Naruto Fan Fiction!
Adventure! SI-OC!
(Title)
"A Song for Them"
A/N: Happy belated Valentines Day, Luvs. This took me a while to get done, been busy, moody... the usual.
POV changes. I've changed them. It's confusing when we switch, yes I know. There's little things in between for when we switch people now -they don't really mean anything- I'm not going to say who's POV it is, because that's half my fun right there. I have a POV planned for the future where it'll be a new person and y'all will be like '!*%$' when you finally figure out who it is. Hehehe... I can hear it now.
I hope this brings a smile to your faces like you do to mine.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of the cannon characters! I do own... uh, pictures of Sora being fluffy?
WARNING! RATED M! For the dreaded, horrible, down-right despicable... Fluff! *Gasp!* I've said it! I've said the F-word!
Breaking Waves Arc,
Chapter Seventeen: "Ripples"
"How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." -Winnie The Pooh
March 27th, Day 11: Mandatory Bedrest
I.
Regret.
Everything.
No, you don't.
...well. Yeah, she's right. Haku and Peaches are alive, Duckie didn't have a near-death experience and the Hero didn't have a Foxy freak-out. I don't regret a darn thing, I just regret not doing it smarter.
Now I have to suffer the consequences.
I can't move my body. At all. And if that wasn't bad enough, I have a chakra withdrawal migraine. Seriously. I'm going through the effects of chakra withdrawal.
It makes so much more sense now that I think about it.
Wait, how do I know what withdrawal is like?
Well, I had broken my leg Before in a stupid accident -it was totally His fault, the fool- and I was taking pain medication for it. After a couple weeks I thought I had the pain under control and figured I didn't need the drugs anymore, so I stopped taking them all at once. I hadn't been addicted or anything like that so I just stopped taking them, one would think I would be just fine, right?
Wrong.
After stopping cold turkey, I went through withdrawal. My body had become dependent on it for a while there and stopping so suddenly had adverse effects. Anxiety, sweating, nausea, insomnia, depression, irritability, fatigue, loss of appetite and headaches.
The whole experience had sucked major fudge balls, all-in-all. My doctor ripped me a new one when I told her, then she patiently explained that I should've weaned myself down instead of suddenly stopping.
So, chakra is addictive. That's my theory at least, because this sucks. Imagine the worst hangover you've ever had and then add exhaustion so bad you can't move your limbs. I literally can't even sign as I am right now.
Scarecrow had carried me the whole way, only with the occasional threat to drop me when I began to bug him, and dropped me off on my futon when we made it back to the house and then something horribly terrifying happened...
Kakashi gave me a lecture.
On taking better care of one's body no less! "A Ninja's first and last resort is their body, brah-bra-bra-blah..."
Terra actually had to tune my dear Sensei out after the first half-hour to preserve our precious sanity. I would have rather run the Training Ground of Youth a couple times over, than be a prisoner in my own body while Kakashi went on and on. I had been eagerly anticipating the moment when the silver-haired man would burst into flames for his utter hypocrisy. But sadly, no flames. Only a two hour long lecture as cruel and unusual punishment for making him worry about me.
Now I was confined to my futon for the foreseeable future.
...or at least until Scarecrow gives me the green light. There were vague threats made towards my person should I disobey my sadistic teacher's orders this time.
So here I lay... staring up at the ceiling. All by my lonesome while the boys are at the bridge, socializing. Well, Naruto is probably socializing while Sasuke is brooding from the side, Kakashi watching from afar with his nose in his book. Even Inari-chan left with them today!
The Hero is probably laughing at one of Saiko-san's terrible fishing jokes. That sounds like something he'd do.
Maybe Iwao-san can peak even Duckie's interest with one of his old tall tales, the man has a talent for holding attention.
Sigh.
I am soooo bored.
拒否 Refusal
March 28th, Day 12: Escape Attempt #1
I'd found my red-headish student trying to sneak out this morning, before anyone else had woken up. Most likely trying to get some fresh air or maybe some exercise.
