Butterflies

Beta'd by: Setokaiva

"Me? I'm nobody. I'm not skilled like Uchiha-san. I am not passionate like Haruno-san. I am not smart like Nara-san. I'm not as strong as Chouji-san. I'm not as collected as Aburame-san. Or as pretty as Yamanaka-san. I'm not as confident as Inuzuka-san. If anything, I'm like Hyuuga-san, socially awkward. Oh wait, no, she's just shy. The socially awkward one is me." OC! Team 7 remix!

Chapter 7 – The choices we make

8-8

Aya… you didn't. I know you didn't. Why did you just kiss him!? Who cares if it was just on the cheek!

Do you really think he's going to look at this the way you do? Do you really think he's going to see that as a thank you? Do you really think he'll…

Stop. Just stop. You know you're just going to get yourself all worked up and depressed over nothing. He doesn't know you like him. Guys are clueless like that. And even if he does know you like him, you are both supposed… to focus… on training…

'I've had to take it easy with training ever since, especially with my left arm.' Of course… NOW you think about that. Now that it's too late, now that you've already followed through with Ino's STUPID bet! "If I can make Chouji notice you, you've gotta kiss him." I repeat those words. Those… bothersome words. Is that why she wanted me to wear lipstick? Why she made sure to bring the same shade of number two glossy pink so I could reapply after the planned meal? So that Chouji would wear the evidence?

Not that it matters, Aya! You kissed him! No one forced you to! No one grabbed your lips and… and…

I blush, and I flush, and I want so badly to tear a whole through my wall and-

KNOCK KNOCK knock-knock knock… KNOCK KNOCK!

Uzumaki-san. He's the only one other than Ino that ever knocks on my door… well, the only one that'd dare. Ino doesn't knock like that, and I seriously doubt Chouji-san would have stayed in the hallway too long.

"Yo, Aya-chan!" Yup, Uzumaki-san. Am I in the mood to deal with him? No… but being alone and driving myself up a wall with this 'Chouji thing' isn't a better option.

"N-nn?" Wow. Stutteringly making a noise. Is that what we've come to?

"Can I come in? I kind of want to talk to you." He sounds annoyed the door isn't open so he can talk to me face to face. He never did have much patience.

"Oh?" Something seems off. He's never knocked before, he's never started a conversation without some social cue between us first – even if it's just my being annoyed and warning him I'm not in the mood.

"Come on! I brought ramen with me! You know I wouldn't bring ramen without good reason!" I snort. That sounds just like him.

"You still have space after all that junk food by Chouji's parents' house?" I test him. If it really is Uzumaki-san, he'll know that's two straight out lies. We were by the Nara's, and only I ate junk food, he mostly just pigged out on the healthy and yummy meal we were offered.

"There's always space for ramen!"

"Oi. Stop being an idiot, will you?" That would be the real Uzumaki-san. "Aya-chan's already onto you. We didn't eat by Chouji's. And I didn't touch any junk food. Buzz off!" I didn't hear a door open, so I can tell he's just shouting this from his apartment.

"What do you think, Uzumaki-san. Uchiha-san, or Ecchi-sensei?" I ask, more amused with the situation than I should be.

"Sasuke. If Kakashi wanted to talk to you, he'd either wait until tomorrow, or he'd just admit it's him from the start and tell you what he wants." A door opens, after three locks are un…done? What do you do with locks? Unlock them?

"Hmm… decent transformation. Good voice impersonation. You got my public speech patterns down perfect. Your problem isn't your technique. It's your lack of intel. Aya-chan saw through that crap and she knows better. She knows I'm not just some clown that acts out all the time. And to boot, you didn't bet on me living across the hall or hearing every word. Do yourself a favour. Leave and don't come back. Because I promise, next time I won't be coming at you with words." I smile sadly at the souring and darkening tone that greets my ears. I'm grateful Uzumaki-san would do this for me… but it's the fact that it's needed. "And I swear if I become any more suspicious of you, Sasuke… I won't be coming at you alone. We may be orphans, but we aren't idiots and we certainly aren't alone. You hear me?"

The door closes, the locks are… latched? I don't know. I hear the two deadbolts, and the stupid chain thingy that everyone has but wouldn't ever do much against a ninja, or even a halfway decent burglar, really. "Oh, and Aya-chan. If it's cool with you, I'll be walking you to and from wherever you need to go. Just holler and I'm there, okay?"

