Naruto Fan Fiction!

Adventure! SI-OC!

(Title)

"A Song for Them"

A/N: Yes, yes... I'm sure you all saw that last one coming. The summary basically says she's on Team Seven, I just like being dramatic is all.

EDIT, 12/27/2017: Sora's hobbies were not listed. Whoops.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own 'Naruto' or his orange jacket!

WARNING! RATED M! For... hm. First impressions and over fluffyness? I have a very fluffy cat in this chapter...

New Leaf Arc,

Chapter Eight: "Lucky Number Seven"

"If 'PLAN A' doesn't work, don't worry about it. You've still got 25 more letters left. " -Anon E. Muss

"Team Seven shall be... Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke and... Sora."

Naruto jumped up and cheered, "Yes!"

Sasuke didn't spare us a glance and glowered at the wall.

Naruto was so excited that he seemed to have forgotten that he was now stuck with Sasuke. I however, was stupefied. I hadn't even realized when I had raised my hand.

"Team Eight... uh, yes Sora-kun?" Iruka stopped reading off the list for a moment.

I wrote furiously, "You said that the teams were divided evenly. How were they decided exactly?"

The chuunin had a curious look in his eyes, probably wondering why it's me that's asking. He crossed his arms over his chest, "Each team was decided by taking in account individual scores and many other things. Such as combat types, personal skills and personalities." he patiently explained.

...that's a bit different.

Oh, Naruto remembered now, "Yeeeah... Hey, Iruka-sensei! Why does an outstanding shinobi like me have to be on the same team as that prick over there!" he shouted and I wanted to roll my eyes.

Iruka put his hands on his hips, "Like I said, individual scores were taken into account! Sasuke is ranked highest in the class where as you are DEAD LAST."

Naruto looked aghast.

Then Sasuke had to put his two ryo in, "Whatever... just stay out of my way loser." that, of course, set the blonde off.

"What did you say, bastard!?"

As Naruto began to yell at Sasuke and I looked to the heavens for the answers that have escaped me, Iruka-sensei sent me a sympathetic look.

I don't actually think the shock of getting my new teammates had actually set in yet. Maybe I was in shock? And that's why I wasn't freaking out too much at the moment? Hm. It'll probably happen later then.

Iruka resumed to list off names after -ironically- yelling at Naruto to quiet down, "Team Eight. Aburame Shino, Hyuuga Hinata and Inuzuka Kiba."

'At least that's still right.' I thought with a small amount of relief. I looked to my friend and found that she looked somewhat unsure. I couldn't blame her really. At first glance it seems like a strange match-up considering personality types. And it's not like she knows them all that well either.

When her pale orbs met mine I gave her a reassuring smile and saw the slightest bit of tension leave her shoulders as she smiled back. Yeah, she was going to be just fine.

"Team Nine. Arakaki Seiichi, Haruno Sakura and Kawabata Shun." I glanced at the pink-haired girl, she was still sulking that she didn't get placed with Sasuke. I didn't really know the other two boys, just that they transferred in from Yugumo-sensei's class this last year. I felt something uncomfortable stir in my chest as I looked at her.

"Team Ten. Akimichi Chōji, Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino." I heard Ino groan followed by a muttered 'troublesome' I let my shoulders relax slightly.

'So I didn't screw everything up...' I waited for Terra's snarky response that never came.

"Okay, this afternoon we'll introduce you to your jonin sensei's. Until then take a break."

As soon as Iruka gave the dismissal, Sasuke stood up and left without saying a word. Everyone else found their new teammates and made plans to eat lunch together. Except Sakura. She ignored her new teammates and opted to go chase Sasuke. I felt irrationally disappointed in her.

Naruto turned to me with a grin, "Hey Sora-chan, lets go eat 'ttebayo!"

I had something to do first, 'I'll be with you in a moment, I want to talk to Iruka-sensei real quick. Can you find Sasuke so we can all eat lunch together. We're a team now after all. And try to get along!' Naruto's face turned sour at the mention of Sasuke but he trusted my judgement, he nodded dutifully and went to search for our new t-teammate.

