Sorry for the wait! But I was contemplating a plot for this... and I don't have one yet...Ahaha. But here's something you Sakura haters might like! I've realized that for the sake of the 'plot' I need some bashing... which I hate to do, but I have to. Not in this chapter but in the future. So it's something to look forward to.
ANYWAY! I don't know why, but this chapter seems really awkward. So read at your own risk. Also, I have no beta so if there's any typos I apologize in advance! I hope you like it though! Say 'YAY!' for SasuNaru!
CHAPTER TWO
Naruto pouted. He didn't want to be the one to do this. Deciding the teams for the new genin was hard. And he was here all day too. He would rather be out training, but if he didn't finish soon Tsunade would have his head. First, he had to see the personalities of them all to fit them all together. Then he had to search for all their grades in the huge pile of crap on his desk. And finally...he had to make sure they would work well together.
'Hmph. The old man didn't have such a good sense with this stuff! Look at what happened to my team!'
He sighed long and heavily. His bangs stuck to his forehead from the late spring heat. His robes were spewed on the ground, leaving him in only his pants and Hokage hat. The blonde hoped silently that he remembered to lock his door and no one would come through the window. His office looked like shit and he didn't want another lesson on 'cleanliness is godliness'.
Something caught his eye. 'Team seven...' he looked down at the paper displayed in front of him. A new team seven had already been created before...But it still brought back memories to see it every now and then. Even now, team seven would always be himself, Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura in his mind. No one--not even Sai or Yamato--could change that.
Naruto ran a hand through his hair and leaned back. He needed a rest. Something to get him back into the beat. Maybe a stop by Ichiraku's wouldn't hurt...
A knock at his door interrupted his thoughts. "Come in."
Naruto jumped when he saw who it was and started to grab as much clothing as he could, just remembering that he was half naked. "Ack! Sasuke! Why are you here?!"
Said man winced at the overly-loud tone and grumbled. "Why are you so loud?" he smirked at the idiot's fussing. He could sit in a bathhouse filled with naked men, but he couldn't stand to be seen by one more alone in his office? 'Stupid Naruto.'
Naruto managed to get his robe on. He straitened his hat and sat up. "Ah, well, why are you here?"
"Tsunade sent me to pick up the new team arrangements for the genin." a frowned marred his face when Naruto looked away. "Aren't you done yet?" his suspicions were confirmed when Naruto mumbled something under his breath. "You total moron..."
Sasuke glided to his Hokage's side, leaning over the side of the man. The papers he assumed to be the genin format were strewn all over Naruto's desk. "Loser...Why are they scattered all over? You can't get anything done right, can you?"
Naruto would have retorted if it weren't for the warm breath that caressed his ear. The fluttering in his stomach made him want to pull the sensation closer, to feel more of it. Naruto blushed at the thought, making the hot air and close proximity even more strenuous.
"Sasuke...What are you doing?" he couldn't help but ask, he never felt Sasuke this close before, only when they were sparring. "I can do this myself. Leave me alone."
The raven looked down at the blushing man. He smirked. To make Naruto like this was unintentional, but he wasn't going to complain. "Hn. I'm helping you with this whether you like it or not, since it's the only way it'll ever get done." he reached over Naruto's shoulder and grabbed a pen. "You should put these two together. Their strengths and weaknesses compliment each other." he pointed with the pen to a small red-headed boy and a brunette. One was grinning, while the other looked completely unfazed. "And..." he leaned closer to the blonde's ear, quieting his voice to a small whisper.
"They're already together anyway...So it would just make it more convenient for them."
Naruto jumped from his chair. "H-how do you know that?!"
Sasuke looked up at Naruto, straitening his posture. "It's pretty obvious. They're at each other's houses all the time even though they fight a lot. And that one is always groping him." he pointed to the red-head and then the brunette. "I think they're a cute couple." he said with a completely strait face.
"Ah! You-you pervert! No one would notice that but you!" Naruto pointed an accusing finger at Sasuke, a horrified expression in place. He could believe Sasuke was acting so calm about this!
"I'm not the only one. Kakashi's noticed too. He thinks the same." Sasuke replied mono-toned.
"Bu--! Another pervert noticed! That's very shocking!" he yelled sarcastically.
"No, we're not perverts--I'm not anyway--we're just very perceptive."
"Oh well! I'm not putting them together!" Naruto crossed his arms over his chest defiantly.
