Naruto shuffled through the crowded cafeteria of Konoha High trying to decide if he was going to fuck around at the arcade with his friends after school or maybe just go home and nap.
"Hey, guys!" Naruto happily greeted his friends as he approached their usual lunch table. The boys all smiled, nodded, or gave a wave of acknowledgment. He plopped himself on the nearest chair and began retrieving his lunch from his backpack.
When Naruto looked up he found Kiba staring directly at him with an eager smile. Despite being slightly perturbed by his friend's expectant gaze, Naruto raised a curious eyebrow. "What?"
"Man, I have a really super genius idea and you just have to get in on it!" Kiba beamed.
"Huh?" Naruto was confused. Kiba was not really one to be considered a genius but maybe he figured out a new hack for the video game they've been playing.
"Oh just give it a rest already," Shikamaru groaned. Choji laughed as he continued munching away on a bag of potato chips.
"Oh shut up!" Kiba scoffed at Shikamaru. Now he was really confused... "Naruto isn't lame like you guys! He'll totally back me up because he's my only friend who recognizes my brilliance!"
"Okay wait, rewind!" Naruto chuckled, waving his hands. "What is it that we're doing?"
"We're gonna become cheerleaders!" Kiba grinned.
"Uhh...what?" Naruto scrunched his face, like that was absolutely not where he thought this conversation was going.
"I told you no one is interested in your scheme," Shikamaru said shaking his head and returning to his lunch in front of him.
"Wait no! Naruto, hear me out!" Kiba said, standing and leaning over the table to get closer to him. "Picture this! Me and you, and twenty babes in short skirts!"
"Hmm..." A smirk tugged at Naruto's lips as he imagined it. It did seem like a better way to spend an afternoon than the arcade.
And Sakura was on the cheer team too! Maybe if she actually spent some time with him, she'd stop calling him a moron and actually consider going out with him!
Seeing his expression shift, Kiba began nodding eagerly. "See! See! He gets it!"
"Okay, so I can totally see the benefits, but like... what if we get made fun of?"
"I'll definitely make fun of you," Sasuke mumbled.
"Who cares!" Kiba practically shouted. "We'll be the ones laughing because we'll be hanging out with all the hot cheerleaders every day after school!"
Naruto smiled and scratched his cheek. "I mean that does sound pretty good... but I don't know the first thing about cheerleading."
"Neither do I! But Ino told me they're looking for some muscle to beef up their competition team, I'm sure they can teach us what we need to know! I mean we're in shape, how hard could it really be?!"
"The cheer team?" Hinata mumbled, twisting her hair around her finger. "I, uh, I don't really think I'm suited for something like that."
"Oh c'mon Hinata," Sakura whined, as the girls exited their last class of the day. "As a gymnast, you're like already halfway there! I'm sure you can pick up on the routines quickly, it's just a matter of learning stunts."
"Well, it's not so much the skills..." she hesitated. "It's more... the performing..."
"What do you mean?!" Sakura frowned as they stopped at her locker. After exchanging her textbook for her cheer duffle, the pinkette turned to her friend with an incredulous look. "You perform at gymnastics competitions?"
Hinata sighed, "Yeah but that... that's different. The crowd is like other people's families and stuff. Cheerleading is performing in front of the whole school... all my peers... basically everyone I know..."
Her voice grew quieter as her face grew more horrified at the thought of messing up or looking like a fool in front of the whole school.
"Whoa Hinata, chill! It's really not as intense as you're making it seem. But maybe that's the exact reason you should do it!"
"Huh?"
"I mean, I already know you'd be so awesome! I think this could really help build your confidence!" Sakura reasoned. Her encouraging smile made Hinata begin to consider the proposition.
"We're really trying to improve the team before competition season, I know some sick tumbling passes from you would really up our routines. Please, will you think about it? Please?"
"Umm, yeah, I'll think about it. I'd have to talk to my dad too. I would probably need to take a step back from gym if I did join."
"Well think it over," Sakura said, closing her locker and throwing her cheer duffle over her shoulder. "I can introduce you to Coach Tsunade if you wanted to ask some questions too."
Hinata nodded. Maybe Sakura was right. She was a senior in high school, she really shouldn't be this painfully shy. Maybe stepping outside of her comfort zone would be good for her.
"Coach Tsunade is nice... well, usually nice." Sakura corrected, as she guided Hinata to the back gym where the cheer team practiced. "Sometimes she can be kinda scary, but like I'm sure she'll be nice to you."
Hinata furrowed her brow. Despite all of Sakura's reassurances and her father's surprising approval, she was still rather intimidated about joining the cheer team. Would the other girls accept her?
Hinata came dressed in a black sports bra and shorts. It was what she usually wore for gymnastics practice and it's what Sakura was wearing too, but it was still slightly unnerving being so immodest at school.
The girls entered the back gym to find an older blonde woman in a tracksuit talking with Ino, Kiba, and... Naruto!
Hinata froze in her tracks and nervously grabbed Sakura by the arm. "What's N-Naruto doing here?"
"Honestly? I have no clue," Sakura shrugged and continued walking. Hinata hesitantly followed, now feeling even more shy in the presence of her long time crush.
"Do you know how to tumble?" Tsunade asked the boys.
"I don't know what that means," Naruto laughed, scratching the back of his head.