'Oh boy. This is gonna be... -Sigh- ...different.'

Terra chose not to comment. She was either shell-shocked or ignoring me. Or pouting. She does that a lot.

...

...?

Ignoring it is.

My former sensei looked up as I approached his desk, a small smile on his face. "Oh, hello Sora-kun. Is there something wrong?" he asked.

Yes. So very, very wrong.

I nodded slowly and pulled out my notepad, "Sensei, I wanted to ask... could my team assignment have gotten mixed up with someone else's?"

The look Iruka gave me was best described as 'odd', "Ah, no. You were placed on Team Seven along with Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun. I heard it straight from Hokage-sama's mouth myself." he said.

"But how is that balanced? Sasuke is the best student, Naruto the worst and I'm very average. At best! Shouldn't the Kunoichi of the year have been on the team instead?" I scribbled furiously.

Iruka's eyes softened at me for some inexplicable reason, "Sora-kun... you are one of the most creative and inventive students I've have the pleasure of teaching." he said kindly.

I won't lie. I felt my cheeks warm up at his unexpected praise.

Then he continued more sternly, "Now, if you hadn't skipped class so many times with Naruto and the rest of the boys then I'm positive you would have been Kunoichi of the year. But, as it is... you had excellent scoring regarding your Genjustu abilities and your skill in the Fuinjustu arts, an uncommon specialty as you know, more than makes up for your less than exceptional overall class ranking." Iruka explained patiently.

Oh. Well, that explains it I suppose. My Fuinjustu counted as a sort of bonus over Sakura and her book smarts even though we were both classified as Genjutsu support types.

I... hadn't planned for them to count my Fuinjutsu.

I made a mistake.

A mistake that cost Sakura her future with Team Seven. Her life with them.

I suddenly didn't feel too well...

"You should probably find your teammates before they get into too much trouble." he gently prodded, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I nodded, a bit numbly, and left the classroom.

I wandered the halls aimlessly for a while, getting caught up in my thought and ended up outside where something caught on the edge of my senses. I'd been feeling something buzzing against them for the past hour already but just now it felt more prominent. Before, it felt like background noise and I'd just dismissed it as an excess of natural chakra in the air but now...

I closed my eyes and focused.

I filtered out the chakra of the land, the trees and plants...

The Academy was filled with people today. There were wisps of chakra flitting about everywhere... I found the newly Team Ten on a nearby balcony, and Naruto not too far from where I was now... I focused closer to me... it was not very far from me, just hovering a little ways away, to the south, but it was faint, incredibly so...

Alive. White hot and humming with life. With a pull to it that feels almost overwhelming.

I open my eyes and find I'm looking at a tree.

It was a fairly average tree. Nothing at all out of the ordinary.

Except for the chakra.

Slowly, I walked towards it. The chakra didn't waver or make any sudden moves, it simply stayed there, unwavering and constant. It felt curious, of what I wasn't sure. For some unexplainable reason I found it's presence was even somewhat comforting.

I laid my hand on the bark. The chakra was behind the tree. I took another step-

"Sora."

I blinked.

That was Duckie's voice.

I turn around to see Sasuke standing there and-and the chakra disappeared! I turn back to the tree and run to the other side to find nothing! Nothing at all!

"What are you doing?" the Uchiha asked.

After a long look around and finding no trace of the chakra I turned back to the peculiar sight of Uchiha Sasuke actually talking to me.

My new teammate.

Yeah, that's not getting any easier to wrap my head around.

I waved my hand dismissively at him, he was apparently not curious enough to ask why I was circling a tree, instead, "Have you seen Naruto?" he asked.

I frowned and shook my head. Why was Sasuke looking for Naruto when it's supposed to be the other way around? I pulled out my note pad, "I asked him to find you so we can all eat lunch together."

"...well he found me." Sasuke mumbled, barely audible but I'd heard him. Sasuke looked terribly annoyed, but from his body language I could tell it wasn't because of me. And he's looking for Naruto so that could only mean...

