruto, Naruto… he muttered in his mind. I don't understand you. That was the usual procedure he did every morning, not gaining an inch closer to realizing what and who he was.

He looked over to the black shirt, lying on top of a chair. He reached out with his hand, misjudged the distance, moved closer, and put it on. The sleeves of the shirt nearly reached his knees, but he liked that. His hands felt protected. He loved his hands (not like that, perverted readers). There was but three, maybe four shirts he possessed that had normal-sized sleeves. The rest was like the one he had on. Excluding his massive collection of tee-shirts, of course…

Continuing with dressing up, he felt the thick Jounin-vest under his thumbs, idly fingering it. Then he put it aside again, and walked toward the white cabinet. He opened it, searched for two rolls of bandages, and sat down on the chair that the shirt had been lying on. Swaddling his ankles with the cloth, he relaxed and leaned to the back, the chair supporting him.

After fifteen minutes, he abruptly got up and grabbed his vest, and put it on while making his way downstairs. He had never carried a head-protector in his life and wasn't about to begin.

"Ho, doggies," Naruto walked up to and greeted Shiranui Genma and the scary Gekko Hayate, carrying a bowl of steaming ramen. The clock was now about 06:00AM, and one hour until their designated meetings at the western gate were to occur. "What are you up to?"

"Going to pick up the passports," Genma answered, playing with the senbon in his mouth. It was just a matter of time before he swallowed one, Naruto thought. "Tag along?"

"Uh, sure," Naruto complied his senior, and started eating from his bowl. Ahh, Ichiraku…

After they had picked up the passports, the hour had passed relatively fast for the three. No conversations were made between them; Genma had a laid-back attitude and rarely talked (which reminded him of Itachi), Hayate wasn't very talkative either and he himself wasn't in the mood for it. But that was nice, just being.

Then, at 07:00AM sharp, they got to the western gate, finding the four teams that were the participants in the upcmoing Chuunin-exam, along with their respective teachers. Upon noticing the three Jounin's, most of the twelve Genins started talking between each other, casting glances at the shorter of the blondes. Naruto had stopped wondering how large the extent of his reputation was years ago.

"We were afraid you wouldn't turn up," a voice adressed them, especially to the only one of the three new-arrivals that wasn't a special-Jounin; Naruto. The voice belonged to Namiashi Raido. This will be a long journey indeed, Hayate…

He decided to put him to place. "You've been here for some time already?" Naruto asked. "You're not teaching them to be punctional? In war, arriving a minute too soon or a minute too late can mean death." He lectured. What he got in return was a fuming Raido, and some 'ooh's coming from the Genins.

Hanabi's team was there. Hanabi, Ibara, Utatane… and their teacher Zetsu.

Zetsu was a Hyuuga. And it was no coincidence that the younger sister to the heir of that clan had been appointed with a white-eyed teacher. Zetsu was talented, but cared little of ranks and the split between the Main- and the Branch-family. Sure, the Juin Jutsu had been nullified by none other than the Fuuin-expert Naruto. And even on the request of Hiashi-sama himself, having realized that it didn't bring the clan together. But some scars lay deep…

"Well, let's not get stuck here any longer," Genma said and set out, jumping to the trees. Naruto and Hayate jumped after, and were shortly joined by the four Jounin-teachers and their students, who were lagging behind. Naruto glanced slightly backwards, to Hanabi, and found her talking to some from the other teams. Returning his glance forward, he joined the conversation with the Jounins.

Sitting down in the temporary camp they had made for the night, he looked around him. The sixteen Genins were all asleep, and his eyes fell onto the one he loved. She lay curled up, eyes closed and mouth slightly open, with her deep-black hair spread over the white pillow.

They were responsible for their own package, and carried backpacks. They were big, yes, but they could only hold a matress, blanket and a pillow. Naruto hadn't brought one with him, only having a pouch on his left hip. He didn't need anything else, bedwear had been an unnecessary luxury in the War. Sleeping clad with a blanket outdoors only made him feel insecure.

He noticed that the white-eyed beauty had pulled her blanket over her head, and now her legs and shoes showed, being unprotected against the cold. So he got up, walked over to her sleeping form, and corrected the cloth covering her. She champed a little, and whispered out his name in the night, still sleeping. Naruto smiled at her solemnly, and turned back to his place when he heard Zetsu wake up.

"I'll take the watch, you go to sleep, Naruto-san," he said.