Funny, I remember explicitly telling her not to do so while she was still recovering.
Sora hadn't even made it an entire day before deciding to disobey me. I wasn't disappointed, not really. I knew exactly what she was going through after all. I've been down with chakra exhaustion too many times to count over the years. Hell, the medic's back home have a detain-on-sight order for whenever I check into the hospital.
I'll be sure not to mention that when I'm giving my female student another dry and lengthy lecture.
She'd made it about half-way down to her little 'secret' spot near the water before I had showed up. My little student became very annoyed with me when I threw her over my shoulder -gently, of course. She was still injured- and started taking her back to her bed against her will.
Currently, she was pounding her fists on my back half-heartedly. Or maybe she was using all her might and she was just that worn out? Anyways, I wasn't paying her protest much mind as I walked, after a while she stopped and I figured she must have gotten tired.
Oh... how wrong I was.
My gut warned me something was off after I realized my student was being unusually cooperative with her detainment. On a hunch I looked back to check on her and almost dropped the girl then and there. The sneaky little-I had turned and saw she was reading my book. Looking entirely too captivated with it.
I wasn't entirely sure how to feel about that.
On one hand, it was nice to find someone else who can appreciate my favorite book. People tend to judge it too quickly because of the name and end up dismissing a great story filled with comedy, adventure and romance.
On the other, she was a fourteen year-old girl reading what was essentially porn.
How should I handle this...?
Sora inhaled sharply behind me.
I look back again and I can see which page she was on. It's the chapter where Takeo has been taken prisoner by the village of female warriors, while Katsumi is busy challenging the Queen for Takeo's freedom he's been-with all the women-and-Nope. This is not happening. I am not going to deal with this.
Now that we've made it back, I shifted my weight forward, bending over and seating her on the porch of the bridge builder's house. I moved so suddenly that she looked up in surprise, then she actually had the audacity to frown at me when I took my book back from her, admittedly, light fingers.
I was not going to go anywhere near the damned hormones. It's bad enough I'll probably have to deal with the two boys when they get a little older. I leveled the book to her nose and used my authoritative tone.
"No. Bad girl!"
She gaped at me and I tried my damnedest to keep a straight face.
What? This is how I taught the Pack where not to pee.
正直 Honesty
March 28th, Day 12: The Guest Room
She was staring at me.
Kakashi had put me on babysitting duty to make sure Sora wouldn't injure herself any more than she already has. There have already been two attempts to get out today alone. I should've figured she could be just as hyperactive as the Idiot, she's as stupidly reckless as him after all.
My mind flashed back to the other day, the sight of her kneeling on the ground, nose bleeding, eyes glassy and unresponsive, her lips were moving, mouthing incoherent words. When she collapsed, I...
I clenched my jaw and pushed away the image.
She'd gotten lucky.
Sora should've never have interfered with my fight in the first place! She should have just been inside the barrier with the workers and let me handle my own damn fight, I didn't need her help. I had it completely under control!
...I would have figured something out.
She has been staring at me for a while now.
I was successfully trying to ignore her, pretending to read a book. I have no idea where this book came from or what it's really about but it was an easy excuse to not meet her eyes. Ever since the bridge, Sora keeps looking at me in a way that made me want to fidget.
I do not 'fidget'.
'Tap. Tap. Tap.' She began tapping on the floor to get my attention. I glance up from the page I wasn't reading to see that she's holding up her notepad in front her face, so that only her eyes and the top of her head were visible.
Where the hell did that come from? I thought Kakashi took it away when she tried convincing Tazuna's daughter to help her outside. Was she hiding it under her blanket this whole time? I didn't even see when she wrote on it.
"Not that I'm complaining, but why are you here?" It read.
"Babysitting." I replied, annoyed with that fact. But of course the Idiot couldn't be trusted not to help her escape.