I sighed, "What did Naruto do?" I asked.

Duckie scowled, he paused a moment as if deciding what to say and if talking to me was really worth the trouble. Eventually he settled on a brusque, "Never mind." before he stuffed his hands in his pockets and started walking away.

I blinked, a bit surprised by the 180 in his attitude. Then sighed, because I was going to have to deal with this all the time now, wasn't I? Not just Duckie's mood swings but the Hero's as well.

Speaking of...

I caught up with Sasuke and tugged on the corner of his sleeve, when he tensed and looked at me I nodded my head towards the opposite direction he was headed. Cautiously, he followed me. We came upon a split path, I closed my eyes and looked for Bright and Breezy, then took a left turn. The two of us walked in silence, unsurprisingly. Nothing but the sounds of the birds to fill the air.

That is, until we heard Sasuke talking.

To Sakura.

I looked between the Sasuke standing next to me and the Sasuke with Naruto's chakra sitting next to Sakura.

I decided then and there that I should have not of gotten out of bed this morning.

The real Sasuke's chakra riled up and I knew he was about to confront the Hero but... I couldn't help but be terribly curious as to what was happening. Today has definitely not been the same as the story so... what could they be talking about?

I put my hand over Duckie's mouth and pulled him into bushes with me. He made an muffled, indignant sound of protest but didn't say anything more when I placed my finger over my mouth and then motioned towards the two on the bench. He went along with it for now and I was quite surprised that Sasuke was being so amenable today considering he just found out he was going to be stuck with the Hero and I for the rest of his foreseeable future.

Maybe he thought this was only a temporary thing?

Oh, that's funny.

The two of us inched closer until we were within hearing range, Sakura was talking, "Is... is that all true Sasuke-kun?" she asked dubiously.

Naruke nodded, looking too serious for this situation, "Sadly yes, Sakura... I can't help that I have an inferiority complex to anyone remotely awesome. Or the fact I'm unable to create emotional attachments because of my terrible fear of being rejected for my inability to hold a polite conversation, or for my unpredictable and often times, violent mood swings. That, and most people are just too stupid, 'tte-Ahem!" he said and I gasped.

Isn't that...? Oh, Terra was back.

'Oh my Kami, yes, those were my exact words!' I cried. I remember saying it once only half-seriously to Naruto when he was griping about what the heck Sasuke's problem was.

He remembers THAT but not when the last time he bought milk was? she deadpanned.

'But of course he did! It was about Sasuke, he remembers everything about Sasuke!' I thought angrily as I buried my burning face in my hands.

Kami, this is so embarrassing! At least during my nightmares I eventually get to wake up! I did not need to see Sasuke's expression to know that he was seething with anger right now. Surprisingly, he did not jump out of the bushes and lunge at Naruto's neck like I was half-tempted to do right now.

Sakura spoke again before either of us had a chance to kill the Hero, "That..." she glanced away before looking up and locking eyes with Naruke, "That doesn't matter to me. Sasuke-kun is still Sasuke-kun so..." her cheeks were the same color as her hair now.

The Hero simply gawked at her. Even Duckie and I stopped planning to kill Naruto long enough to share a 'what the heck?' look between us. Sakura must've taken Naruto's stunned silence as doubt because she continued on.

"I'm serious about this. Because I... really like you..." she started to lean in for the kill and I frowned, a bit disappointed my Hero for continuing this charade.

I picked up a pebble by my feet, aimed, and sent it flying towards the blonde's head. It connected against his headband with a solid 'TINK!' jolting him back to his senses. Sakura and I may have never really gotten along but that didn't mean I was about to let her get tricked out of her first kiss by my doofus of a best friend.

"Ack!" he yelped as he grabbed his head.

"Sasuke-kun?" the pink-haired girl whispered in a way she thought was probably was seductive. As it was, she had a way with stopping Naruto in his tracks, what with her half-lidded emerald eyes and slightly opened rosy lips.

I threw another rock at his head.

"What!?" he started looking all around, trying to find what was hitting him.

