Akira's POV
The chirping of birds could be heard all around me. I opened my eyes and felt the very soft ground..? The sun's beams greeted me, causing me to close my eyes once again.
(Naruto did not wake me up... Wait)
I sat up and took a glance around.
"Huh?" I said confused
"Akira you're awake" the familiar voice said. I turn to look where he's standing.
"Why am I here?" I asked
"Well, last night I got worried, I tried to send a signal using the bracelet, but after the third time, I still didn't get a response, and I got worried because I thought something happened to you and Naruto," Sensei said, putting on his jonin jacket.
"I see, so... you brought me here last night when you saw me sleeping?" I clarified.
He hums and nods his head.
"Besides, you're sick, you can't sleep in a place like that," He said eye smiling.
"Right, I'm sorry for worrying you, Sensei" I said, sighing.
I stand up and clean the futon that I was sleeping at.
"Where's Naruto?" I ask putting the futon near the cabinet where Sensei standing
"He said he still wanted to train. He's still not here" Sensei explained looking at me, hands in his pockets
I look at him and then walk towards the window, making him confused
"Akira?" He asked
"I'm going to find him, he must have passed out somewhere," I said, leaping out the window before he could respond.
"Ohh, I forgot to thank him," I said, smiling slightly as I jumped from tree to tree in search of Naruto.
-skip-
I land on a branch of a tree, stopping when I spot an orange jumpsuit talking loudly. My eyes avert to the person he was talking to
(Who?...) I jump down from the tree, getting the attention of the person talking to Naruto. Naruto notices it and stops talking looking in my direction.
"Yo," I said as I approached them.
Naruto smiled and said, "Akira, why are you here-dattebayo?"
"You're still not at Tazuna-san place so I got worried. Why didn't you come back to Tazun-san place?"
He scratches his cheeks chuckling "I passed out, besides I don't have the energy to walk last night"
"Ohh, actually, nee-chan just woke me up," He blushed as he looked at the unknown person, scratching his cheeks slightly. I turn to face the person in front of us, and she smiles at me. Naruto cuts me off just as I was about to say something.
"What are you doing here, Nee-chan?" Naruto inquires, gaining her attention.
I frown and cross my arms.
"I'm gathering medicinal herbs," she explained with a smile.
"Herbs?" Naruto said
"Yes. for healing injuries, sickness and the like." She explained still smiling
"Ohh, Akira maybe we could get some too-dattebayo" Naruto said turning to look at me.
"Why?" I ask confused
"For you and Sensei" He said touching my forehead
"You're not hot but still ... and Sensei still need to rest, it will helps him recover faster-dattebayo" He said removing his hand on my forehead, giving me a smile.
"We could get some for Sensei..." I said
"But I don't really... well we could get some for me too, my head still hurts a little..." I said quickly when I see the frown and disapproving look on his face
"Yoshi!" He turns to look at the person in front of us
"We'll also help you gather herbs, nee-chan" He said making her smile
*We started to gather herbs when Naruto suddenly speak stopping what he was doing.
"You got a lot to do early in the morning, nee-chan..." He said getting our full attention.
"You, too. What've you been doing in a place like this so early?" She asked also stopping
"Training!" Naruto said with a big smile
"Could it be that... you're a ninja or something?... What with that headband and ..." She asked
"Is that what I look like? Is it? Yup! I'm a ninja" Naruto said with a blush
(Why is he blushing...)
"No kidding. You're great, aren't you." She said making Naruto blush even more.
"But...why are you training?" She asked
"As for me, I want to get stronger!" Naruto replied
"But, you already look strong enough"
"No, no! I want to get even stronger!" Naruto said shaking his head
"What for?"
"To become the best Ninja in my village! I'm going to get everyone to recognize my strength! And I have to prove something to a certain person-dattebayo!" He said excitedly
"Is that for the sake of somebody? Or is it for your own sake?" She said intrigued, leaning forward a little. She chuckles seeing the confusion on Naruto's face
"Do you have somebody precious in your life?" She asked Naruto smiling
"Precious?" Naruto said slowly looking at me and then he nodded his head eagerly, making her smile.