She made an offended face.
I went back to pretending to read and Sora narrowed her purple eyes at me. After another long minute of staring, she wrote something and tapped on the floor again.
"Mind helping me with something?"
"You're supposed to be resting." I dryly reminded her. Sora only waved her hand dismissively as she ignored me and flipped through her notepad. When she turned it back around, it was to an empty page.
She tapped the blank page.
I gave her a flat look, "It's blank." I informed her.
She pointed a finger at her eye. What is-Wait, did she want me to use my Sharingan? I felt my eyebrows knit together.
Why would she do that?
"Did you hit your head last time Kakashi dragged you back in?"
Sora rolled her eyes before she sat up from the blankets to lean her elbow on her pillow and tapped the page again, more insistently. The blank page.
She's not stupid, I'm aware of that much at least. Most of the time the older girl has some idea of what she's talking about. I can even acknowledge that she's knows a lot more than me on some subjects. So... what's so interesting about an empty page.
If she was screwing with me I was going to kick her ass, injured or not.
I closed my eyes and reached for that burning behind my eyes from the other day. I had stayed up the entire night after the fight just... activating it. I felt the chakra rush to my eyes and tomoe begin to spin lazily under my eyelids. When my eyes opened again, it was to that sharpened clarity. The red from before was gone at least. I looked at Sora and I could see the blue-green of the chakra glowing under her skin.
When I looked over the page-my eyes sharply narrowed at the green-blue writing that was not on the page before.
"How did you do that?" I demanded. I moved closer and inspected the page better. Activating and deactivating my Sharingan. The writing is there yet... it's not? The writing was a silly rhyme for children, nothing important.
She grin spread her lips and she got really excited.
Sora flipped the pad around and clicked her pen, she turned it back around when she finished, "The other day on the bridge you had asked when I had time to create my Funinjutsu array, remember?" I nodded. "I had used a special ink on the bridge so that it wouldn't be visible to the naked eye-Invisible ink-because if Zabuza or anyone recognized it as Fuinjustu then they would've destroyed or ruined it in someway."
Okay, I get that. She had been setting up a trap, Kakashi already explained that. But-"Why can I see it with my Sharingan?"
She paused to think about it, tapping the pen against her lips. When she turned the pad back around it said something I hadn't expected.
"I'm fairly sure the Sharingan can see different spectrums of light."
What.
My expression must've said what I was thinking because Sora answered the question I didn't ask.
"My invisible ink can only be seen under a special kind of light. A..." She paused, thinking. "Dark light of sorts. And the fact you can see this writing with your eyes means that the Sharingan is capable of seeing different spectrums of light. Things that are not naturally visible to the naked eye."
Different spectrums and- "Dark light? Where did you learn all this?" I asked.
"Class." She wrote simply.
"What class? I never learned anything like that in the Academy." I know I would've remembered something like this. She shrugged her shoulder uselessly. Not actually answering this time. I narrowed my eyes at her in suspicion.
"...are you lying to me?"
Sora blinked once before straightening, sitting up properly and looking me directly in the eye, her expression hard. She lifted her hands, with my Sharingan active I could see the minute trembling in her arms.
She signed, 'I have never lied in this life and I never plan on it.'
The look on her face, that... was unexpectedly serious. Sora is almost never serious... I resisted the urge to fidget under her gaze. Instead I looked to the side, and changed the subject.
"...so what did you want help with?"
She scrutinized me for a second longer but, like flipping a switch, she went back to being excited again.
"I want you to tell me if you can read this. I've been working on a Fuinjutsu that scrambles a person's language processing." She then crawled over to her bag and pulled out a big red book. She opened it up to a page filled with characters all lined in ringed patterns.
I raised an eyebrow at her. 'Language processing'? What the exactly goes through her head? I thought all she did was make barriers and paper bombs.
I looked back down at the page as she began detailing what she's learned about her project so far.