He still was henge'd so I picked up another pebble and bounced it in my hand once before offering it to Duckie. He looked at the rock, then back to me before smirking, if only slightly. Once he took the pebble I pointed a thumb at the center of my forehead in a silent challenge to him.

He looked back towards his imposter and narrowed his eyes.

'TINK!'

Headshot. Right on the Leaf. Duckie's smirk grew wider.

Naruke jumped up, "WHAT THE HELL!?" he shouted at no one in particular, startling Sakura while he was at it.

"Sasuke-kun!?"

I threw another one.

And so did Sasuke.

Soon it was raining tiny rocks down on the not-a-blonde.

Oh! He's running! Terra yelled.

I turned to Duckie and signed in Standard, 'Target on the move.' before gathering up a handful of pebbles and leaping into the trees.

I was glad to note that the Uchiha had followed me. We continued our assault on Naruke until he took cover inside the building, shouting profanities at the air the whole time. I could feel from Sasuke's chakra that he was quite pleased by the turn of events... and he no longer had the impulse to kill Naruto on sight.

"I thought you two were supposed to be friends." he said casually as we were walking back to the classroom.

I raised an eyebrow at him before flipping open my notepad, "We're not friends" I wrote and the Uchiha gave me an odd look, with something in his dark eyes I couldn't quite put my finger on. I finished my sentence, "We're BEST friends. There's a difference."

It was his turn to raise a brow at me.

The poor boy probably has no idea what that means. Terra said sympathetically. From the look he was giving me, I had a feeling she wasn't too far off the mark.

"When you screw up, it's a best friend's job to have your back and knock some sense into you." he blinked, "If I were to screw up then I fully expect Naruto to do the same for me."

"Throw rocks at you?" he said dryly without a hint of a smile. Or smirk in his case because he doesn't remember how to smile.

I have to admit, the terribly dry attempt at a joke had caught me off-guard and I snorted a laugh, embarrassed, I covered my mouth. I then gave Duckie a look as I hid my smile, like he had just sprouted another head.

Duckie had ignored me the rest of the way back to class after that.

It was only the three of us left now. Everyone else's sensei's had already come and gotten them. A Kurenai with barely contained excitement rolling around her chakra collected her trackers. A terribly sleepy-looking Asuma waltzed in and waltzed right out with the newest Ino-Shika-Cho trio. A burly, greying-haired man I didn't recognize came for Sakura and Team Nine. Even Iruka had to leave to do chuunin-ly things.

That was four hours ago.

The Hero was currently bored out of his mind and trapping the door for when our misfit of a sensei walked in. I knocked on the desk I was sitting at to get his attention, 'First impressions last, Hero.' I absently reminded him when he looked my way, I felt him pout. So instead of whatever that thing was that consisted of pulleys and wires he was constructing, he settled on a simpler scheme.

A eraser in the crack of the door.

Was he always so inventive Before? Terra wondered as Sasuke scoffed and taunted Naruto by saying that would never work. I was almost tempted to make a bet with him.

I then thought back to all the surprising out-of-nowhere comeback moves the Hero will come up with someday. From his encounter with Zabuza, his fight with Neji all the way to his battle with Kaguya.

Then I blushed hotly for no apparent reason when I remembered that the guy who came up with Sexy Justu and the Reverse Harem Justu was my best friend... even with my influence on him, he still created that embarrassing Jutsu.

The first time I saw Naruko, I couldn't look the Hero in the eye again for the rest of the day.

As Naruto was being bored out of his mind and Sasuke was glaring holes into the wall, I was busying myself with my latest attempt at a self-regenerating barrier. I was trying to decide between a Force character as an anchor, or one of the many Kanji belonging to Earth and the Elemental Manipulation branch when my vision was obscured by fluffy, blonde hair.

"Why're you so nervous Sora-chan?"

I glanced up and violet met cerulean.

'I'm not.' I signed.

"Yeah you are. Look," he pointed towards my diagram, "you keep making extra doodles."