Naruto looked back at her "What is it you want to say, Nee-chan?" He asked confused
She just stare at the ground making us confused.
"Why?" I asked confused by the sudden lack of response. Naruto tilted his head waiting for her to answer.
"When a person has something precious they want to protect...that's when they can truly become strong." She said making Naruto look at the ground thinking
(That's right...) I thought smiling a little
Naruto takes a glance at me and then looks back again to her with a smile "Yeah! I know that well, too-dattebayo!"
She smiled at us and stand picking up her basket "You'll get strong."
She turns her back from us "I hope we meet again somewhere." She said taking a glance at me, I nodded at her and smiled.
(Whats with that look...) I thought, frowning
"Oh... and... I'm a man!"
"Ehh!" Naruto said shocked
"ehhh..." I whispered also shocked. We just sit there shocked staring at his back. When we can't see him I can't help but chuckle.
"Man, you're blushing for a guy" I said chuckling.
"Shut it! That's strange. This world is full of mystery..." Naruto said crossing his arms with a frown on his face. I just laugh silently beside him.
"Ouch. Hey! What're you doing-dattebayo!?" Naruto shouts making me stop laughing. A slight hit on my head makes me turn to look at the person in front of us
"Ahh,mo, What?" I said holding my head
"Did you two forget about mealtime, you idiots?" He said crossing his arms. Naruto just smiles at him, chuckling a little. I just rolled my eyes at him, making him frown.
"I'll go back to Tazuna-san" I said standing up.
"Why?" Naruto asked confused
I raised the herbs that are in the plastic.
"Ahh..." Naruto said also standing up
"Well, I can go with you-dattebayo" Naruto said.
I shake my head "I just go by myself, just train there. I know you're really eager to train" I said leaving not waiting for them to respond.
(Why am I not letting people respond...Well, what do I expect from myself.) I thought shrugging
-skip-
I open the door, getting all the people inside's attention
"Akira, where did you go?" Sakura asked
"Ohh, I just find Naruto, Sasuke is there with him, so I leave them there to train." I said walking towards them.
"What's that?" Sensei asked looking at the plastic bag I'm holding
"Ohh, right" I said walking towards Tsunami-san
"umm... Naruto suggested getting some of this,... I don't actually know what to do with it" I said, a little shy.
"Ohh, I guess I didn't have to get myself later," She said, making me look at her
"I was thinking of getting some of this later for you and your Sensei... so you can recover quickly, but since you brought some, I could make this now," she said as she stood up to make medicine.
"Thank you, Tsunami-san" I said making her smile.
"Don't overdo things again..." She said lecturing us. She glances at Sensei.
"Ahh, sorry..." Sensei said scratching his neck slightly. Tsunami-san just chuckles.
"Come on Akira eat" Tsunami-san said. I nodded my head and take a seat beside Sakura.
"Akira, you're feeling okay?" She said concerned
I nodded my head smiling at her. She smiled back, and eat her food.
I was eating peacefully when Sakura suddenly speak
"Ahh, Akira where's your Hitai-ate?" She said making me confused
"Huh?" I said touching my forehead feeling that it's really not there.
"Ehh, where is it?" I said looking around and searching for it in my pockets
(It's not here...)
"Here" Sensei said giving something to me. I look at his hand and see a Hitai-ate
"I saw this when I saw you in the forest, I just forgot to give you right away" He said eye smiling,
"Ohh, I see" I said grabbing the Hitai-ate on his hand
"Thank you, Sensei" I said tying it on my head
-skip-
"Naruto?" Sakura shouts, her voice echoing in the forest
I look up at Sensei "Sensei, How long would you still be in crutches?" I ask concerned
"You've been like that for almost a week..." I continued
"Ma, don't worry, by tomorrow, I'm sure I'll be okay..." He said eye smiling and ruffling my hair a little.
"You're not using your crutches when you got back yesterday... You look like you're in a hurry..." I said confused. He remove his hand on my head, his posture become tense.