友人 Friend
March 30th, Day 14: Escape Attempt #9
"What are you doing, Naruto-niisan?"
I freeze in my tracks at the sound of Inari's voice. I quickly turn around and put a finger up to my mouth, "SHH! We gotta be quiet or the others will hear us, 'ttebayo!"
Then Sora-chan squeezed my shoulders as she began to slide down and I quickly grabbed the back of her leg again and hefted her back up.
I felt as she started to shake so I knew she was giggling. She always thinks it's hilarious when I carry her on my back because I'm shorter than her, but only by a little bit now! She used to be a lot taller than me, but I've been growing to and soon enough I'll be the taller one!
"Are you trying to sneak Sora-neesan outside again?" Sora-chan put her head on my shoulder and nodded, I nodded too. Inari frowned a little, "But... didn't you get in trouble for that?"
I frowned. Yeah, I did. the Bastard ratted us out to Kakashi-sensei and then we both got lectures!
"It'll only be for a little while 'ttebayo. We'll go out and then we'll be right back before anyone notices we were even gone!"
"Is that so...?"
I freeze and I feel that Sora-chan went stiff as well. I turn around again slowly and I see Kakashi-sensei standing in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest.
His eye was smiling but I don't think he was happy.
"Naruto... where do you think you're taking Sora?" He sounded way too cheerful.
Sora began tapping my shoulder fast.
I ran.
...we didn't get far.
正義 Justice
April 2nd, Day 17: The Guest Room (Again)
This is so boring. I ended up read the book I'd found, it was a fairytale about a Kyūketsuki who was kidnapping and biting betrothed women so he could spread his disease to the rest of the continent, making everyone else undead like him. It wasn't a bad way to kill some time, but now I've finished it.
I was so bored...
The project I was helping Sora with got put on hold when Kakashi came back and found out that we were messing with Fuinjutsu. It was explained to me that Fuinjutsu requires chakra. Sora was not allowed to use chakra until she had healed. So now we were back to doing nothing with our time.
Sora was mouthing something.
'Help... me'
I felt a smile tugging at the corner of my lips as I shook my head at her. She stuck out her bottom lip and began to pout, like that was going to work on me.
Who does she think I am? The Idiot?
No. She deserves every minute she has to be stuck in here. Maybe next time she'll remember this and won't try and won't be so eager to get herself killed again.
I went back to reading the book I'd already read.
I was so bored.
I hate being bored.
I glance out the window.
...maybe some fresh air wouldn't be so bad?
面倒な Troublesome
April 3rd, Day 18: Edge of the Construction site
I had decided to have mercy on my student and let her come with us to the bridge today. She was getting increasingly creative in her attempts at freedom. It was really only a matter of time before she worn down Sasuke and recruited him.
The Uchiha would go along with it, if only just to get his female teammate out of his hair.
The boys had gone on ahead with Tazuna-san and Inari-kun to the bridge, I opted to stay back with Sora who was having a bit of trouble walking with her crutches.
And that's why I was next to her when the Swordsman and his apprentice crossed our path.
The young man -Haku, I remember- greeted my female student with warmth in his tone, smiling with a swelled nose and purple bags under his eyes from the broken blood vessels. Ah, that was Sora's handiwork wasn't it? Good girl.
"Good morning Sora-san. Kakashi-san." He only gave me a polite nod. My student smiled in return, but she must've forgotten the fact she was being supported by crutches because when she tried to wave, she almost fell over.
Zabuza snorted a laugh and Haku made an aborted move to help her but I suppose something about my presence made him halt and think better of it. We may be on friendly terms with the Kiri-nin for now but that's likely to change at any moment.
Sora recovered from her almost fall and straightened herself out, cheeks pink with embarrassment. She moved over to sit on a fallen log, resting her crutches to the side.
"So what brings you two by?" I asked all too casually.
Haku answered, his tone pleasant. "We've come to check on the progress of the bridge. And to find out if there have been anymore attempts to stop construction."
