hi again. This chapter is not really a fluff chapter but a building one

I realize ive developed Suiren's friendship with Sasuke and Sakura but not Naurto.

Enjoy the peace. Troubling times to come ;)

xoxo

Dinners with Kakashi were usually quiet. Just a few exchanges of how my day was nothing to prying. Tonight he watched me, carefully. It was strange. I had only ever felt this watchful eye from my uncle; I wasn't sure how I felt about. I cleared my throat making eye contact with the baby carrot on my plate, fingers fiddling with the chopsticks in my left hand, "The team is very fond of you aren't they." I gulped and glanced up meeting his one exposed eye and nodded.

"I am very fond of them too." I added in and I could see his lips curve up in a smile. He was of course already done with his plate and as usual was just waiting for me to finish up.

He always ate so fast, I never saw his face. He leaned back losing come of his forced composure, just relaxing. "I'm sorry about today." He finally said bring his attention back to me. I shrugged my shoulders. I had meant what I said out there, I didn't think I was ready just yet. "There is always next year." I said pushing a smile. "Besides I don't think im ready." I forced a chuckle out of my mouth before finally committing to eating that piece of baby carrot.

"I think your leadership skills are Chunin level but if you don't think you're ready." My fingers twitched, had he figured out a way to get me in? Is that why we were having this conversation?

"I need more then leadership skills to past this test, no?" I said a small smirk played at the corner of my lips. I think I was inheriting that from my time with the Uchiha. A carefree laugh echoed in the room and I couldn't help but smile, "Let's be serious for a moment. You spend every night studying everyday training. Your chakra control was already great and with the team you have just flourished. I think you surpass ready."

Heat pricked my face. I wasn't used to so many compliments but it seemed the day was just littered with them. "Thanks" I said softly and the older ninja shook his head, "I'm stating facts Suiren."

"Still." Grabbing my tea between my hands I took a sip.

"You might even be more ready this Sakura." I choked slightly on my tea, "I will not go into the exams as her replacement." The idea made my blood boil. She was part of the team first, my friend, my ally and she deserved this chance just us much as the rest of us. Kakashi held his hands up in defense. I stood up and started to clean our dished.

"I'm not saying that's what I was going to do. Relax." You better not was what I wanted to say but I didn't.

A knock at the door startled me. I eyed the piece of wood as I dried my hands on a dish towel. Kakashi was there before me and opened the door. "Sasuke -." The silver haired man said allowing him to step inside. My eyes narrowed. What was he doing? "How can I help you?" He asked him. It took me only a moment to get to the two. "I'm just here to study." He said glancing over at me. I crossed my arms over my chest. Way to ask me if I wanted company studying.

Kakashi eyes me, a glimmer in his eye, "Alright fine." He said shutting the door behind my teammate. I headed up toward the stairs and Sasuke followed. "Not to late okay. And leave your door open." My face warmed up at his comment. Was he serious? I raced to my room with a sudden urge to shut my door but I only closed it half way.

I watched the boy head to my book self. "Decided to use the front door this time?"

"hn." He answered grabbing the scroll he had given me. He flopped down on my bed making himself at home and I shook my head. "Have you tried reading this yet?" He asked. "No not yet." I almost got hit in the face when he tossed it to me. I suppressed a small growl growing in my chest and plopped down next to him. Opening the scroll my nose twitched.

I looked at it a bit confused, "Can you read it?" He asked, face closer to mine then I would have liked. "Well sort of." I said lifting it up and turning it aide to side. "Sort of?" He glanced at me and I him. His eyes red, just the way I liked them. Ugh, I pushed that idea aside.

"Yea like I can read some of the words but some of them are missing. It's broken up." I yelped when he grabbed my face making me look at him. His eyes looking over every inch of my face.

"What's the matter?" I said as he pressed my cheeks together a bit, eyes narrowed.

"Can. You. Read it?" He asked again. Taking a pause between each word. I tried to nod my head in his grasp, "Sort of." I whispered wondering what the heck his problem was. He held on for a second longer before letting it go. Eyes making holes in my face. "Should I not be able to read the scroll?" I asked looking down at it. My head started to throb as I tried to focus on it again.

He grabbed the scroll from me, "No not really." He humbled shoving it in his pouch. "Hey!" That was a gift you jerk.

"I'll give it back to you." I huffed as he made his way to the balcony door. He was gone. I crossed my arms over my chest. What a moody baka. I didn't understand what his problem was, we didn't even study and he didn't even say goodbye. "Ugh!" I slapped the sides of my bed in frustration and let my head hit my pillow. I didn't want to think about it a moment longer.

The next day I made my way to the bridge. I promised Naruto I would help him with his chakra control by helping him learn to walk on water. I assumed the others would be here since this was something everyone could learn. Except Sakura, she was already great with her chakra control. I was there before anyone else and I took a seat on the ledge. My feet dangled and I inhaled the smells of the forest.

A small frown graced my lips. I would be lying if I wasn't nervous for my friends. I was sure that these exams were going to be tough, really tough. I knew they were strong I was just worried they wouldn't believe that they were. "Suiren!" I turned my head and smiled at the hyperactive knuckle head. "Hey Naruto." I jumped down and meet him on the grass. "I guess it's just you and me then?" I said curiously looking around.