Naruto shook his head. "I'm not a good sleeper… don't worry about me. Besides," he added, "I don't want to miss this. The night is wonderful…" The camp-fire crackled a bit. He turned his sight up to the dark-blue sky. The stars were impossible to see, because of the light the fire radiated.

"In that case, I'll keep you company," got up, and sat next to the blonde. Commented, "these Genins sure have easy lives, haven't they? If this was during the War, they would've already killed…" He drifted.

"Yeah…" Naruto absently answered, drowning in reminiscence again. Snapping up, he said: "You think you can take the watch? I need to sleep…"

Zetsu chuckled. "Heh, of course. Sleep tight, Naruto-san."

"Thank you," and proceeded to sleep. Goodnight, Mother… Seconds later, a light snoring could be heard in the camp.

Naruto woke up early. He usually did. He always did. He wasn't quite sure why… but he reckoned that it was an old habit from the War.The War hadn't been easy on anyone. But he wouldn't start pondering about it now, it'd only drag him down.

Something felt wrong. Opened up his eyes, he was greeted by the crowns of the trees surrounding him. Stretching his arms and legs, as he always did, he sat up.

No-one was there. The small grove was empty, the only sign of the previous camp was the branches they had burned yesterday, which had now turned into charcoal. Fortunately for Naruto, it still steamed, and when he checked with his hand, was still warm.

Naruto growled. Fuckers… And then he screamed, to no-one in particular. "They left without me!"

"Hahahaha!" Raido laughed out. It had been his idea to leave the blonde behind, and he was proud of that. Of course, it hadn't come without a price – he had lied to his comrades, saying that they should leave him so that he could get a decent sleep – but it was all worth it. It was always worth sacrifices when it came to him. Lying hurt him, but hell, everything for a good laugh.

Genma and Raido's team sweatdropped, and sighed with their heads down. They should've known they were tricked into leaving their comrade behind. Genma almost felt guilty. But he knew that his blonde friend would catch up to them as soon as he woke up, being that fast. He looked for signs of the Hiraishin no Jutsu.

"Raaaaidoooo…!" They heard something growling behind them, almost roaring. Then came a black shadow and threw the face-scarred Jounin down to ground, and followed after. They were about to stop, but Genma stopped them, saying that they would lose time. So they continued jumping forward, ignoring the screams of terror being shifted into attacks of laughter.

After awhile, a battered blue-clothed Jounin came into view, with Naruto on his right. Adding more chakra to their feets, they bounded over the awed Genins and the annoyed Jounins, and took the lead of the group. Lingering an arm over the shorter, Raido said: "Now, that was some fun I haven't had in a long time."

Naruto hunched his right arm over the scarred nin's shoulder, and agreed. "I guess you're okay at times, Raido." Lowering his voice into threatening, he added, "but don't do it again. I'll kill you." Raido just laughed, and the group sighed.

"Please show your passports, participants," the guard of the southeastern entrance of the Sand said. Naruto came up from behind the group and spoke up.

"Long time, no see, Yuura," and did a small nod toward the older Sand-nin. He recognized the blonde.

"Naruto-sama! You're training a team of Genins?" He asked, obviously surprised by the apperance of the long-sleeved shinobi.

"Nah, I got invited to be an examiner, along with Genma-san and Hayate-san here," he mentioned to the senbon-chewing and the sick-looking nin. Then, he smirked, saying: "I heard you got elected to the counsil."

Yuura perked up, a proud smile plastered on his face. "So you heard. Chiyo-sama recommended me, actually," now almost grinning. "Well, we won't hold you up for any longer. Passports aren't needed. Please step in, Chuunin-participants, examiners," stepped aside and mentioned with his hand to the narrow path behind him, the only road through the massive wall made of sand. Naruto bed farewell, and went after the group, long-sleeved arms vertically hanging downward.

After finding the right hotel they would stay at for the coming weeks, Naruto growled to the receptionist. "What do you mean, you 'only have four empty rooms'? We booked five! We're here for the exam!" He exalted and flung his arms up.

"B-but sir, even if I wanted to, I can't get another room… we're fullbooked. The exam'll be public, you know…?" He asked weakly, fearing the blonde a little. The Leaf's were famous for being easy to handle, but this one were apparently not.

"Easy, Naruto," Genma said. "It's no big deal; you, me and Hayate just have to split up and share the rooms with the teams. Isn't that right, Hayate?" he asked the weird fellow, which responded with a simple 'mmh'.