Makes sense I suppose. If Zabuza isn't opposed to the completion of the bridge then anyone who had tried to interfere with the work is not aligned with his interests. And as such, are a possible threat to Zabuza's new... acquisition.
"Nope. No problems so far. In fact, from what Tazuna-san tells me we should be out of your hair in few days' time."
Sora looked up at me sharply from the corner of her eye. Didn't she know that? Oh right, she couldn't have, what with being locked away the past few days. Whoops.
"'Bout time." The swordsman grunted, "Those brats of yours are a bad influence on Haku. Ever since their fight he's been all mushy and shit. Won't stop clinging to me."
"...sorry Zabuza-sama." Haku mumbled with slightly flushed cheeks but he couldn't hide the small smile on his face.
The kid's posture is more relax than the last time I saw him. His body language was more open and... content. Hm. Guess my students have been an influence.
'I want to say something. Translate for me?' Sora was frowning slightly. I thought about it a moment, then nodded. Why not? After she damn near killed herself for these two, the least I could do is deliver a simple message.
"Sora wants to tell you something." I informed the Mist duo, then all attention was on Sora. She turned to face Zabuza, face serious.
'Peaches.' I swallowed the laugh that bubbled up in my throat. My red-headish student has a thing for silly nicknames. it's amusing. 'If you tell Haku that he's less than an important person to you ever again, I will find you and seal you into a sheet of paper.'
Oh, Kami-sama. No.
I narrowed my eye at her in warning. She pretended not to notice.
Zabuza huffed, looking annoyed. "What did she say?"
My student looked up at me expectantly.
Hell no.
I'm not sure how, but she read my expression and began looking for her notepad. She seemed determined to deliver this death threat to the swordsman.
I held in a sigh, knowing that it would not help me now.
I'll have to have a conversation with her about her distinctly lacking survival instinct later. And maybe a little about common damned sense when speaking with deadly nukenin.
...Kami-sama save me.
"She said..." I resisted a sigh, again. "if you hurt Haku's feelings again by telling him he's nothing but a tool, that she will find you and seal you into a piece of paper." I dreaded every word that passed my lips.
I could've sworn I once thought that she'd be the least troublesome of my three students. On paper this should be true. I wonder if Hokage-sama knew she was like this when he assigned her to me? He probably did and this is punishment for my perpetual tardiness. This seems like the kind of thing that would happen to me.
Zabuza stared, his eyes dark and critical.
Haku stared, his mouth slightly parted.
Sora looked completely serious.
"...Hm. That's a new one actually. Heheh... that's a pretty good threat kid!" Oh, shit. He was grinning under those bandages. Zabuza leaned down towards my student and I watched him very carefully. "You're either really stupid or have the biggest balls I've ever seen girlie."
I finally sighed, suddenly feeling very tired and hung my head. Sora was matching the nukenin's grin with a toothy one of her own.
"...Please don't encourage her."
純粋 Pure
April 4th, Day 19: Escape Attempt #13
It's true what they say about freedom.
The taste is deliciously sweet.
I'd finally gained enough strength in my body to make my way out to my little spot near the waterside. Though I'm fairly sure that Scarecrow allowed me to escape tonight, I have been on my best behavior recently.
It was around midnight and I was looking up at the stars, memories of Him drifting to the front of my mind. This was his favorite thing to do in the world. To sit down and watch the sky change, to point out constellations to me and make silly wishes on falling stars.
I tightened my grip on the blanket I'd brought with me.
My ribs were mostly healed from the fight -here, I thanked Kaa-chan's genes- and so my sensing was returning to normal. That's how I was able to sense a very pretty chakra approach from the east.
Haku was standing there, a small smile on his lips.
"Evening, Sora-san."
I returned his smile and wiggled my fingers in a wave.
I gestured for him to sit and he took the seat right next to me, our shoulders were nearly touching. I raised a brow but didn't make a comment.