I blinked and looked back to my diagram... huh. I was adding a lot more flourish than was entirely necessary to the outer layers. I frowned. I didn't want my nerves to be so... obvious. I looked back up to my friend.

'So, maybe I am.' I allowed, 'Like your genin team, a jonin sensei is supposed to be one of those people you end up relying on forever.' I signed.

...what if Kakashi doesn't like me? It was a purely irrational and completely irrelevant worry but... it's Hatake Kakashi. I think anyone would be at least a little nervous about meeting the man.

The Hero's eyes widened as he absorbed what I said, briefly, he glanced towards Duckie, who I was sure was at least half listening to what Naruto said.

Then I shivered as a chakra signature appeared in the hall. I recognized it as the same one from earlier! White hot and alive. From here I could feel the pull of his chakra.

'Wait... Kakashi was stalking me?' I realized.

Hm. I don't know how to feel about that. Terra said bluntly.

The door slid open and... 'poof!' the eraser dropped on a head of fluffy silver hair.

Naruto started busting up and Sasuke was already doubting him and I... I studied his body language. He looked completely at ease. His shoulders were loose, his body was without a hint of tension as he stood straight after picking up the eraser.

And his face... the mask wasn't so tight that I could make out all the detail but I could see the all the angles and planes of it. But the details were kinda important here. And all I could read from the twenty percent of his face I could see was complete and utter apathy.

Then his eye crinkled into a 'smile' and he spoke, "My first impression of you guys? I don't like you."

"Let's begin with introducing yourselves." the silver-haired man said. We moved to a recreational garden on a nearby roof, Kakashi was sitting on the railing and us genin were on the stairs. I was sitting between the two boys, acting like a barrier in case they started acting up. I didn't think they would do anything but... it's better to be safe than sorry.

Naruto's brow furrowed, "But we already know each other, 'ttebayo! ...and if your really our sensei then you should know who we are." he said suspiciously. I was slightly surprised that he asked that. I know Kakashi because of my foreknowledge, but Naruto doesn't... Kakashi could've been a complete fraud and Naruto had the good sense to at least wonder.

I felt really proud of him right then.

Kakashi however, looked like he was unbelievably bored, "Humor me." he said flatly, "How about your likes, dislikes... your dreams for the future and things like that?"

The Hero squinted at the man, "Introduce yourself first!" he demanded.

"Oh... me?" the jonin pointed at himself innocently, "Well, my name is Hatake Kakashi. I have no desire to tell you my likes and dislikes. Dreams for the future... hm... I have lots of hobbies." he finished unashamedly.

Sasuke raised one, unfairly natural eyebrow while Naruto gaped and I tried not to smile at that introduction.

My friend puffed up and was going to counter Kakashi's non-introduction, but I nudged him with my elbow and he gave me a look in protest.

He spoke somewhat reluctantly but got more excited as he talked, because that's just how he is, "Okay... My name is Uzumaki Naruto. What I like is cup ramen and Sora-chan's songs. What I like even more is when Iruka-sensei pays for my ramen at Ichiraku, dattebayo! What I dislike is waiting three minutes for the ramen to cook..." he said and I rolled my eyes. He really didn't like the waiting part, "And my dream... is to surpass all the previous Hokage and then have the people of the village finally acknowledge my existence!" I saw Kakashi's lone eye widen ever-so-slightly, "Hobbies... pranks I guess." the blonde finished.

"Next." the jonin said simply.

Duckie began, gloomy because he has to deal with us... people, "My name is Uchiha Sasuke. There are lots of things I dislike, I don't really like anything and... I can't really call it a dream... but I have an ambition." his face darkened and I felt as his chakra churned darkly, "The resurrection of my clan... and... to kill a certain man."

There was silence for a moment as Kakashi observed Duckie and Naruto just stared.

I didn't need to. I know what he has been feeling for years now. Every time I would get too close to him I could feel the anger and pain radiate off of his chakra. What happened that night... what Itachi did, changed his very chakra from what it used to be like.

Now...