(Why...)
"Don't worry about that, I just got concerned besides you're sick when I brought you to Tazuna-san place..." I just nodded my head. He sighed and his posture become relax. I smiled a little at him and walks towards Sakura. Dismissing Sensei tense posture earlier, maybe he just got really concerned.
(Where is he?...) I thought, crossing my arms.
"Mo, Naruto?" I shout getting impatient. We all look around to find him
"Sasuke should be with him, where are they?" I said
A kunai flew in our direction, landing near our feet. We turn to look at where the kunai comes from.
"Naruto..." I mutter seeing him laying on a branch of tree. Naruto just laugh proudly
"No way... Naruto can climb that high now? Wow" Sakura said completely shocked.
"How'bout that, how'bout that?! As for me, I can climb this high now!" He said slowly standing up.
"Naruto, if you fall there, I'm really going to kill you..." I said to him jokingly, he just smirks at me
My heart skips when he jumps, his feet sliding from the branch. Sakura shouts, Sensei body become tense.
"B-baka!" I mutter ready to run to catch him.
"Gotcha!" He said hanging on the branch upside down, smiling at us. I sigh, relief that his not really going to fall
(This brat...)
"You fell for it, you fell for it!"
"Don't scare us like that!" Sakura shout annoyed. He just laugh at us
"Naruto..you should-" I said but stop immediately when his feet deattached from the branch
"Huh" I said, my heart skips.
"Oh! You idiot, Naruto! It's cuz you went overboard!" Sakura shouts.
I was about to run again to catch him. When a figure running towards Naruto caught my eyes I immediately stops. Sasuke caught Naruto's foot by also hanging upside down on the branch.
"You fool" Sasuke said
"Nice, Sasuke-kun. You're awesome!" Sakura shouts, seeing Sasuke. I place my hand on top of my chest and sigh.
"Mo..." I whispered, calming my heart.
"You guys are really growing" Sensei said when Naruto and Sasuke get down from the tree. Sasuke smirks, cross arms, Sakura having a blush, Naruto chuckling, scratching his head, while I just cross my arms, nodding my head.
"I really didn't do anything..." I sighed
Sakura giggles, I heard Sasuke smirks.
Naruto nudges me "Man, Sakura and You are lucky, you both have a great chakra control-dattebayo" He said with a pout.
"Ma, maybe next time you will have a hard time in training" Sensei said putting his hand on my head.
"Yoshi! Next time I will be able to climb that tree to the top-dattebayo" Naruto shouts raising his arm, eyes full of determination.
"hpmh" Sasuke said with a smirk
"And I will beat you teme!" Naruto said pointing at him
"As if, usuratonkachi..." Sasuke said making Naruto annoyed. We all chuckled looking at the scene.
-skip-
I grumbled and sulk at the corner of the room.
"Ma, you can't stay there with them, you need to rest, you just recovered" Sensei said leaning his shoulder on the wall near the window.
"But I'm already feeling well since last night" I said with crossed arm
"Akira, Sensei is right, even if you feel better, you still need to rest" Sakura said who is sitting beside me. I just continue sulking there.
(For them to drag me here... Naruto and Sasuke even push me away from them... I'm not even doing anything here.)
"Ma, we should go down dinner is almost up" Sensei said walking towards us. Sakura stand up and look at me, waiting for me to follow. I didn't move an inch from my position
"If you don't I will carry you again... you don't want that do you..." Sensei said teasing me
(Damn him...)
I quickly stand up, not wanting to be carried again. Sakura chuckles and hold my hand dragging me with her. Sensei following behind us
-skip-
"They're late. And not just Naruto, but even Sasuke-kun too." Sakura says as Tsunami-san put the food on the table. I just put my head on the table with furrowed eyebrows.
The door suddenly opened getting our attention.
I just look at them and go back to my position earlier.
"What happened to you guys? You're really muddy and really wiped out" Tazuna-san said.
Naruto chuckles "We both... climbed up to the top."
"Good." I heard Sensei said.