"Why not? I think it would be interesting. They'd be happy too, just think about what they could do on missions." Sasuke's voice was velvet again, caressing Naruto's body.
The blonde shuddered and blushed vividly. He didn't want the mental images to come, but they did full force. Panting, sweating, shuddering, touching, moving, caressing, thrus--All the pictures came intensely, making Naruto turn every shade of red possible. Why the hell did he even close his eyes? It was making it worse. He was turning into a pervert...
"See? Now don't you want them to be together?" Sasuke was right beside the blue-eyed man now. He was glad that Naruto seemed to not mind the idea of homosexuals. It actually aroused him, determining from the shivering he was doing. That just made it easier.
"No!" Naruto shouted. He swung his arms in front of him, trying to will away the images. "That would distract them!" he backed up, not realizing that Sasuke was behind him. He crashed into a hard chest.
"Hm. Didn't distract me." Sasuke breathed into his ear.
"That was different! We weren't...weren't..." he didn't step forward or away from Sasuke, he was too absorbed in his mental turmoil to think about anything else.
"Gay?" Sasuke was trying very hard not to wrap his arms around that perfect waist. Trying to restrain himself from moving his hands up and down that toned chest, feeling every curve, every muscle...
Trying being the key word. He placed one of his hands lightly on the curve of Naruto's hip, gently enough so the boy didn't notice. He let out a shaky breath and closed his eyes.
Naruto's face flared up. "Ack! Don't say that! And...yeah!"
Sasuke laughed. "Say what? Gay?" he let his fingers play with the hem of the man's jeans.
Naruto stepped away from Sasuke, throwing his arms up. "Don't say it!"
"Say what?" Oh, this was just too much fun. His hand jolted back to his side before the Hokage could notice.
"Don't say...You know what I mean!" he glared.
"No, I don't know what you mean. Tell me."
"Ugh...Don't say...GAY." he cast his eyes down.
"Why not? Kiba's gay." Sasuke said it like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Naruto gaped. "What?! With who!?"
"Shino." Sasuke waved his hand. He was done with having fun, now the only important thing was getting the things done that Naruto couldn't. "Now come one. We need to finish these." he walked back over to the desk and sat down in the overly large chair that Naruto insisted to be put in his office. He ruffled through some of the papers and scribbled things down. When Naruto didn't join him after a long while he looked over at the blonde in question.
Naruto was shaking with suppressed laughter. His face was red with a hand clamped over his mouth. Some giggles escaped until full out laughs filled the room. The blonde held his sides and continued the hysterics. "I...can't...believe...he's...gay!" he said between giggles. "And with bug boy!"
Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. "Yes, he is. Now would you please come and do your job, Hokage-sama?"
Naruto paused his giggling and stared at Sasuke. "Is there...Something wrong with you?" he went over and placed a hand on the man's forehead, it was promptly smacked away. "Nope! Still an ass!" he smiled and trotted to the boy's side. 'Hokage-sama? What the hell was that for? It must be his time of the month.' he chuckled to himself. If Sasuke ever heard what he thought about...he'd be dead.
They worked in comfortable silence. Naruto too dumb to care about anything awkward that happened, and Sasuke too bored and focused on his work to care. While Naruto worked beside him, leaned over the desk with his tongue sticking out in thought, Sasuke let his eyes roam over the blonde's body and made sure the chair was a fair enough distance away. Naruto was bent over the large wooden desk, ass sticking out for his viewing pleasure. He cupped his hands together behind his head in a way to keep them from reaching out. He could look, but he couldn't touch.
Sasuke bit his bottom lip every time Naruto shifted his position to get comfortable, which was a lot because the man was very fidgety to begin with. All he wanted to do was reach out and smac--
"Hey, hey Sasuke! What about these three?"
The raven halted with his hand already reached out. He retracted it and leaned forward in the chair. "Yeah? What about them?"
"Do you think they'll make a good team?" Naruto looked back at Sasuke to get clarification. His eyes shone with determination.
He nodded. "Yeah, they'll be fine together." and they were too. The team Naruto suggested reminded him a little of Shikamaru's old team. It was made of Chougi's daughter, Ino's son, and Shikamaru's foster brother--Kurenai's son. A nice team indeed. Well balanced and proportioned.
Naruto looked back at the rest of the papers. "And you're sure that...these two should be together?" his cheeks dusted red.
Sasuke didn't even have to look at the paper to know what he was talking about. "Yeah, they're perfect." he smirked. "Just like we were."