Hot and electrical. Raging and thunderous. Like getting caught in a storm in the middle of the night. Cold isolation.

Kakashi only nodded to Sasuke's gloomy introduction, then looked pointedly at me, "And you...?" he drawled.

Oh, right.

I took out my note pad and wrote quickly, when I finished I stood and walked over to my new teacher. I held it out for him. He took the pad without even looking at it, instead opting to just stare blankly at me. He continued to look at me. Doing nothing.

I felt my eyebrow twitch.

Instead of rising to his obvious bait, I leaned over and tapped the page before motioning my hand over my chest, up my throat and out my mouth.

He made no move and continued to stare at me.

Okay, he knows EXACTLY what we want him to do! Terra shouted.

I narrowed my eyes minutely, it was really hard to tell what he was thinking from his expression. I guess that's kinda the point. 'I think... he's testing me already. I've always known that being a mute Kunoichi was going to have it's problems but...' I thought over all of the Standard signs every ninja should know.

I raised my hands, 'Communication, Required.' I signed.

He still didn't do anything.

I stared at him and the Scarecrow stared right back at me. It was a dull stare and as informative as his introduction was.

It was quite unnerving to be unable to read someone if I'm being honest. Whether it be from my chakra reading or just reading their expression, I'd have some idea of what someone what thinking. But with that silly mask and the fact he was suppressing his chakra down to nothing, I was at a loss to what Kakashi was thinking. Even the chakra I could feel was very, carefully neutral.

Naruto was the one to interrupt our impromptu staring contest.

"She wants you to read it out loud, 'ttebayo." the blonde said boisterously, a little annoyed.

Scarecrow glanced towards my blonde friend then slowly, so very slowly, he lowered his eyes to my pad and spoke, I went back to my seat next to the Hero, "My name is Sora, no family name. I like reading stories and playing my Ocarina. I dislike people that have no imagination and when my Fuinjutsu projects blow up in my face." he looked up at me when he read the next part, "Literally." Naruto snickered and I smiled sheepishly, "My hobbies are writing and coming up with new Fuinjutsu seals. My dream is..." the first visible emotion he's shown yet, passed over his eye, his voice was softer as he read...

"...to protect my family."

And I will.

Or die trying.

The Hero beamed at me, chakra swirling with warmth and happiness. He knew he was apart of my family. The other two males in my proximity currently had no idea that they have just been adopted into said family.

These idiots are ours now... Terra whispered with a grin.

Kakashi flipped my note pad shut and tossed it back to me, "So far for the introductions, tomorrow we'll start our duties as shinobi."

Naruto's face spilt into an excited grin, "Yeah! What kind, 'ttebayo?"

"First, we are going to do something with just the four of us." the jonin said.

"What is it?"

"Survival training."

"Survival?" the blonde's brow furrowed, "But we did a bunch of that in the Academy! Aren't 'ya gonna teach us anything new, 'ttebayo?"

"Oh, this isn't normal training... this time I'm your opponent." the silver-haired man said.

Then he started chuckling.

...that's a bit on the creepy-creep side... Terra noted and I had to admit she wasn't too far off. Kakashi sure knew how to unnerve people. The three of us just looked at the man like he had just lost his mind.

"Uhm... well... it's just that, heheh... when I tell you this, you guys are totally going to freak out." the Scarecrow said cryptically.

"Freak out? Why?" the Hero asked dubiously.

The man leaned forward from his seat on the railing, and I swear I felt his chakra influencing my senses to make things seem more sinister, "Of the twenty-seven graduates, only nine will be chosen to become genin and the rest will be sent back to the academy. This training is actually a very difficult exam with a failure rate of over sixty-six percent! Haha, I knew yo-yes, Sora-chan?" he asked with a curious tilt of his head.

I lowered my hand and showed my pad, "Has that percentage always been accurate?"

You just couldn't help yourself, could you? my other half stated dryly.

'It just doesn't make sense!' I defended.

I had no idea what his expression was but his chakra was curious, "...to my knowledge. Why?" he answered.