"Naruto, Sasuke, you'll also start guarding Tazuna-san next time!" Sensei added
"Got it! Whoa!" Naruto shouts, I heard a thud making me look at their direction
"You usuratonkachi!" Sasuke said sitting on the ground. I can't help but chuckles at them
-skip-
"It's just a teeny little bit, the bridge will be complete. It thanks to you guys" Tazuna-san said
"Even so, don't let your guard down..."Tsunami-san said cleaning the plates
"I've really wanted to ask you for a long time now... But why are you still here even though I lied about the mission?" Tazuna-san asked
Sensei put his hand together "To see what is right without doing it bespeaks an absence of courage. Like master, like man" He said making them confused. Akira take a glance at the ceiling thinking and nodded.
"It's a teaching of the late Hokage" Sensei said. I look at Naruto who is sitting beside me
"Naruto..." I whisper, poking his cheeks
"mhm" He said sleepily, eyes closed
"I'll bring you to your room..." I whispered to him
"mhmh" I was about to stand up when the chibi named Inari got my attention
(What is it?)
"Why...?" Inari said crying, Naruto open his eyes and looked at him confused.
"What is it?" he asked sitting up
Inari suddenly stand up, putting both his hand on the table
"Why do you desperately work so hard until you get like that?! There's no way you'd be a match for Gato's men even if you train! No matter what cool things you say or how much effort you make... the weak always lose out...against the truly strong!" The chibi shouts. We looked at him shocked
(Naruto's not weak...) I thought clenching my fist slightly.
"Shut up. I'm not like you." Naruto said looking at the side, head still resting in his arms.
"Shut up! Looking at you makes me sick! Sticking your nose in even though you know nothing of this land! I'm not like you who's always acting frivolous not knowing anything about pain." He shouts,
(This kid... calm down Akira...) I thought clenching my fist more. I just look at Naruto in attempt to calm me.
"So you're just gonna cry all day like the lead in a tragedy? An idiot like you, can just cry forever! You crybaby!" Naruto shouts looking directly at Inari.
"Naruto! That's a bit harsh!" Sakura said. Naruto just stands up ignoring her. He glance at me as if saying to follow him.
"oi,chibi... It's not like I'm invalidating your feelings, but Naruto... Naruto is a definition of a strong person because he understands what pain is. And you tell us that we don't know anything about this land, don't you see how people in this land suffer because of Gato, you can't expect us to stop and give up just because we're not strong enough. Chibi... you can't just cry forever and let your own land falls. Be grateful you still have something to eat and shelter to keep you safe." I said emotionless.
"Akira..." Sakura and Sensei said. I just glance at them and turn to look at Tsunami-san and Tazuna-san who looked shocked
"Thank you for the meal, Tazuna-san and Tsunami-san," I said, bowing a little and putting my hands in my pockets. They looked surprised at me but nodded slightly. I leave the house to follow Naruto.
"Tch... damn it" I whispered
"I should not have said that..." I said frustrated, kicking the small stone
(I'm sorry, Inari, but you need to let go of the pain and your past in order to move forward. You can't cure your own suffering by making others suffer...) I thought sighing.
I jump when a hand pulled me.
"Akira..." The familiar voice said
"Naruto..." I said confused
"What is it?" I asked
"mhm, nothing... I just want to stay here for a while" He said pulling me in the forest laying down on the slightly wet grass. I hum and lie down with him. I just sigh contentedly and look up at the night sky
"Akira..."
I hum letting him know that I'm listening
"Akira... you won't leave me right, even if you know that I have it..." He said making me look at him. His looking up at the sky with sad eyes
"No, Naruto... Like I always told you I will be always there for you. I'll always protect you..." I said looking up at him affectionately. He chuckles
"I still remember the day you told me that, the day I finally have someone..." He said with a affectionate look.
"ahhh, that's remind me of something..." I said with a smile.
" You cry like a baby that time..." I said teasing him
"Geez forget it already, I was just happy..." He said with a pout.
I chuckle at him and lean my head on his shoulder.