Oddly enough, his proximity didn't alarm me. His chakra wasn't calming but it was easy enough to be around. I didn't know what to make of him honestly. This was something new.
"How are your ribs?"
I shrugged, they could be better. I gestured towards his nose. He lifted a thin hand and gently prodded the bandage over the purple skin. I winced in sympathy, it looked bad.
"It will be healed soon enough."
I nodded. Then chastised myself for not thinking to bring along my notepad. I didn't think that I would be having any conversations. I wanted to ask how he was doing with Peaches. I pursed my lips before just trying it the old fashioned way.
'Za-bu-za' I mouthed.
He looked at me curiously before connecting the dots. He was rather clever. "Zabuza-sama is doing fine, as well. His injuries from the battle were not life-threatening in any way."
I nodded again, I figured he'd be fine. But what I really wanted to know is if Haku was okay, and not just physically. He wanted to die last week.
I motioned towards the Yuki boy again. He was confused for a moment as he searched my expression. He figured it out because he looked away, his voice was quiet as he spoke.
"I... I am doing better."
I pulled the blanket up higher around my shoulders, it was getting kinda chilly all of a sudden.
"You know, he... he denies ever saying anything, of course. But still... I saw it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears... he had mourned for me."
His brown eyes were full of emotions as he looked out at the water. His chakra was radiating pure warmth and happiness.
Something cold landed on my nose. I had to cross my eyes to get a better look at it. Then I saw more of it, falling all around us.
It had started snowing.
I reached out a hand from the blanket and caught a drifting flurry. It melted when it touched my skin. I'd haven't seen a snowfall since I was eight.
Wait, didn't this mean...?
I turned away from the sky towards Haku.
He was looking at me now with such earnesty in his brown eyes. This boy was so very different than the one that came to meet me last week. The cautious one that thought-believed that he was unloved, only wanted for his abilities.
"Sora-san... you have given me a gift that I will never be able to repay you for."
This boy had joy practically radiating off of him in every way, his eyes were brighter and he had a glow about him. It brought a smile to my face.
He leaned forward.
It was not even for a moment before he pulled away, turning to look back up at the sky.
I blinked once, twice.
"...thank you."
My face was burning now.
The snow flurries were doing nothing for it. I would swear my cheeks and ears were on fire by a Katon jutsu then and there.
I lifted my eyes to watch the snow fall again, not looking to see if his cheeks were tinted pink as well.
...it wasn't that cold anymore.
April 6th, Day 21: The (Unnamed) Bridge
It's been ten days since the Battle on the Bridge. Ten days was all that was needed to finish the work on the bridge. The bridge was done and our mission was complete.
It was time to finally go home.
Team Seven was all assembled on the bridge, only Tazuna and his family were here to see us off. Unconsciously I reached out my senses and was somewhat -and irrationally- disappointed to not find anyone else. Then I reminded myself that Peaches was not the sentimental type and Haku was... well, I suppose I didn't really know.
Tazuna spoke, voice thick. "Thanks to you we've completed the bridge, but... this super sad."
Naruto and Inari-chan were two seconds from having a breakdown. The two boys were trying to muffle the small whining noises they were making trying not to cry in front of the other.
The Hero's voice was wobbly and he was trembling slightly when he spoke, "Don't worry, we'll come to visit!"
Inari-chan's lip was quivering. "You... better."
Naruto forced a smile. "Inari... you're sad right? It's alright to cry 'ttebayo!"
"I'm not going to cry! But Naruto-niisan, you can cry too!"
"...Fine." Naruto spun on his heel to leave and Inari-chan made an aborted move but I rolled my eyes and reached backwards, grabbing my best friend by the orange of his jacket and yanking him back.
He shouted in surprise as he twirled around and was faced with Inari-chan again. I gave Naruto a little shove and the two shared a goodbye hug. By now both boys were snot-faced and had tears streaming down their cheeks.
"Wuuuu..." "Gwahhh..."