Naruto scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure. And we were such good teammates to begin with." he stood up and fixed his robes. Out of the corner of his eye he looked at Sasuke. "And...thanks for the help." he gave a lop-sided smile.
Sasuke smiled in return. "Yeah, anytime."
XXXBEMINEXXX
Sakura's heart swooned. She felt so light all of the sudden. It wasn't like she thought it would feel like, to know that Sasuke had some feelings for her. It was...so different then she always felt before. More...real. Not unrequited. She felt like Sasuke really liked her too.
But Sakura knew she didn't fully own his heart. Not yet. She would have to work hard to have a mutual feeling of love between them. The girl would make sure to do her part in this too. She wouldn't be the sniveling cry baby. Unable to do anything but whine and beg for what she wanted.
She couldn't be the girl she was before, not even if she wanted to. Sakura seen Sasuke in a new light now. She knew him as a person, and not just the guy of her dreams. The relationship she wanted with him was going to be real, something they both wanted and strived for. She was going to be someone Sasuke could be proud to call his lover. She swooned with the thought and tried to will the image away. She had to concentrate. If she wanted to get the respect out of Sasuke she'd always wanted, she'd have to work even harder.
Sakura fisted her hands, making the leather gloves on her hands crinkle. She prepared to defend herself from the oncoming attack. The girl knew it was coming, she couldn't see it, but she knew.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw movement in the grass and ducked just in time for the weapons to pass over her head. She countered with her own kunai and waited for the enemy to avoid the knives and reveal himself.
She was a little surprised when something grabbed her leg. She twisted her ankle painfully and got out of the strong grasp. Sakura reared back and aimed a punch to the ground. The earth beneath her split open, revealing her rival. She smirked in triumph and charged for her target. Sakura's right hand glowed as she prepared the attack.
With even swifter movements than the pink-haired kunoichi, Yamato ducked the well aimed punch and grabbed the woman's wrist. He grunted and threw her over his shoulder. She scrambled a little before regaining her footing and swung her leg at his own. He jumped back and blocked several punches she threw at him.
A little while after, Yamato stood in the middle of the clearing, panting from exhaustion. Sakura was getting better and better every day. Her stamina was already more than his own. She truly was a prodigy in her own way. She was able to distribute chakra perfectly without wasting any and was already a master at medical ninjutsu--just behind Tsunade--and her athleticism was excellent.
This new generation would really be his downfall.
He wasn't able to block the next punch as it hit him square in the gut. He hunched over and gripped painfully at it, skidding a few feet back. He fell to the ground and held up his hands in defeat. "Okay, you win. Just go easy on me, 'kay?" he smiled and grabbed Sakura's hand as it was offered.
"Sorry about that. I got a little carried away." she smiled sheepishly and started to walk with him after he dusted himself off.
"No, no. You're supposed to go all out! And you did excellently. I'll have to tell Tsunade later. She's sure to be proud that you beat me." he grinned over at her.
Sakura laughed. "Yeah, if she's not mourning still..." her face became grave. She looked down at the ground.
"How long has it been?" Yamato asked her in a quiet tone. He bowed his head as well.
"Four years..."
"...I see..."
XXXBEMINEXXX
Sasuke listened intently to the soft 'teptep' noise his feet made as they made contact with the cobblestone sidewalk beneath him. In his hand he carried one single cut flower. He didn't see why he needed more than one.
From the sound of it, Tsunade was already here, mumbling her prayers and news. But Naruto had yet to make his appearance known. 'Where is the idiot?' He was going to get really pissed if Naruto didn't show himself. It was one thing to be late, but to forget completely? That was just too insane to even think about. And he didn't want to be the only one here to console the former Hokage.
Just as he was about to finish the thought, he heard the tell-tale sound of Naruto's running. Sasuke's eye twitched as he turned around to meet the boy. "Slow down before you hurt someone--"
Naruto, being the idiot he was, didn't even notice there was anyone in front of him, he was far too engrossed in what he was doing. Running. He didn't want Tsunade to get too depressed, but he didn't want to get the snot beat out of him, so he had to stay in the office a while longer to finish reading mission reports. So that was why he was running. That was why he had his eyes closed as he repeated a mantra in his head. And that was why he smacked right into Sasuke, sending them both tumbling to the ground.
"Ooff!" Sasuke got the air knocked out of him as he fell to the stone path, a panting Naruto right above him. He rubbed the back of his head and moaned. Why did he moan? One, because he just got toppled over by his not-so-light friend. And two...