"It's just that I find that there are more than a thirty-three percentage of shinobi from the same age group. Yours for example. I know of many shinobi ages thirty to thirty-five graduated from the same class." Far more than nine or so.

His eye narrowed, "...I'm twenty-six." he said flatly.

...oh. Whoops.

Terra cackled.

Kakashi glowered.

Naruto was snickering.

...and I'm pretty sure Sasuke hated each one of us now.

"Anyway!" Scarecrow clapped his hands together with a far-too-chipper tone, "Tomorrow you'll have to show your real skills on the training ground, bring all the shinobi tools you have." then he added, almost as an afterthought, "Oh.. and skip breakfast, you might throw up." I swear I saw a flicker of dark amusement in his grey eye, "The details are all on this paper and don't be late tomorrow!" he then 'poof'd' away with an excessive amount of smoke.

Sasuke crushed the paper in his hand and left the Hero and I without saying a word. As my friend glowered after our new teammate and his lack of manners, I rounded on him, hands on hips with my most disapproving frowny face.

The Hero immediately straightened up, and from his rapid blinking I knew he was trying to figure out what it was he did wrong... this time. After he started to sweat under my violet stare, I reached into my pocket and pulled out a pebble, then started bouncing it in my hand. His cerulean eyes lit up with recognition, he then pointed an accusing finger at me.

"That was you, Sora-chan!?"

I continued tossing the rock up and down. Waiting for that realization to set in for him.

After a moment he blinked.

Ah. There it is.

Any anger he had washed away, "You... you were there, Sora-chan?" he gulped loudly, "You saw all that? Heh-heh..." I narrowed my eyes, and pointed to my ears. His widened eyes told me he understood, "You, heheh... you heard everything too, huh?"

I started tapping my foot and he started panicking.

The Hero waved his hands about, "I can explain, dattebayo!" he cried. But it was already far too late for that.

'I asked you to try and get along!' I signed with exasperation.

Naruto at least had the decency to look somewhat sheepish.

"I tried to be nice to the bastard, but he's the one who wouldn't get along, 'ttebayo! I told him that you wanted him to eat lunch with us -though I have no idea why- but when I found him he just told me to get lost!" the Hero defended.

I raised one, unamused eyebrow, 'And that meant that you should attack our new teammate and then go trick that poor girl into kissing you?'

He flushed pink and looked away, "...that wasn't part of the plan." he mumbled. When he looked back up, I still had my hand on my hip, "I'm sorry, Sora-chan." he said with remorseful baby blues.

'It's too late. You have to be punished now...' I signed ominously, his eyes widened. I took a step forward and he took an instinctive step backwards.

Another forward, another back.

He was getting ready to jump away but I was faster! I leaped towards him and wrapped my arm around his neck, pulling him down and began giving him a noogie.

"AH! Sora-chan, stop!" he giggled as I messed up his blonde locks.

SO FLUFFY! Terra squealed.

-HISWhiteMaskVisibleOnTheMoonlessNight-

-GlowingHandsHURTINGAndCUTTINGWithoutTouchingMe-

-CrowdedRoomFilledWithCOLDAndEMPTYEyes-

-AMONTHInTheDARKNESS-

-AMONTHWithoutSeeingTheSUN-

A pulse of chakra brings me back to awareness..

The sky was still dark out when I woke up to a familiar shadow lurking at my windowsill. I crawled out from under my blankets to meet Neko.

"You really should lock your window." the ANBU informed me dryly. His voice has gotten a lot deeper over the years, now he sounded like the intimidating ANBU he dressed like.

Not to me of course but... well, I've heard him giggle before.

It was awkward and high-pitched and he was completely mortified that it had come out of him but that made it no less hilarious. To this day I still tease him about it.

I simply yawned at him then sleepily signed, 'And who exactly would that stop in a ninja village?' I retorted.

He gave that a considering pause, "Civilians." he offered.

I scoffed, 'Civilians are not very high on my list of concerns.' then regretted right afterwards. He tried to suppress it but Neko's chakra slightly recoiled in guilt and he looked away.