I actually shared an eyeroll with Duckie this time. As cute as they were, they shouldn't be trying to act so tough for no reason. They were still boys after all.
When they were finished Scarecrow spoke, giving the Wave natives a nod of his head. "Maa... it's about time to head off. Thank you for everything."
The Hero scrubbed the snot off his face with his sleeve and waved goodbye with me as we started down the bridge, back towards the Land of Fire.
The sun was warm and bright on my face, there wasn't a single cloud in the blue sky today. The inviting scenery was a stark contrast to how we arrived in Wave country.
I was walking alongside Duckie as the Hero matched his pace with our teacher's. He was chattering on, "Let's get another A-Rank mission, 'ttebayo!"
Kakashi's chakra spun with multiple emotions. The prominent one being distress with that thought. I shared this feeling completely. Just because I have faulty survival instincts doesn't mean that I'm eager to confront extreme danger.
So she finally admits it! Terra cried victoriously.
'I know my faults.' I ignored her over-dramatic reaction.
"Forget it! Zabuza and Haku were such dangerous opponents it's miracle that we all made it back unharmed." The ex-ANBU told the blonde. Said blonde groaned in protest. "Look, A-Rank missions are supposed to come after you've learned more ninjutsu and get stronger."
Naruto crossed his arms over his chest and frowned thoughtfully. "Hmmm... I guess. But I need to find more things I wanna protect, too!"
"Huh?"
"Haku told me that people only become truly strong when they're trying to protect what's important to them!"
That's... It was quiet for a moment. All of us listening.
"I see..." The ex-ANBU murmured, "And do you agree with him?"
"Yup! When I was watching Haku and Zabuza... I felt the same way!" Naruto's grin was wide as he placed his hands behind his head. I slowed down my pace to walk beside my best friend. "Hey, Kakashi-sensei! What about this?"
"Yes?"
"Okay, I know they were technically our enemies... but, but... I liked them!" Naruto was smile was tentative now, unsure. "...is that weird?"
Sensei paused a moment as his chakra began swirling warmly, he started chuckling.
"No... I liked them too."
Overcome with fondness, I slung my arm around my Hero's shoulders as we walked along the bridge. He grinned widely. "YEAH! Let's hurry home so we can go have some ramen at Ichiraku's! Oh! And I have to tell Konohamaru all about my legendary feats!"
Naruto dashed forward a little ways, bursting with excitement. As we finally passed by the last stretch of Wave country before heading across the open water, I sensed something at the edge of coast, near the trees.
Cold and beautiful. A gentle feeling that was like the beginning of spring.
His chakra... it...
I glanced to the side and saw a boy standing out on the rocks. He raised his hand in goodbye.
The same boy who had stolen my second first kiss.
I smiled as I pressed my lips together and placed my thumb over them. I could still feel the unexpected warmth that didn't last even a moment.
"Thinking about your boyfriend?"
I startled at the sound of Sasuke's voice suddenly close. When I looked over, he had that smug little smirk on his face again. The one that makes me want to smack him.
Boyfri-Is he talking about Haku!?
I valiantly fought down the blush that rose to my face and gave the Duckie a very unimpressed look, it was more of a glare. He was trying to bait me again, apparently this is our new thing.
I signed irritably, 'He's not my boyfriend. He's a boy, who is also a friend.'
"Hn." He sounded unconvinced, still smirking.
'Really. I have no interest in dating someone who is prettier than I am.' I told him semi-seriously. Then I resisted a smirk as I leaned over and placed my hand on his shoulder, giving him an apologetic look.
'Sorry.' I told him.
Duckie blinked clueless onyx orbs before his brain caught up. When he realized the implications of my words, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment and anger. Oh look, the smirk is gone now.
He threw off my hand, "In your dreams!"
I guess Naruto had been paying attention to our conversation because he reacted, grabbing onto my arm. "WHAT!? Sora-chan, you can't date the bastard 'ttebayo! Anyone but him, PLEASE!"
