"Are you sure I'm ready?" Naruto whispered.
Hinata stood directly in front of him, her comforting hands rested on his biceps. "You totally got this," she reassured. "You've done it at the gym so many times, it'll be no different."
Naruto peeked over his shoulder as the other girls on the team were pulling out the blue mats and getting ready for practice to start. A few of them curious about Naruto and Hinata's recent and open affection.
Noticing his hesitation, Hinata added. "I can spot you if you want or we could wait until next week."
Naruto shook his head. "No, you're right. I can do this. I can totally do this."
"You can," she smiled and gave him an encouraging squeeze before letting go. The pair walked over to Coach Tsunade, who was sitting on the bleachers reading emails.
"What's up?" she asked, looking up from her phone.
"Naruto wants to show you what we've been working on," Hinata stated.
Tsunade glanced over at Naruto who was grinning nervously. "Great, let's see it," she said, standing up and clapping to get the rest of the team's attention. "Let's clear some space on the mats, Naruto is going to show us what he can do."
Naruto grimaced as the rest of the team moved to the edges of the mat. He had imagined just showing Coach, but now it was painfully obvious he should've expected to show everyone. He positioned himself in the center of the mat, facing forward toward Tsunade.
He could do it, he knew he could, but now he felt dumb because it was a skill the girls on the team probably thought was so basic. Naruto scanned around the room, all his teammates staring at him expectantly. Some looked bored, others curious.
He met eyes with Hinata. She gave him a sweet smile and a little thumbs-up, and he forgot what he was so nervous about.
He faced back toward their coach but imagined himself at Hyuga Gym. No one is watching.
It's just him and Hinata.
Naruto reached his arms forward, swung them back, and threw a flawless standing back handspring.
"Nice," Tsunade complemented. The girls on the team gave him some polite applause and words of encouragement. Without thinking, he rushed over to Hinata and scooped her up in a big hug. An involuntary giggle escaped her lips as he lifted her feet off the ground.
"It was easy! I knew I could do it!" he exclaimed and squeezed her tight.
"I told you," she said softly as he set her down, but didn't quite let her go. "That was perfect," she added and his smile grew wider.
Naruto finally released her when he turned around to receive a high five from Kiba before going over to Tsunade to talk about what he would be working on next. Hinata couldn't help the big grin on her face as she watched him talk animatedly to their coach.
Hinata was brought out of her daze when she noticed two pairs of eyes on her. "Um, hey?" she said awkwardly.
"What was that?" Ino smirked.
"What was what?" she replied innocently.
Ino crossed her arms over her chest as icy blue eyes glanced at Naruto and then returned to Hinata, raising an eyebrow as if to say 'you know what'. Hinata silently shrugged like she still had no clue what her friend was referring to.
"Oh come on!" Sakura chimed in. "He acts like an eager puppy trying to earn your praise with his new trick!"
"What?" Hinata blushed. "It's not like that!"
Her eyes unconsciously flickered at Naruto. It wasn't like that! Her friends were being ridiculous!
"How did I do, Hinata?!" Sakura said, mocking Naruto.
"Please tell me I'm a good boy, Hinata!" Ino added before both girls broke out into laughter.
"Stop it!" Hinata cried, covering her face in embarrassment. "It-it's not like that!"
"Isn't it though?" Sakura chuckled. Thankfully the girls stopped teasing her when Naruto came back over, still sporting the same accomplished smile.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
"Nothing!" Hinata blurted immediately. Ino and Sakura just laughed harder.
"Shion is obviously the best flyer on the team," Kiba argued.
"You're just saying that because she's your flyer!" Naruto countered. "Fine sure, Shion's a crowd-pleaser, but she can't even pull a scorpion!"
Kiba scoffed with offense, "she's working on her back flexibility!"
"What the fuck are you guys even talking about?" Shikamaru grumbled.
Kiba and Naruto turned to their friends to see that their lunch table was watching them with a mixture of confusion and annoyance.
"Oh haha," Naruto laughed. "Just cheer stuff." It was actually kind of funny how easily both of them threw around the terminology that was once so confusing.
"Yeah, Naruto's just over here slandering my girl!" Kiba exclaimed.