Naruto snorted. "Alright, alright…" Turning to the Genins, he decided to play them a joke. "So," fingering with his hands under the sleeves 'nervously', "who'll take me in…?" The boys just stared and the girls became flushed. Hanabi became light-headed.

Zetsu answered to his call pretty fast. "You'll stay with us."

Naruto gave a short nod of acknowledgement, catched the key Genma throwed him with his sleeves, and proceeded to go up the stairs with the rest following after.

Stepping into the room, he quickly scanned it and went to sit down by the window. It was really simple; only one, big room. Big enough to fit five persons, that is. Good thing I'm skinny, he chuckled.

Later that evening, Naruto announced to his team-mates that he was about to go on a tour in the village. Ibara had chose to tag along, and a (for them, no apparent reason) grumpy Hanabi had stayed behind with the rest of her team.

One thing the girl noticed was, that even though they were so far away from their home, people noticed the blonde, in some ways or the other. Most of them gave him looks of awe and such, but some were also of hate, resentness – the drawback of being that well-known was that whatever you did, you always had enemies. It was impossible to be liked of all, even for one who gave mightier impressions than the Sannins. She felt somewhat sorry for him, but he didn't seem to acknowledge either of the looks he was given. Not that he ignored them.

"So, is this your first time to the Sand, Ibara-kun?" He asked, glancing at the pre-teen girl. He almost never got in contact with shinobi's of lower ranks, not since the war. It wasn't a concious decision, it just never happened. Understandanble, he was curious how the lives of the new Genin's was – if they got to travel a lot, for example.

But she nodded shyly. Damn, being a Genin in these times of peace must really suck… But he didn't wish the time he had as a Genin on anyone. And this place bringed forth bad memories of him making three siblings orphans. It had been one of his worst missions and remembered it clearly as yesterday, even though he had barely been ten years old at the time. "The only places I've been to outside Konoha is the Mist… probably…" And she blushed, the feelings of excitement and embarrassment contradicting each other. She was inside one of the Five Major Villages, one she'd never been to before, for crying out loud!

Naruto yawned, breaking the silence that had been in the air for mintues. It was starting to get dark, now. "We better head back, soon it's going to get cold. Don't want you to catch a cold right before the exams, would we?" He smirked toward the shorter girl. She agreed.

On the way to the hotel, she asked him a question. "Do you love Hanabi?" Ahh, what a lovely day it would've been if she didn't bring her up. He almost blamed Hanabi herself for mere existing, but he knew better.

A long time passed, and she wasn't sure that he'd answer anymore. "Well, it's a bit complicated… but yeah… I guess," and that was as close as he would get to a confession. "But I keep doubting whether or not she loves me back." Well, you've opened the windows, Naruto, he thought to himself. To a complete stranger, at that. I'm getting rusty.

Now he got irritated at himself, like so many times before. He knew she loved him, but why did he keep doubting that? Was he going insane? Or did he want attention from others that badly? Nah. Naruto seriously doubted that. It was probably a part of his evil self-loathing. He mentally sighed.

"…she does! I know she does," she exclaimed. Wasn't that a bit too enthusiastic? Why are you so eager about this? "Some may not notice it, but I do. I've been on the same team as her for almost two years, so I know. She relax whenever you're around, and she needs you. I think I now know why she gets so dull at times, it's because she haven't spoken to you in a while," she said and started laughing about her weird team-mate. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't imagine the Hyuuga expressing love. But she must've been very good at it, to capture a hunch such as him.

Ibara didn't believe in real love. All it took to get a guy was being beautiful, and be a damn good actor. Well, that's what she thought, at least, having no idea of the real world.

Naruto sighed. He didn't need to know that. But he was grateful, he guessed.

Now, they had gone to bed and all slept. Naruto didn't. He estimated that if he got any sleep at all that night, it would be three hours top. Because somehow he had ended up in the bed next to Hanabi, lying awfully close in the small room.

But it wasn't that bad. He didn't mind. He felt content with it. Looking up at the white roof above him, occasionly stealing glances at the clear midnight-sky outside the window, with it's shining stars. But all of that paled in comparasion with the one lying next to him.

She snuggled closer, still asleep, rested her head on his chest and let her left arm drape across his stomach. He got that feeling he had when he was with Hanabi, stronger than ever, and against all his assumptions, he fell asleep.

Authors notes

Oh, I do know that Zetsu most probably isn't a Hyuuga. But it's an AU story, hey? And by the way, more fluff next chapter. 