Because Naruto was unconsciously grinding into him.
The blonde squirmed as he tried to get up, which wasn't easy because he was caught on one of Sasuke's straps. He struggled more and apologized. "Ack, sorry...I wasn't looking where I was going."
"It's...fine--" the last part turned into a moan. And when had Naruto decided he wanted to be civilized? Maybe it was because Tsunade was just a few meters away. Sasuke could hear her evil cackling in the distance. 'Bitch...'
Naruto shifted his hips again, trying to see if he could look where his arm was caught behind Sasuke. He knew he was caught on one of the complicated straps that held his shirt together...But which one? "Hey, Sasuke. You need to get up! I can't see where I'm caught!"
Sasuke moaned again. Why? Why was Kami so cruel? "Mm, get off, you loser."
"Hey! Don't call me that! And I can't until you sit up!" Naruto moved so that he was straddling the man.
"I...don't think I can..." Sasuke looked away.
"Aw, quit whining!"
"I'm not...whining." Sasuke tried sitting up, only to moan loudly and return to the same position. He heard another cackle form Tsunade.
Naruto seemed to notice the woman sitting only meters away and called out to her. "Hey! Granny! Help us out!"
Tsunade looked from where she was sitting, the two men looked like small blots from the distance. She could help, sure. But she thought that Sasuke needed this. She was the only one who knew about Sasuke's 'problem'. Besides, she was still preoccupied. She hadn't finished cleaning off the grave. "Have fun kids!" she gave a half smile and resumed with what she was doing.
Sasuke looked down between their bodies, and he saw something he did not want to see. He hoped to god that Naruto didn't notice. He didn't want to see the reaction that 'this' could cause. So, he blushed and tried to shift away from Naruto. "Ah, j-just get off for a second."
"I already told you I can't! I'm caught!" Naruto shouted in his face. Really, how dumb could Sasuke get? He already told him that--
"Mmmn." Sasuke did not need Naruto to do this right now. 'Shit...'
Naruto paused. He felt something..."Ah, S-Sasuke...W-what's with your pants?" he froze completely, looking at a blushing Sasuke right in the eyes, just centimeters apart.
The brunette looked away embarrassedly. "Um, t-that's...just..." THINK! "I-it's my belt!"
"Uh-huh. And why are you wearing a belt? You've never wore a belt before." Naruto stared at him with an accusing blank face.
"It's a belt." Sasuke stared right back, glaring the best he could with a face redder than a tomato. If this was going to be another battle, then he wasn't going to lose. "Now, get off."
Sasuke started as extra pressure was asserted to his groin. "A-AH! H-hey! What are you doing?!" the man bit his bottom lip. What was this loser doing?
"Hm, looking for the strap I'm caught on. It's easier like this." the blonde smirked and laid his chin on the fabric of Sasuke's shirt. He looked over the man's shoulder and spotted the little cretin. "Ah, here it is!" he smiled and unhooked himself. He moved his hands up and placed them on Sasuke's shoulders.
"Hah...There. Now get off." Sasuke involuntarily ground his hips upward. Having Naruto's whole body weight on him wasn't making this any more comfortable.
"Fine. But don't be such an ass next time you get in my way!" he shouted as he got off his rival.
"Me? In your way? If I don't remember correctly...it was you that ran into me. Not the other way around, loser." he wiped imaginary dust from his shirt.
Naruto pointed a thumb into his chest. "Hah! I'm the Hokage! So you were in my way!" he crossed his arms over his chest and started to walk towards where Tsunade was.
"Whatever." All he cared about at the moment was the bulge in his pants, and how much he wanted it to go down. But it wasn't going down...because the wind was blowing towards him, making Naruto's scent waft to him. Oh, how he hated the gods right now.
"Hey, granny!" Naruto waved his right hand in the air as a greeting. Tsunade scowled at her protege. "Sorry I'm late. I had to finish those genin papers! How'd ya do it anyway? I can't even stand one hour being cooped up in there!" he said as they homed in on her sitting on the ground neatly.
"Lots of sake you little brat. Now get down here." she pointed downwards to the spot next to her. Naruto plopped down ungracefully and grinned at the stone in front of him.
"How ya doin' you old perv?" he smiled. Jiraiya was lucky enough to have his own grave. His name was also carved on the monument Kakashi always visited, but he had his own as well. It was just one of the many perks of being one of the sannin. "Kakashi's continuing your books...though he's not as fast as you were with writing them. The publisher is always on his tail about it..." he continued to ramble like that, just filling in the rough silence Tsunade brought about.