"It's not slander! It's just my opinion!"
"Fine then, iN yOuR oPiNioN, who's the best flyer?"
Images of a certain indigo haired girl popped into Naruto's head. She was so strong and flexible. Her voice wasn't the loudest, but her smile lit up the whole gym.
Maybe he favored her because she was his flyer, but he had also seen her progress so much in just the two months they had been practicing. "Well…"
"And don't say Hinata," Kiba added, crossing his arms knowing exactly where Naruto's thoughts were headed. "She just barely learned how to do a full down."
"Actually, I was going to say Tenten," Naruto lied.
Kiba tilted his head, giving that some thought. "You're probably right when it comes to all-around skill level. But it helps that the rest of her stunt group is so experienced, especially their back spot."
Kiba turned to Shikamaru, "you know your girlfriend is wicked strong."
"Temari is not my girlfriend," Shikamaru frowned.
"I didn't say Temari, but it's funny that you knew who I meant," Kiba grinned, bumping his friend with his elbow a few times.
"Yeah I heard from some of the other girls on the team that she talks about you," Naruto said with an equally cheesy smile and a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows. "Like all the time."
Shikamaru sat up straight, "wait, really?! What does she say?"
"I thought you guys became cheerleaders to get with girls, not to become them. You're gossiping like a bunch of bitches," Sasuke commented with a bored frown.
Kiba and Naruto sent a glare toward their raven-haired friend. Choji chuckled at the exchange, "you guys are so funny."
Everyone was wrapping up after practice on Thursday, lingering around and chatting weekend plans. Tsunade called Kiba, Naruto, and Hinata over to where she sat on the bleachers. The three quickly grabbed their belongings and stood before their coach.
"I have a present for you guys," she smiled as she unpacked a small cardboard box.
Their eyes lit up as Tsunade pulled out a sleek, athletic jacket in their school colors with 'Konoha Cheer' emblazoned on the back. Kiba reached out to feel it.
"That one's for you," she said handing the jacket to Kiba, before pulling out another and tossing it to Naruto, and finally Hinata's.
Hinata smiled brightly as she inspected the garment. Unlike the boys', the lettering on the back of her jacket was bedazzled. It was fun and an adorable symbol that showed she was a part of a team. Hinata loved it.
Naruto immediately slipped on his jacket, flashing the back in Hinata's direction. "Do I look cool?" he grinned, looking over his shoulder at her.
"The coolest," Hinata smiled.
"Everyone is wearing their jackets tomorrow to support the basketball team since they have an away game," Tsunade told them.
"Awesome!" Naruto grinned. Tsunade also gave them track pants that matched the jackets and informed them their competition uniforms would be coming soon.
Naruto and Hinata waved goodbye to Kiba as they parted ways in the school's parking lot. "What are you in the mood for today?" Naruto asked, secretly hoping she would choose ramen for their after-practice snack.
"Actually, Naruto," Hinata sighed. "I think I should go straight home today. I have a test in Calc tomorrow and I've been having a hard time."
"I could help you if you want?" he offered. "I'm acing Calculus right now." Hinata's brows scrunched together as she shot him an incredulous look.
"Could you please not act so surprised!?" Naruto laughed. "I'm not just a pretty face, ya know!"
"Okay, I'm so sorry I doubted you!" Hinata giggled. To be honest, she was still a little skeptical about how much Naruto could help her, but it was hard to resist spending time with him. "Where should we go?"
The pair slipped into Naruto's car. "We can just go over to my house," he said simply as he started the car. Their ears were immediately assaulted by loud radio music. Naruto chuckled as he sheepishly turned down the volume, a little embarrassed at the evidence that he was rocking out on his way to school that morning.
"Will anyone else be there?" she asked nervously, her hands fidgeting in her lap. She'd never been alone at a boy's house before.
"Nah, I just live with my godfather and he's usually out and about during the day, so it should be pretty quiet."
That wasn't really her concerned but she silently nodded.
Confused by her quiet response, Naruto looked over to her with a furrowed brow. "Is that a problem?"
Being alone at Naruto's house? Just the two of them… Alone?!
"No, no problem," she replied despite her rapidly quickening heart rate.
"Great!" he smiled.