"Nn." I noise, finding myself nodding anyway. I know he can't see me, but it's just so grained in… ingrained! "Thank you…"

There's no response, but I know he heard me. Hmm, maybe now's a good time to wash up for the night? It's not like I'm going anywhere. And it'll let my stalker know that I'm not bothered by this? Hmm, I should probably check my window and set a few traps to keep him out just in case.

8-8

Three hours later. The sun's set, the moon's out, and the stars twinkle. However, I can't seem to find any comfort in them right now. Instead, all I can think about is the situations I find myself in.

Chouji-san is, surprisingly, the least 'dangerous' of these situations, so he's currently set aside. Uchiha-san's sudden interest in me, for whatever purpose, is by far the most troubling. What does he want with me? I mean, what if I was less aware of the situation? What if I'd let him in? What would he want?

One of the more… unpleasant truths of being an orphan… is that you don't have backup. You only have other orphans, if you choose to band together in order to survive. It's why orphans are easy targets for things. Unpleasant things. Illegal things. Kidnapping an orphan is frowned upon, seeing as kidnapping is by definition illegal, but who'd report it? Who's to say they didn't just run off never to return? After all, nothing keeps us in Konoha, and most of us have more than enough reason to leave; bad memories and the like.

So… what is the situation? What am I risking? What am I at risk of? Rape is always a very unpleasant possibility. Though it's not the most heard of situation… studies have shown that ninety percent doesn't even get reported. Stupid psychological studies. Those are scary numbers! I mean… how do we even know any numbers at all then!?

Stop. Stop thinking about this. Stop trying to understand things beyond your understanding and/or control.

So… Uchiha-san a first-class creep. Fine. Who cares. What's… what's the deal with Uzumaki-san? He didn't have to stand up for me. He didn't have to step in. And he certainly didn't have to pull back the mask. But he did.

All he had to do was start an argument with 'himself'. I'd pick up on the subtle cue and I'd never open my door. But… would I have figured out who was behind this? Well, technically I don't know who's behind it. I only suspect. But would I even have that?

Uzumaki-san… you are a mystery to me. And I don't think I can deal with mysteries so close to me in so many ways; teammate, neighbour, someone my mother wanted me to know – even if I forgot it at all, is not unimportant.

So, how do I want to do that? What can I do to make you remove that mask around me entirely so I can see who it is that I'm dealing with?

I snort. The only way is to go against all I've done to keep me sane. Not that fate hasn't pretty much made a joke of my so-called perfect defences by now.

"Uzumaki-san…?" I call out loud enough to hope I can get his attention. I hear him make a noise – he isn't in the mood to talk. I know the feeling. "We need to talk."

8-8

As hard as it is to force myself so far out of my comfort zone, convincing him to do the same is likely to be even harder. It took some doing to even get him to come over so we can talk. "Look…" I sigh, already annoyed that I'm dealing with this. "We both know I'm not a people person or one to talk much. But this needs to be dealt with sooner rather than later." I tell him.

He nods seriously. His eyes are hollow, his face completely emotionless. This is the person I'd expect behind an orphan's mask: broken by life. "You're not an idiot. I'm not shy. Can we agree to that up front and leave the mask we show the world out of this?"

"Everything depends on the reason." He eyes me. He isn't suspicious of me; if he was, he wouldn't be here.

"I need to know what I'm dealing with. What are you? Who are you? Why are you helping me?" His eyes become haunted, not just empty. He looks away, refusing to look me in the eyes.

"It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does. Because if I cannot say for a fact the person that is most willing to help me is actually trying to help me, then I can say nothing about anything else in my life." I lay it out for him. "Look. I have nothing for you, I have nothing against you. But against a teammate, I need someone I can count on to watch my back at all times. Even if that means me watching theirs. Do you understand?"

"Heh… I figured you were like me when it comes to this… So are you playing Chouji? Are you 'working him over'?" I look at him like he grew a second head. "Don't give me that, Aya. I've seen you work. You're awesome! Conning the teachers to 'buy you new glasses', playing all hopeless and helpless to anyone with a chuunin vest, in hopes they knew your parents. Going to the hospital every time you get into 'trouble' and need 'a small favour' to get out of it? I see you. So don't come playing innocent with me. We both know what it means to survive as orphans."

I sigh, but don't look away. I was right about him. He's not the idiot he shows to the world. At all. "I'm not playing him." I tell him honestly.

"The whole story, please. I think I've dealt with enough 'Sasuke's and 'Sakura's to not want to deal with another." His tone, his eyes, the way he carries himself.

