Training was cool, I guess. I studied with Chirou and he taught me some basic jutsu, which I picked up pretty fast, Chirou is a surprisingly good teacher. So within that short, OK, LONG few hours (more like thousands) I mastered the clone jutsu, transformation jutsu and I've gotten a head start on replacement technique. I think I'm doing pretty well so far, Sakura seems impressed by my skills, but I don't honestly think it's my skills I think it's the fact that I have a teacher with an endless well of patience and sweetness, who really cares. He's so mature, though, when he's training. I guess he just knows when to joke around and when not to.
Training went on from around 7:30 AM till around 6 PM, so yeah, I was pretty much pooped by the end. But damn, I didn't know that being a ninja would be that hard, you know? I mean come on, memorizing hand signs, honestly how hard does that sound? Though, I guess it's the physical aspect that's the hard part. Don't get me wrong though, I'm really athletic and all, but damn they never made us do this sort of physical training back home.
Naruto went out for ramen afterwards, but I went home with Chirou. OK, that's not quite true, what really happened was:
"You sure you're OK Lynx?" Chirou asked me, concern obvious in his voice.
"Very sure, Chirou. Trust me, I'm fine!" I told him, slightly too exuberantly.
It seems that this took the last ounce of strength I had out of me as my knees buckled underneath me and I fell to the floor. I never hit the ground, and the next thing I knew was I was in Chirou's arms as he carried me home swiftly.
"Thanks Chirou," I muttered as we got home.
"Lynx, you know if you're tired we can always stop, or I'll take you home. OK?" He told me, his voice sounded almost like Nick's when I would do something stupid.
"No, really I'm fine. Now," I muttered the last part under my breath, but it seems he heard as he smirked rather smugly at me.
I narrowed my eyes slightly at him, and he chuckled at me. He's truly evil, were my exact thoughts at that moment. He continued to keep me in his arms as we made our way up the stairs. When we were on the platform he moved slowly to my room, he was surprisingly slow. Maybe he enjoyed the feeling of being in control. Later I would find out the reason was quite the opposite.
He finally laid me on my bed, and gently pulled the covers up over my body. Dammit, I could tuck myself in! I felt like a five year old right here! I pouted angrily and turned over, but Chirou, not getting the message or not trying to, sat down next to me on my bed.
"You know, sulking' not gonna get you anywhere." He stated, a hint of smugness in his voice.
"I. Don't. Care." I said each word slowly and deliberately.
"You know you've progressed surprisingly fast, you might just be another prodigy! Though, I hate to say it, but I think Sasuke more than enough for Team 7." Chirou joked, but his praise was sincere.
I smiled genuinely at him, "Thanks Chirou. And yeah, I can see why. He's a little self-absorbed, and slightly annoying, OK, extremely."
I opened my mouth to continue my 'kind' words about Sasuke, but was stopped by a hand pressing itself onto my mouth. I tried to bite him, but Chirou took his hand away quickly and replaced it with a handful of quilt. He chuckled, damn his ninja skills. I spit it out, and looked away, embarrassed he had predicted my moves. I pouted again and kept staring in the opposite direction.
Chirou did it again, he softly turned my around and pulled me into a hug, he really was unpredictable. I was so startled by this and didn't react at all at first.
"Goodnight," He said softly.
As suddenly as he had held me he was out of my arms and by the door.
"Lynx." Chirou finished with such a beautifully soft smile.
I giggle lightly as he left my room, the door shutting softly. He was so sweet! I guess brotherly love ain't too bad every once in a while. I've been the little sister my whole life, but now it seems so much more real. Chirou acts like he truly loves me like a sister and protects me because I'm his sister. When Nick, or Jake, protected me, it was always cuz they either thought I couldn't stand up for myself, they wanted the glory, or because I was their friend. I'm not complaining, they were both great guys who really did care about me, but Chirou's intentions are so much purer.
I let thoughts of the days with Em and Jake lead me into a peaceful sleep.
The same training routine the next day, Chirou carrying me home then giving me a goodnight hug. The day after it was the same, and the day after that. Our routine continued for a whole week, it was perfect. Everyday was so predictable, same stupid fights, same goodnight hugs, same blooming emotions for Sasuke and Naruto. Chirou became my heart, my steady person, my dearest friend. I'd never thought I could grow close to anyone this way other than Lexi and Nick (and Em and Jake), but here was Chirou, closer to me than anyone else.
I guess my view of perfect was, is, a little weird. But I just loved the way it felt to hold onto Chirou so close, be so open with others around me, and truly feel at home. I'd never felt this way, and though I'd never admit it, I almost forgot about missing Lexi and Nick.
As I said, though, it was only a week..
"Thanks, Chirou." I said softly as Chirou laid me on my bed for the sixth night in a row.
"Haha, it's fine. But I need to talk to you," Chirou sounded serious, it was a strange occurance.
"Yeah?" I questioned.
"Well, as you know, I'm already part of a shinobi team." I nodded my head in affirmation, "I need to start training again with them. Which means I won't be able to hang out with you any more, or train you. Which leads to my point, you're gonna have to really become part of Team 7. Like missions, Kakashi will be your full-time sensei, and so on and so forth."
I bit my lip, staying away from Chirou almost all the time sounded tough. I mean, it would be. I got home late at night, and every night I have the same person say goodnight. He makes every bad thing in the day better. Damn, it was like really having someone other than my best friend to come home to everyday. Like I actually had family.
I guess I was overreacting. I had only known him for a week, but I've only ever had about ten friends in my whole life, only four of whom lasted. Meeting someone who I could give my heart to so freely was special (as a friend, not like 'that'), only Em was like that, and I'd known basically all my life.
Damn Chirou, this is hard. My eyes moved downwards towards my heads, which were spread in my lap.
"OK," I said without lifting my head.
I didn't have to, Chirou lifted my chin and gently kissed my forehead. It was so sweet and innocent, like the first time he hugged me after training. I wish we could have stayed like that forever, and that I didn't have to try and live my life without someone else support. I now know the real reason I needed Chirou was because he was my crutch, someone I could lean on. I was honestly afraid of living without someone else.
"Lynx, I'm gonna miss being able to baby you, you know?" Chirou stated sweetly.
"Haha, I'm gonna miss being spoiled and babied by you, Chirou." I replied with a smile.
"Well goodnight, I'll wake you in the morning. K?"
Again I nodded.
Chirou left the room swiftly leaving me to wonder what the next day was going to be like. It was going to be strange, all right. With Chirou there I was slightly isolated from everyone else, and I'd end up being with him the whole time. Not just that, but I'd have to face kakashi-sensei. Damn, he'd be my sensei. The two of us still weren't exactly BFF… Hehe… This was gonna be really interesting.