Sasuke watched from a safe distance away. He clutched the flower in his hand and glanced further down the path. Obsidian eyes looked down at the two blondes. Tsunade looked up at him, seeming to sense his thoughts, and nodded. He bowed his head and left the two alone.
He traveled slowly down the path, kicking up dust and scattering small pebbles. The air around him was pleasantly warm, not moist or dry, but perfect for late spring. The trees rattled and shook with the wind, swirling and rustling sounds filling the atmosphere around him. It was almost too nice, and he hated it. Sasuke wished it wound rain, just to make him feel slightly better. Sunny days weren't his thing. Rain suited him much more.
"Yo." came a voice from behind.
"Hey, Kakashi." Sasuke kept walking, hearing a new set of footsteps join his own.
"What bring you here, Sasuke?" he brought the green book he was reading an inch down to look at the boy. "I didn't think you were the type to bring flowers to someone's grave."
"I was forced to come. I thought I might as well visit while I'm here, and besides...It's better than hanging around those two." he looked back at where he came from. The distant yells of Naruto and Tsunade came from the distance.
"Ah. Anyway, do you have the mission report from last time? I still haven't given it to--Oh, thank you." he smiled and took the parchment Sasuke handed to him. "Ahaha, I'm just glad Naruto isn't as strict as Tsunade was. I'd be dead for having this so late if it was her."
"Yeah, you would." he trudged on, almost not hearing a single word the man said. Every now and again he would give his views , but he was mostly paying attention to where he was going. His family's memorial was at the far end of the gravesite. That was something that the two advisors of the Hokage were responsible for. They had a grudge against his family and whole clan.
"Well, I'll leave you to your grieving." Kakashi disappeared in a small poof of smoke.
Sasuke raised a brow and then shrugged. He supposed Kakashi had a reason for all of the weird things he did.
--X--
Tsunade wiped the wetness from her eyes and glared. Stupid Jiraiya. "Well, Naruto?" they were walking now, planning to stop at Ichiraku's for a small lunch together.
"Huh?" Naruto stopped his ranting and looked at the busty blonde. "Waddaya want?"
She cleared her throat. "You haven't forgotten, have you?" she gave him and icy look. "Because if you did...I'll have to appoint a new Hokage."
The boy shrunk back from the hard look and glanced away. "Uh...I didn't forget."
"Then do you know what you were supposed to remember?"
"..No..." he mumbled out.
"You are such a delinquent." she sighed. "The genin papers! You were supposed to bring them."
"Eh? Oh! Yeah, of course I brought 'em!" he pulled out a crushed parcel from his inside jacket pocket. "See!" he grinned as Tsunade snatched them away.
"Don't you know how to organize anything? You're worse than Kakashi." she grunted complaints as she tried to sort through the mess in her hands.
"Yeah, yeah." he crossed his hands behind his head. "Why do I have to show you again? I can do it myself."
"Because you're still technically apprenticing under me. You have a lot of work to do still before you can be a good leader." she eyed the papers. "These are some weird groups. Are you sure?"
"Mm-hm. Sasuke helped me." he smiled at some kids running past. "He said they were all fine, and if a cold icy prick like him likes 'em, they gotta be good."
"Why was Sasuke helping you?" she irked.
"How the heck would I know? He's been helping me a lot lately. Probably just to get more serious missions." he shrugged.
Tsunade smiled. Naruto was still so clueless as to why Sasuke seemed so keen on spending time with him. She was surprised that no one else had figured it out, but she had suspicions that Kakashi knew and maybe even Iruka. The only reason she knew was because...she didn't want to remember. She just prayed he learned to lock doors behind him in the future. "Hey, brat. Why don't you go and spar with the Uchiha today? I think you need some time off from all this hard work."
"Really? Thanks granny!" he grinned over at her.
"But you're buying the ramen."
Awww...I just love little pointless SasukexNaruto moments, so I'm hoping you like them too! Again, sorry for any typos... I've tried to get them all out. I re-read this thing over five different times, but knowing me there are probably more than you can count...
-Ahem- I'm trying very hard to make a Sakura you can all like! I don't like her attitude in the beginning of the series, but after the time skip she gets...tolerable. So getting her that way in this story is my goal. But flame her if you want, just...don't flame me, ahaha. I'm sensitive.
Thanks for reading! Reviews are very much appreciated!
-dOOdle