"So this is the true Uzumaki Naruto? Distrusting of the world. And a common thief." I intone.

"Hey! Thief, yes. Common? No. And coming from a con artist, I take offence to that." He sounds defensive, hurt pride and all that.

"Good." I nod seriously. He's being open and honest; he sees no reason not to be. "I'd planned on applying for Anbu the second I turn Chuunin."

"Meaning?"

"I wasn't planning on falling for Chouji-san." I tell him. "'Anbu' and 'relationships' don't go hand in hand. Just ask Ecchi-sensei."

"Alright. That still do…" The words sink in. I can tell just by the hurt in his eyes. "So he's your Hinata…"

"So you did notice." I smile sadly. I kind of feel bad for him in this. Rich guy picking a struggling girl, though not usual, isn't impossible. Rich girl picking a struggling guy… she'd become dependent on him financially… which means living his lifestyle and not hers…

Let's just say, I don't remember ever hearing of that happening.

Uzumaki-san grumbles, but doesn't answer me. "So what to do about it?" I ask.

"Aya… there's nothing I can do about it. Hiashi will…" He stops talking. His eyes are troubled.

"You really like her, huh…" He looks away from me. "How sure are you it was Uchiha-san earlier?" I change the subject; I don't want him closing himself off to me.

He looks at me like I'm some sort of idiot. "Because I know the idiot's chakra signature? Because I saw the entitlement in his eyes? Because I'm just awesome?"

A pride thing. He has a pride thing. "Good. Then I don't have to wonder." I shut him up. Hmm… "Are you going to give up on pick pocketing?"

"If I make enough money to survive on missions, yes. What about you?"

"… I don't know." I've technically never needed to con anyone. Mama and papa both left a lot of money, but… I've just never dared touching either bank account. The thought of people finding out about that, and my parents' library, and not being able to do anything to stop them if they try to overpower me? I feel my last meal threatening to work its way up my throat. "If I can make enough money, I won't need to. But…"

"You liked manipulating them?" He asks, a knowing smile on his face. I nod, blushing and looking away. "I get it, don't worry… hey, by the way. Why are you still so quiet? I mean, it's just me."

"…" I blush deeper, wondering if I can tell him that. "I… sound like an idiot when I talk."

He blinks. "The only lingo I understand well is in the books I study. If we're talking about psychology, or medicine, or stuff like that… I can talk for hours on edge… END! For hours on end! But… talking about day-by-day…" I groan, annoyed with myself. "Day-TO-day stuff, and I just don't know the right words… and I end up sounding like an idiot."

"…" I don't want to, but I still see his reaction playing out on his face. He's surprised at first, then as the proof shows itself (TWICE!) realization hits home. Then… comes the reaction I knew would come, but still hate that it's coming.

He laughs.

I look away with a huff, hating that I told him that. Why'd I tell him that? Hasn't life taught me often enough not to trust people? Papa promising he'll be back, that he'll read my favourite bedtime story when he does – it took me almost a month to realise he wasn't coming back, and mama never did explain what happened. Mama promising she wouldn't be gone more than a week… that was six years ago.

If I can't trust my parents to stick to their word… who can I trust?

"Namiki Aya, the most feared person the academy has ever seen…" I get up, not caring what words he'd use to describe my situation. I go to my fridge, grab a chocolate bar and tear into it without a word. "Sorry." I don't turn to him. I don't want to.

"Whatever." I drone, moving back to sit at my table. "Anyway, I need to kick you… out. Training's tomorrow at eight." I still don't look to him. He takes the hint.

"Yeah." He moves to the door, so I go with him and unlock it to let him out. I feel kind of stupid, sitting down just to get up and see him out. Shouldn't I have planned for that? I'm still not looking at him. "Sorry, Aya… really." I shoo him with a motion of my hand, shutting and locking the door behind him.

8-8

Closing my front door behind me and locking it properly, the first thing I need to see is Uzumaki-san. It's not that I didn't know this would happen, it's just annoying having to deal with him knowing I can't rightly break something on him for making fun of me – I still kind of want to though, but I don't have to fight too hard to keep it in check.

"Morning." He tries. I just nod to him. He locks his door properly and starts walking ahead. I'm hot on his heel… hot on his heels? Right behind him. I'm at least grateful he doesn't try to 'strum up' a conversation this time.

We make it to the training ground about ten minutes early, so I'm not too surprised to find we're the first ones here. I briefly wonder if Ecchi-sensei will be on time – he'd better be.