"Sakura told me to tell you she had to do a couple things and she would see you later." I chuckled at him. It looked like it took everything in him to remember what Sakura had told him.

"Alright let's get going." I said walking over to the water. Concentrating chakra to my feet I took a step, and another till I was in the center of the slow moving river. "That's so cool." I shook my head with a smile. It didn't take much to impress him huh.

"Alright so you need focus chakra to the bottom of your feet but because the water is constantly moving you need to adjust the amount of chakra that you apply to your feet." I jumped up and down in the one spot for good measures. "Right, let's go. "

"Concentrate chakra to my feet and –" I broke out laughing when he fell right in. I had almost lost my footing and fell in too I was so distracted. The blonde dragged himself out of the water and sighed. "Alright let's try that again."

2.5 hrs later

"Look Look Look!" I jumped up from my spot on the grass where I was cloud watching. I saw a shaky Naruto standing in the middle of the river. I huge smile spread out on my lips. Damn it, he learned it faster than I did. "That's great. I'm so proud of you!" I gave him a wave when he gave me a thumbs up. "Wait don't—" It was too late and I face palmed at the boy. He tried to jump up and down but fell in again.

Meeting him at the water's edge I grabbed his hand and helped him up. With a quick pat on the back I smiled, "I'm very proud of you." He looked at me oddly. Was he not used to people praising him? "Thanks." He was softer than the average volume of the Naruto I have come to know. "How about we go get some ramen?" It seemed everything he was thinking about was gone. His eyes glistening at the thought of noodles. "After we get you out of these wet clothes."

He pouted but there was no use fighting, he was soaked. It wasn't long before we were at his apartment. He opened the door but I hesitated to go in until invited to do so. "Sorry about the mess." He said with laughter holding the door open for me. It was a small place but it looked cozy. It was slightly dirty but I figured that came with the territory of Naruto. "Be right back!" He said and I looked around. His kitchen didn't really look used. I noticed the many instant ramen in the garbage and the bed that looked like it was never made. I plopped on the couch.

It was lumpy in some spots but comfortable in a way that I felt like I could fall asleep on it if left here to long. Before I could let out a yawn he came out of the bathroom in a change of clothes. "ready!" His smile caused the corner of my lips to flip up. We were gone as soon as we came. He was super-fast when it came to ramen; he needed that for his taijustu.

I swear the kid was pulsating in the seat beside me and I shook my head. "Is this your little friend Naruto?" The younger woman said sweetly. I smiled with a slight bow of my head. "Yea this is Suiren! She's on my team and she is amazing!" I was tired of my cheeks becoming pink I was going to have to find a way to get that to stop. "Well enjoy you two." I thanked her when our food was done and started to dig in. It wasn't my uncle's ramen but it was pretty tasty. "Dude slow down you're going to choke." I was mortified. He was eating so fast did he even taste the damn food?

"Sorry I just get so excited." With those few words he was back at it, eating almost as fast as Kakashi-sensei. I shook my head and ate my own food. It wasn't long before we were done and walking the village. He seemed tense but I tried to just act normal and hope he felt it and calmed down. "Thanks for all your help today Suiren you're one of the smartest Genin I know." I grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. It was his turn for his cheeks to turn pink. "You're my teammate and my friend. I will always be here to help you."

He gave me a squeeze back before we let go. His mood seemed to brighten. The kid was like a younger brother to me. I never had family but if I had a younger brother I would've wanted him to be like Naruto. So full of life and joy. He was precious to me. Trust no one. The last few words of my uncle taste sour now. I didn't know what to do; it was too late because I already trusted them. I just hoped that they wouldn't hurt me. I clicked my tongue to the roof of my mouth. It wasn't long before we started making our way back to my house.

"Can I ask you a question?" I glanced over at the boy almost forgetting he was there for a moment. My mind was all over the place. I nodded a bit and waited. He hesitate for a second, "Can you tell me how to impress Sakura?" I chuckled loudly at the now red faced boy.

I smiled wide, "Naruto, you are great. Just be you and if it's meant to be it will happen. You're a catch."

"You really think so?" He asked blue orbs sparkling in the now setting sun light. I nodded and he hugged me tight. We were finally at my door and I knew we had gotten just a bit closer from spending the day together. It was nice. Without Sasuke he wasn't nearly as loud. "Really Really." I pinched his cheek. "Alright I'll see you tomorrow knucklehead."

"Bye Suiren!" I watched his leave down the road before I opened my door. Walking into the kitchen I sighed at a note on my fridge telling me Kakashi was on a mission and would be back in a day or two. It wasn't that I needed him around, I wasn't a baby but I didn't mind the company. The house lonesome on my own. Walking up to my room I half expect Sasuke to be there and I thought I caught myself sighing when he wasn't. I didn't even know it but the stupid boy had become part of my routine. I was very much fond of routine. Opening my balcony I took a seat on the floor and slowly started to unbraid my long hair. Running my finger through it trying to get out some of the knots from the day. I could still smell the slight hint of river water and pollen.

Leaning against the glass door I watched the sunset. The once white clouds splattered with purples and pinks as dark blue started to take over the sky. I felt tiny against the vase beauty sprawled out before me. I couldn't help but let my breath catch in my throat. Overwhelmed at the idea of such pureness.

Updated: 1.29.19