I'd like to thank everyone for the awesome reviews! I've taken every one of them to heart. This chapter is a bit more light-hearted, and it's a couple hundred words longer than the last! Cheers.
Keep reviewing guys, it's the best motivation ever.
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Kiba watched incredulously as the pretty boy before him shattered Naruto's carefully built badboy exterior with one withering glance.
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Monday
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This guy was an idiot. He was obviously an idiot.
Sasuke crinkled his nose at the pair of retards slouched in the seats around his desk. Judging by their attire, they were obviously part of the group Neji had been working so hard to exterminate. It was a pity. The blond next to him was good-looking, handsome even, though his current facial expression left much to be desired. The idiot sat reclined in his seat, mouth wide open and eyes comically widened, staring straight at him. The other idiot, with the face paint, sat with a horrified expression, though it was directed at his friend. These were the people giving Neji such a hard time? Sasuke sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was going to have to have a talk with his vice president later.
Hearing the (sexysexysexy) guy in front of him sigh, Naruto instantly snapped out of his trance-like state. Reverting back into his usual laidback façade, he mentally ran through Naruto's List of Steps to Get Laid:
One, get friendly with the target. "Hey. I've never seen you around before. You new to Konoha?"
---
Sakura was walking down the hall on her way to homeroom when she heard Naruto's familiar voice floating from his classroom. He was always talking. Nothing special here.
"—You new to Konoha?"
She faltered a bit, interest peaking. A new student? She backtracked to the open doorway, peeking in from the hall.
Oh. My. God.
She would recognize that face anywhere. Uchiha Sasuke, student body president, was back in school, sitting coolly at his desk. And her stupid goddamn insane best friend was grinning at him and trying to start a conversation.
Of course Naruto wouldn't recognize him. The same went for Kiba. The two never went to the assemblies, none of her group did. Sakura though, Sakura didn't need to go to any assemblies to recognize Sasuke. She knew him well enough. Her past acquaintance with the current president was something she'd always tried to keep hidden from her current group of friends. And now that plan could go out the window, now that he was back.
"Hn." Sakura started as she heard the familiar voice. Tucking herself farther back into the shadows of the doorway, she continued to stare intently into the room.
"Not much of a talker, eh?" Naruto was chuckling. Sakura froze. That tone, that deep, flirtatious tone. Oh god. He couldn't be—he wouldn't.
"I'm Naruto." There was a pregnant pause. "And I think you're hot."
Apparently, he would.
---
"I'm Naruto. And I think you're hot."
Sasuke blinked, tilting his head to the side as if clearing water from his ears. Did he just---?
Judging by the shit-eating grin on the moron's face, he did.
Never in his life had Sasuke been so confused. Does he not know who I am? Impossible. Could this be some kind of challenge? He frowned. If so, what did the blond hope to accomplish by bringing himself out into the open like that, not that he wasn't in the first place, but---.
"In your seats, everyone." Iruka's voice, accompanied by the shrill screech of the first bell broke into Sasuke's muddled thoughts. "Class starts now. Everyone please refer to page 376. Chapter 19, Section 3."
As he tore his eyes from the blond to fumble with the straps of his bag, he thought he could hear the sound of retreating heels in the hallway. The only one who would wear heels in school was---Sakura?
He glanced curiously at the doorway. Big mistake. Sensing movement, Naruto turned instantly in his seat and gave him a two finger salute. It was kind of hot, in a disturbing sort of way, Sasuke thought to himself, before blanching and decided that he needed severe punishment. He must be egging me on. The nerve of that guy. Iruka's cheerful droning was not enough to banish his thoughts, and the feel of a heated stare on the side of his head was not making things any better.
As class was approaching an end, Sasuke came to a satisfactory conclusion: It must be a challenge. He knows who I am and he's challenging me. Well then, two can play this game.
---
Naruto was throwing his things haphazardly into his bag, keeping his eyes on his new interest all the while, when said interest turned fully in his seat and made pointed eye contact. (Hot.)
"I'm Uchiha Sasuke, student body president. Pleased to make your acquaintance." With that, he turned and sauntered out of the room.
Oh. Well damn. (Not so hot.)