Just as the appointed time hits, Uchiha-san arrives but he keeps his distance. I'm grateful. But that means nothing is really going on at all. Whatever.

A half hour passes. This just really is his thing, isn't it. Being late.

An hour passes. I've pretty much already written him off. Three days back to back is no longer a test or a coincidence; it's a problem. "Where're you heading?" Uzumaki-san asks. I raise an eyebrow. I thought it'd be obvious. Ecchi-san isn't here, so I'm going to Nara-sama to see if that offer for training and missions is the real deal. "Oh right. Yoshino-san's offer. Shouldn't we give Kakashi a fair shot though? I mean, he might have been called away on a mission or something?"

My eyebrows are probably kissing my hairline right now. You honestly… oh right, Uchiha-san can hear you, you need to keep up the act. "Uzumaki-san… I-"

"Just today? Please?" He really wants to give Ecchi-san a chance? I huff, sitting down on the cool grass and hugging my knees. I want to know why Uzumaki-san believes Ecchi-san is worth a second chance, but really… it isn't worth opening my mouth over right now. So we wait.

And wait.

And wait.

…

And wait…

It's going on ten. He's two hours late. Still no sign of him. Uchiha-san is still waiting in the shade of a tree. I'm still hugging my knees in the sunlight. Uzumaki-san's mostly just grumbling and complaining out loud, his mask and his act perfect.

Going on eleven. Three hours late. Still no sign of him. Eleven-thirty… no sign of him…

"Yo." Eleven-forty-six. Three hours, forty-six minutes, eighteen seconds late. I don't even look in his direction; he isn't worth getting upset over.

"YOU'RE LATE!" Uzumaki points out the obvious. "WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU!?"

"Well, you see there was this old lady that-" I ignore him. I've heard better excuses from stray cats. "Anyway, I'm here now. What do you say we start our training?" I hear him. I ignore him. In fact, I'm sure the only reason I picked up his words at all, was the inclusion of 'training'. I don't move. Still just hugging my knees. Uchiha-san gets up and moves towards Ecchi-san, and Uzumaki-san moves that way as well. I could have spent the morning training alone in my apartment. It would have been far more effective than this.

"Oi, Aya-chan! Training's starting!" Uzumaki-san announces. I still don't move. I stayed because he asked, not because I am willing to trust an idiot –that cannot even be on time– decides to finally show up.

I see dark blue pants and white bandages wrapped around their hems standing in front of me. "Aya-chan. Training is starting. Get up." I'm ordered. I snort.

"Training started at eight." I intone.

"Training starts when I show up." He claims.

"Then show up at eight." He crouches in front of me, trying to look me in the eyes. Might be a bit hard for him, since I doubt he can see both of my eyes at once.

"Is this how a kunoichi acts towards her sensei?" He tries. I snort again.

"Personal bubble, Ecchi-san." I inch back, glad to have more space between us. I then hug my legs again, and just keep staring blankly ahead. I briefly wonder if I saw him flinch at the new honorific, but I don't care.

"Genin Namiki Aya, you will stand up and follow me so we can begin our team training." He uses his best I'm-in-charge tone, with just enough killing intent to put some weight to it. I snort, but don't otherwise react.

"Hey, Aya-chan!" Uzumaki-san calls me. I lean to the right to look around Ecchi-san, seeing the blonde walking over to us. Once our eyes meet, he stops walking and, "Please?" I huff and roll my eyes, but I start getting up anyway. I don't even spare Ecchi-san a glance as I walk past him.

8-8

Ecchi-san's idea of training? A pathetic warm up. Fifty sit-ups, fifty push-ups, twenty laps around the training ground. After that, break for lunch. Really? I wait nearly four hours for this?

He takes us to some out of the way café that serves a little bit of everything. No ramen, so he's not winning any points with Uzumaki-san. We order. Our food is delivered. We eat. We head to the Hokage Tower, to the Missions Desk, we take a single D-rank mission. Uzumaki-san complains about having to track down a cat. I don't even react.

Ecchi-san tries to set up some kind of system, offers us headsets for long-distance communication, but I don't even look to him; let alone accept the headset from him. Uzumaki-san takes two, asking me to play nice for a third time. I huff, but don't fight him.

We eventually track the cat down to a section of… trees and shrubs? I don't care. I'm informed that we're going in with a three-pronged spear attack. I snort, making sure that gets sent through the headset too. It's a fricking cat. I could just walk up to it and pick it up. But… Ecchi-san wants this to be a 'training mission', so we'll do it the 'shinobi way'… pointlessly violent in other words.