The group turned to look at Hinata and Sakura as they approached. Ino smirked and tossed her platinum blonde ponytail over her shoulder.
"Hey Sakura, you made it just in time to witness my victory!" Ino bragged. "I recruited two big, strong boys to the team. I'm sure they can add some power to our stunts. Ooh! Or if they can learn to partner stunt that would totally up our competition scores!" Ino looked to Tsunade with a bright smile.
Sakura rolled her eyes. "That's a pretty big IF, Ino! You didn't win, because I brought a guarantee!" Hinata blanched when Sakura gestured to her. Everyone just stared at her, including Naruto. She gave a nervous wave.
"You guys know Hinata! Well, she's a gymnast. So she can totally improve the tumbling section of our routine with more complex passes."
Tsunade raised an intrigued eyebrow. "What do you have?"
"Umm, I have my full... And I'm actually working on my double."
"Damn," Ino mumbled, impressed. Most girls on the team had their back handspring. Some, including Ino and Sakura, had their back tuck, but no one was that advanced.
"Also," Hinata paused, nervously biting her lip, "...my family owns Hyuga Gymnastics, so I think if I talk to my dad the team could use the space to work on their skills. I teach private lessons — usually to younger kids but — I'd be happy to help anyone on the team improve."
"Suck it Ino!" Sakura cheered. "My recruit has skills and resources! I totally win!"
Hinata blushed. She wasn't sure what the parameters of this competition were, but she was happy to help Sakura.
"Great job girls," Tsunade smiled. "I think all three of them will make a great addition to the team."
It wasn't long before the other girls on the team began filing into the back gym. Naruto couldn't help but stare at their banging bodies all wearing revealing workout apparel. Tight leggings or short shorts. Tank tops or some wearing only sports bras.
A hit on his arm made him turn to Kiba who was sitting on the bleachers beside him, also staring. "Am I a genius or what?!" he whispered, with a self-satisfied grin.
The girls dropped their matching duffles on the bleachers and congregated into small groups chatting away before Tsunade called them all to attention. "Alright, ladies! Let's get warmed up with a lap around the school and then Ino will lead in some stretches before we have a little team meeting."
The girls all quickly ran out the back door of the gym. Kiba and Naruto just sat and stared blankly, not quite sure what they should be doing.
"What are you two goons waiting for?!" Tsunade snapped at them like they were stupid. "Go!" She gestured impatiently at the back door. Kiba and Naruto scrambled up to chase after their new teammates.
It took some effort to catch up to the girls after their headstart, but soon they met up with the pack. It seemed as though they all kept a steady pace, no one really too far ahead or behind.
Leading the pack was Ino and Sakura who seemed to be glaring at each other as each tried to be one step ahead of the other. Kiba was eager to be towards the front, probably trying to show off.
Naruto found himself somewhere towards the middle. He noticed Hinata running, her long indigo ponytail bobbed back and forth. He decided to run with her and ask about how she decided to become a cheerleader. It seemed a bit out of character for the timid girl.
Before Naruto could utter his question, his breath caught in his throat as his eyes noticed the way Hinata's rather large chest bounced as they ran.
She usually wore oversized sweaters and other loose-fitting clothes that concealed her figure. He would have never expected her slender frame to have so many muscles, let alone a huge rack!
"Hey, Hinata!" Naruto smiled, keeping pace beside her. He tried his very best not to let his gaze fall. He wasn't a perv like his godfather! "I'm a little surprised you're here. I never pegged you as the cheerleading type."
Her brow furrowed slightly at his comment, but quickly she shifted her expression to offer him a small smile instead. "Yeah I guess I'm just trying to... try something new," she shrugged. Her soft voice was sweet and genuine.
There was a brief lapse in their conversation. They were surrounded by the sound of the group's chit chat, labored breaths, and feet hitting the pavement.
Don't look at her boobs, Naruto reminded himself even as his gaze wandered to her from the corner of his eye.
"So what type am I?" she whispered.
"Huh?"
"You said I'm not the cheerleading type, so what type am I?" Hinata rephrased.
"Oh haha." He laughed awkwardly. Was his initial question offensive? He tried to figure out a nonoffensive reply but his mind was still so distracted by the bounce of her chest as they ran beside each other. "I uhh... I guess like... the nerdy type? Ya know, like studious."
That seemed like a safe choice, he was basically calling her smart, right? Like he saw her for her brain and not just those massive boobs that looked so squishy and nice. Oh, how he'd love to put his face... wait what?!
Hinata grimaced and Naruto quickly added, "I mean like the cute nerdy type though! Like you wear these big clothes that make you seem so tiny," Oh god, he was rambling. "Like it makes me feel like you need me to reach a book on the top shelf at the library... kind of cute nerdy, ya know."
Naruto's face flushed and not just from the running. He really couldn't read her facial expression and wasn't sure if his amendment made things better or worse. "Oh uhh sorry haha. Was that weird? I mean... I uh... Oh, Kiba!? What was that?! I better go catch up with him!"
Naruto picked up his pace to catch up with Kiba who had never actually called to him, leaving Hinata reeling.
"Kiba," Naruto grumbled as he jogged up to his friend. "I found one critical flaw in your plan..."
Kiba gasped in over-exaggerated offense.
"I can't talk to girls!" Naruto cried.
thanks so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!
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