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The world must be against him today. No, the gods themselves must be grudging against him. Inner Naruto shrieked in heartfelt agony. After a brief moment of hesitation, Outer Naruto did the same and threw himself into Sakura's waiting arms.
Sakura punched him in the face before he could make contact.
"S-Sakura! Now's not the time to be playing hard to get. Comfort me!" He sniffled a bit for effect. "I met a totally hot guy today, so worth my time. Turns out he's actually---"
"Uchiha Sasuke?"
"Yes, exactly. How am I supposed to---" His head whipped around with a crack. "How'd you know?"
Sakura winced. "I saw from the hall."
"Kiba told me. I meant how'd you know it was him? "
Naruto was more perceptive than others gave credit for. She chuckled, albeit nervously, before clearing her throat. "I'm not as clueless as some people you know." She'd tried to make it teasing, but her words came out scathingly in her nervousness.
Naruto let out an indignant screech, not looking very convinced. Sakura lifted an eyebrow. "I actually pay attention to my surroundings."
A familiar clanging echoed up from the staircase, signaling Kiba's arrival onto the roof. He was trailed by a redhead, tattooed and sullen looking. Goodie, more distractions.
"Osu." Kiba grinned at his blond friend, slapping him heartily on the back. Naruto grinned back and repeated the gesture. "Hey Gaara."
The redhead stepped out from behind Kiba but remained silent.
Naruto laughed. "Nice to see you too. You haven't been to school in awhile. Picked an awesome time to come back though, the president's here too, you should see him…"
He trailed off upon seeing Sakura and Kiba's twin grimaces. "What?"
"Hey man," Kiba started, "I'm going to try to break this to you gently, but---" He sucked in a breath and placed a hand on each of Naruto's shoulders. "YOU CANNOT HAVE THE HOTS FOR THE STUDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT!"
Sakura nodded enthusiastically in the background, eyes wide. Naruto scratched his head. "Hey, hey, I admit he's pretty easy on the eyes---"
"You called him hot!"
"Same thing. Anyway, it's nothing serious. It'll pass."
His friends looked skeptical. Gaara grunted.
Naruto folded his hands behind his head. "I'm saying he's hot, but I'm not stupid enough to try to start something with someone like him."
Kiba grinned in relief punched him in the shoulder. "I knew you'd see it our way."
---
Neji straightened out the curtains in the student council room, fingers brushing through each fold of cloth before turning to face the desk. "How was your first day back?"
Sasuke grunted his standard monosyllabic answer. "Hn."
His vice president nodded, before tossing a heavy manilla envelope onto the desk. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the laminated pages that spilled out. "This is?"
"Current school photos and past information on the delinquent group. Shikamaru actually took the time to put this together. You should find this satisfactory."
The Uchiha rifled through the papers, briefly memorizing each name. Inuzuka Kiba, Sabaku Gaara, Haruno Sakura, Yamanaka Ino, Uzumaki Naruto.
Uzumaki Naruto. The blond from that morning. He stared winningly up from the glossy school photo, white teeth and stunning eyes. Sasuke stared incredulously at his eyes. "His eyes are blue. What kind of Japanese---"
"Mixed. His father is German. Nami-something-or-another."
"Mother?"
"One hundred percent Japanese. Heard his father's wallowing in money. Parents are barely home, I'm pretty sure his parents don't pay him any attention-- you know the story. Probably why he turned out the way he did."
Sasuke cupped his cheek in his left hand, fingers on his right tracing abstract patterns through the dust. "You talk like he's trash."
Neji reached over to ruffle his adorable kohai's hair. "Of course. Aren't they all?"
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Kohai- underclassman.
I took out the no in Sabaku no Gaara because I felt it sounded kinda weird to be using Gaara of the Desert as an actual name.
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Author's Note: And Naruto's (very) moronic side surfaces.
I'm trying to decide just how to pace this story. This was actually just supposed to be a oneshot, but it morphed into a multi-chap. At the pace this is going, it's going to take many, many chapters before I finally reach the end. Should I continue like this, or would some adjustments be in order?
And also, just to make things clear, Naruto and Kiba had no idea what Sasuke looked like before meeting him in class. Sakura though, hmm…
The next chapter is in the works. Reviews are great encouragement!
Yuesui.