I play my part, stalking the cat as prescribed. On Ecchi-san's mark, we dash towards it, Uzumaki-san catches it and gets clawed. I snort, through the headset once again. What did Ecchi-san expect to happen, exactly?

Walking up to Uzumaki-san, I shush the cat, picking her up and cradling her in my arms. We walk back to the Missions Desk just like this. I offer the cat to the full-bodied woman that claims to be the daimyo's wife – like I'll fall for that. We get paid on the spot; fifteen-hundred Ryou per person. Hmm, I'd need at least two missions per day to keep myself out of debt, and preferably more to make sure I can live comfortably.

Instead of asking for another mission, Ecchi-san leads us back to his training ground. My eye twitches, but I say nothing. We go through another round of warm ups. This time we're run through teamwork exercises. I snort; this won't end well.

Uchiha-san is told to stand behind me. I flatly refuse. "Aya. I'm not in the mood." Ecchi-san groans.

"That's not coming near me." I warn, pointing at Uchiha-san, my tone dark. When Uchiha-san takes a step in my direction anyway, I draw two kunais. "Try me."

"Naruto?"

"Sorry, Ecchi-sensei. I agree with her this time. Sasuke came by her apartment last nigh-"

"I don't care what the reason is." He interrupts, rubbing the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "This is something that needs to happen. Just… talk to her!"

"U. Zu. Ma. Ki~iiii…" I warn.

"Sensei… I don't know what you think is going on here, but she's still here because I asked her. How long do-"

"In case it slipped your notice, I am your commanding officer. My word is law."

Oh really? How's this for 'law abiding citizen' then? I start walking towards my apartment.

If Uzumaki-san's serious about helping me, he'll leave with me. Otherwise, I'll know just where I stand. Today was a waste. All I've learned is that I need to take more missions than Ecchi-san has the patience for.

"And where do you think you're going?"

"Home." I intone.

"If you leave, you'd better not plan on coming back." Empty threats.

"That's the plan." I keep walking at the same clip, not caring. In a flash, there's an annoyed-looking jounin in front of me.

"What's the problem this time?" He demands. I ignore him, walking along. What, he thinks this is some ploy to play him? Psh. He moves into my way again.

"Two options. One: I leave peacefully. Two: We fight, I lose, I report you for attempted sexual assault. Pick." I warn. I make sure to wave my kunai –the ones I'm still wielding– for good measure… I said that right… right? 'For good measure'? Whatever! Ecchi-san.

"So the manipulation starts." He drones, unimpressed. I keep walking to my destination. That he's currently in the way is not important. When I get close enough to risk bumping into him, I start walking slightly more to the right to walk around him. I still find him in front of me.

"One or two. Pick. Now." I grind out.

"Aya-chan, is this really needed?" Uzumaki-san is behind me. I don't turn to him. I don't need to. I sense a tingling at the base of my skull. I tilt my head to one side.

"My burn is on which leg?" I ask, just to be sure. He asks me what's wrong. Wrong answer.

Putting back both my kunai, I go through the whole genjutsu-release crap. The tingling dies immediately. "Uzumaki-san?"

"Nn?" He's much quieter now. The mask is slipping.

"Can you confirm that Ecchi-san just placed a genjutsu on me to force me to stay?"

"Nn."

"Good day, Ecchi-san." To think I spent nearly three-thousand Ryou on him… even if it was in trying to kill him, he certainly wasn't worth it. We swing by (why would they call it 'swing by'?) the Missions Desk, where I file my complaint and hand it to Hokage-dono himself. After that, I head home.

8-8

"That was quicker than expected." Nara-sama greets us at her front door. "No Sasuke?" I snort.

"Considering what happened with him, no. I don't trust him around her right now." Uzumaki-san offers.

"Come in." She motions us into her home. We're seated at the low table and asked to wait while she fixes us some tea. Once she's seated and the tea's poured, she turns to Uzumaki-san once again. "Tell me everything."

8-8

End Chapter 7

8-8

A/N: Well, that escalated quickly. Jeez, Kakashi really has no idea what to do with Aya, at all! Then again, he barely knew what to do with Sakura, and she's far more compliant. What's more though... this is going to have far deeper consequences than Kakashi planned for. Not because of the complaint; that'll end in little more than a slap on the wrist. Hmm, I guess, you guys'll just have to wait for the next chapter to see what I mean ^_^