He must still feel responsible for when-

'I know.' Terra didn't comment on my cutting her off. She didn't need to, she knew I didn't want to hear it said out loud.

I walked closer and tugged gently on his white cloak. When I was met with a pair of dark holes, I signed, 'It wasn't your fault.' he tried to look away again but I pulled harder, 'You saved me from whatever was going to happen next.'

We never talk about it, but it's always been there, hanging over our heads ever since that happened.

Neko's chakra rolled in guilt and anger, "It should have never have happened to you in the first place!" I don't think he realized his voice raised louder but I remained still, "You were supposed to be safe here and then you-you were-"

I took this opportunity to hug my friend. I never minded when he got upset. If anything I was flattered he could let his guard down like this around me. It meant that he trusted me as much as I trusted him.

Neko flinched reflexively when my arms wrapped around his shoulders but he soon relaxed into my hold. He'd gotten better at receiving physical affection in lieu of verbal over the years.

We've trained him well...

When he calmed down he patted my back and I pulled away. He cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Ahem. Well I, uh, came here to give you this..." he said somewhat hesitantly, Neko then appeared a box out from somewhere in his cloak and held it out to me. It was a wooden box no bigger than his palm.

I carefully took the box and admired it in my hands. It was incredible. It was smooth, sanded down and polished, it looked like it was hand carved with all the little details. On the lid of the box was a carved picture of a windmill on a grassy hill.

Just like from Don Quixote...

I looked up at my masked friend warmly, 'Did you make this yourself?' I asked.

"Uhm, yes. Though I had to ask a friend to draw a picture of a windmill like the one you described in the book. He saw one once during a mission in Cha no Kuni" he said while scratching under his mask nervously. It was cute how the grown man's chakra was so rattled because he was worried I wouldn't absolutely adore his gift.

Didn't he know me?

'It's incredible.' I signed.

"You, ah, should open it. Your actual gift is inside."

I glanced up in amusement. He was eager to see my reaction. So of course I took an absurd amount of time rotating the box, admiring it from each angle, before slowly lifting the lid. Neko became very annoyed with me, I smiled cheekily at him in return. Done toying with my friend, I lifted the lid and froze.

Inside, on a little pillow, were two metal studs.

When I didn't make any reaction, Neko spoke, "I saw them a while ago and I know that you always wear earrings so, I thought that maybe you'd-why, why are you crying? Wha-Do you not like them? Because that's fine if you don't! I honestly have no idea what I am doing! I, uh, my Senpai says I'm clueless when it comes to women-N-Not to say that I consider you a woman-But-I mean, of course I know that you are! And you've always been quite mature for your age, more mature than some people I know, and you-you're even quite-not that I-Oh Kami please stop crying!" he pleaded.

I don't know what came over me.

I saw the earrings and couldn't help but think of Kaa-chan and our family tradition. She would've pierced my ears for graduating and becoming an adult. I think she would've been proud of me for coming this far.

How Neko could have gotten the perfect gift is beyond me.

Wobbly, I raised my free hand, 'Perfect.' I signed over my sniffling, 'Perfect.'

New Leaf Arc,

Chapter Eight: "Lucky Number Seven"

END

A/N: Guys, I'm addicted to your reviews! I'm serious, I read each one like, a dozen times over the week! So, THANK YOU to EmmieSauce, Vixeona, rickrossed, Kragh50, duchessliz and Creus!

Sigh. I have to write to feed my addiction now... I hope you're happy you enablers, you!

And to Sakura fans: Don't worry, I've got plans for our pink-haired Kunoichi. Excluding the next chapter you probably won't see her again until the chuunin exams. But! I don't think you'll be disappointed with what I'm doing... hopefully.

Author Question!

"Best Sensei in da world? Who would you pick?"

Now, I know most would say Kakashi-and he's a total badass and I love the poor bastard but... I'd pick Hashirama Senju. Not only is he SUPAH powerful and skilled but he's also adorkable! It's a great combination.

Wuv yew,

-Nanami