A/N: been a while hasn't it?
There's one thing between me and nothing
He runs. He trains. He wants-no ,needs- to be no. 1, Hokage. He really exerts for his sanity, for the one who keeps him here...and ramen of course!
"More ramen Iruka-sensei!"
"You've had quite enough Naruto!" Iruka smiles, and, of course, orders, "One more!"
"Thanks Iruka-sensei!" He exclaims.
-----------------
Naruto wanders home with purpose, a definite deliberate wandering. He almost bumps into-hisonesanitybetterthanramenhopelost- but dodges, after all he is a ninja, thriving in mystery and darkness. He hugs and embraces the warmth knowing the will keep them strong.
"Some ramen for you."
Naruto accepts the ramen slide into his arms and with a shocking discretion avoids stating he devoured enough ramen at the cost of Iruka's wallet to feed ten men for twenty days. Why, because more ramen is always a good thing.
"Iruka-san will be glad to know he wasted a tad of money."
Naruto laughs. Lips meet lips in midnight darkness. The kiss breaks with silent almost-pants..
Cockily Naruto whispers, "canny unhuman mind reading! Why can't I d-" His air vanishes, cut off with well thought application of lips, a perfect use of 'you look more beautiful with your mouth closed' or rather when I'm there. Naruto leans in. Naruto falls off balance. His partner pulls away, smirking.
"Just a ninja like you."
"You're more of a ninja than I am! More smoke than rock! But one day I'l-"
"But you're so much..."
Naruto finishes the sentence. Naruto ponders as much as Naruto does. Naruto questions, what? -smarter?realer?funnier?morelost?- but he replies.
"Why talk when we could get some action!"
After all they are Ninjas.
----------
Team Seven has another mission.
He celebrates! Another chance to prove himself! To them all! To win! To be the best! Sakura pulls him into a hug and plants a kiss on his lips. He smiles. She laughs. He wonders in his fashion.
He questions when people stop becoming people, is it he knows her so well or is it doesn't know her anymore, less?
She breaks the kiss; embraces him with a shout,
"Another step on the path to Hokage Naruto!" as Inner Sakura remains unspoken because this a chance for her too he knows, She loves him so, he loves her so
He laughs. She smiles. Kiss on the nose. He moves to pack; to assist Sasuke on another mission with Sakura.
----------
Naruto dashes, dashes to another midnight encounter. An encounter that holds the ability to grant him a gift of ramen and a self esteem boost.
"leaving for a mission tomorrow hmmm?"
Naruto laughs.
"Psychic mind reading powers again! Damn!"
A pause. Midnight kisses exchanged. A whispered whisper,
"You love her?"
An answer replied.
"Of course, but she isn't real. I love her for that. Believe it."
Naruto giggles. Naruto tickles. A laughing voice,
"Am I real?"
"Realer than anything."
"Anything?"
Naruto smiles. He laughs. He loves, but he must leave.
"Good luck on your mission."
Ramen for luck exchanged.
Believe it.
----------
He and Sakura arrive together.
"The lover have a night of passion hmmmmm?" states, no questions Kakashi quirking an eyebrow. "I believe you should borrow MY Icha Icha manual vol.1 to assist you, Naruto." Kakashi tosses him the innocent looking book with his prepackaged bundle,'Sasuke, Sakura assisted' packing of course. Sasuke arrives cuing Kakashi voicing,
"You want an Icha Icha manual Sasuke?"
Sasuke grinned tolerably and answered,
"No. I don't need assistance in that area, but Naruto might, and a packing manual as well. Honestly packing is not that difficult."
Everyone laughs. He doesn't laugh because that would ruin the joke. He should be disgruntled. He should be goal-oriented. He laughs. Sasuke continues.
"Still can't pack all these years of training!"
"You can't cook at all! You must have that to be Hokage!" He comes back.
" I don't want to be Hokage, and besides packing is more nessecary!"Sasuke replies
"Well I-"
Sakura bursts in.
"Till you can pack! Sasuke and I and are the packers! We should get paid! Why don't you Kakashi-sensei help pack?"
Kakashi answers.
"Well it helps you learn how to pack better! I already know how!"
"We get more lessons than-" Sakura tells Kakashi.
Kakashi cuts her off.
"To the Mission!" Kakashi shouts.
"Believe it!" He calls carrying his backup manual sliding the formerly discarded manual into his pack, unnoticed.
Sasuke follows quietly. Sakura follows not so quietly.
After all they are a team. Teams have unity.
Team Unity.
Review please.