"The hell! And who said I would ever be interested in her?"
'And what's so wrong with me?' "What's wrong with Sora-chan you bastard!?"
He raised a hand and started counting down.
That little twerp! Terra cried indignantly.
I raised my hand to smack his silly Uchiha head, he easily ducked to the side. Naruto followed my lead and pursued Duckie, they started fighting. They began getting rough -there was hair pulling now- and as I was about to step in-SASUKE JUST THREW NARUTO OVER THE SIDE OF THE BRIDGE!
"BASTAAAAARD!" 'SPLASH!'
I slipped my bag over my head and stalked towards the Uchiha who was looking haughtily over the soggy Uzumaki who was sputtering in the water. He didn't have a chance to react as I grabbed the collar of his blue shirt and the back of his white shorts and hauled him over the railing.
He made a delightful splash.
After he came back up for air and wiped the hair from his face I was grinning victoriously, leaning on the railing as the soaking Duckie death glared me.
"Soraaaaa..." He snarled threateningly, I was very unaffected.
When he smirked evilly, I frowned in confusion.
I felt the hem of my pants being yanked before I saw the water suddenly coming towards me. I held in my breath and flailed my arms uselessly as I landed in the cool water.
Getting my bearings back I broke the surface to gasp for the air that left me as I hit the water. Pushing the wet bangs out my face I looked up at the bridge. Scarecrow was looking way too casual with his book out as his chakra laughed at us.
I couldn't help it.
I smiled and I started laughing too. Soon enough the Hero joined me. Sasuke just looked like he wanted to be far away from all of us.
Things have changed.
Not in the same ways as Before, no. But... we've changed. The four of us. And the best part of all this?
I don't know whether to be ecstatic or terrified.
Breaking Waves Arc,
Chapter Seventeen: "Ripples"
END
A/N: Sigh. There was an entire Naruto POV where Haku says goodbye to the team and how Sora pulled off the genjustu from the last chapter gets explained but... I just couldn't find it in myself to write it and it got scrapped. It might be a flashback in the future but I just couldn't do it this week. Sorry!
This chapter had some cute parts but I felt it was a bit unsatisfying over all... oh well. Guess I'm just ready to get back to Konoha already.
This is official end of the Breaking Waves Arc! Next chapter will be something a little different than I've been doing so far, but I've been planning it for a while now so I'm excited for it!
I warned you guys I was a hopeless romantic. That scene up there was all cheesiness...
When I say that the main focus of the story isn't romance, that doesn't mean that there'll be no romance. They're still hormonal teenagers after all. They will have feelings, confusing and often times very messy feelings. I'm just sayin' Sora isn't about to go around wooing anyone, or the 12-13 year-old's are gonna to start going steady.
Before anyone goes crazy, I need to say I have NO IDEA when Haku and Zabuza will be showing up again. Therefore, any SoraxHaku... stuff, will not promised because I currently have no clue where they will fit in! But! I can promise the return of someone else who has been missing this last... entire Arc. A certain Kitty ANBU, mayhaps?
Author (answers a) Question! -It's a thing. You can ask one if you want. Nothing too weird 'doe-
"Out of all the Akatsuki, which do you think has the greatest potential for redemption? (This is aside from the ones who are redeemed later on, ie. Itachi and Nagato)" -joebob323
Hrmm~ A very good question! If Konan, Nagato, Itachi and Obito don't count... Well, I want to say Sasori. I think if someone would've applied a lot of hugs and affection to the puppet-master then things would've turned out a lot better.
Then there's Kisame, someone should've just been straight with the guy. Then Kakuzu, he needed a friend. Deidara and Hidan -as much as I love/want to strangle them- just like killing people for fun/art. Did I miss anybody...?
Oh.
Kuro Zetsu can rot and burn.
Wuv yew all! (Except Kuro Zetsu)
-Nanami