DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. (Though the OCs are mine!)

Webs of Deception

Chapter Twenty-Five

Into the Forest We Go

Jun, Cho and Yuuto stood off to the side, near a wall that Jun was actually leaning against. The three were chatting among themselves with Cho between her two male teammates; Yuuto on her right and Jun on her left. They continued like this for some time, until the opening of the room's doors caught Yuuto's attention. Jun was too wrapped up in talking with Cho that he didn't take notice of it.

'Late comers.' Yuuto commented in his head offhandedly as he took in the appearances of the three that just entered. And his eyes narrowed suspiciously when they landed on the blond male of that team. Leaning his body slightly forward so he could get a better look of the blond boy. 'He resembles a lot like.....nooo......It can't be.....'

He stared for another moment and when he couldn't decide whether or not that there was chance that the blond was somehow him, he turned without taking his eyes off the boy and swung his hand out towards Jun. Aimlessly swinging until he whacked the other boy on the arm. Which caught his attention and he snapped back with a rude, "What?!"

Not bothered with the other's tone, he used the same hand that whack him and pointed out the blond boy a crossed the room. "Doesn't he look awfully familiar?"

Jun, following the direction that the finger was pointing, analyzed the boy that his best friend had particularly forced his attention to. And his eyes narrowed just like his teammate's as he raked his eyes over the boy across the room. Cho also looked at what was so interesting and her mouth fell open. After a moment in this stupor, she regained some of herself and whisper so only her teammates could hear, "Did Naru-nii-chan have a son somewhere that I'm just not aware of?"

Yuuto turned and blinked in silent wonder at her innocence. Jun, on the other hand, didn't even hear what she said. He was too engrossed at taking in the whole boy's appearance and that one tattoo through the mesh shirt on the boy's arm had gave him away completely.

"WHAT THE FUCK!!" he exclaimed loud enough that the whole room turned their attentions to him. Most of them scowling at the loudness of the boy but there were a few that actually looked at him in curiosity about the outburst.

The one that was closest to the orangery haired boy, which unlucky was Yuuto, rubbed his now sore ear. Muttering things underneath his breath about the boy being more quiet or at least yell when you're not right by someone's ear. Actually, most importantly, his ear. Someone else's is fine.

Naruto knew the owner of that voice and he mentally growled. 'He just had to draw attention to himself and soon us. Perfect.....' he drawled out in his mind.

'I'm beginning to wonder if those two are related. They're both as equally loud.' Sasuke thought as he watched the younger, well consciously younger, boy that was stalking toward the three. His finger pointing blatantly at Naruto like he was coming up to them just to poke the blond's eye out.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" Jun again yelled out for the whole room to hear. It wasn't like though that Naruto was on the other side of the room anymore, now he was mere feet from the other boy and his volume was killing the blond's ears. Which resulted in Naruto snapping, "Dammit brat, will you be quiet! You're being too loud! The whole fucking room can hear you!"

Sasuke averted his eyes in an annoyed fashion and murmured, "Like you're any better."

"What was that, te-jerk?!" Luckily catching himself at the last second before he yelled that out for about hundred ears to hear.

Before Sasuke could retort to the blond, Jun seemed to somehow beat him in a lower voice that kind of resembled a growl if you listened close enough. "What do you think you're doing here? Like you need to take the chuunin exams. And who the hell are the other two?" Turning and scowling at Naruto's other two teammates.

Because of the tone of the other, Naruto purposely whacked the boy hard on his head. "Watch your tone boy." he almost sneered at Jun but kept a forced smile on his face. "I don't have to answer to you. Or did you forget that brat. So why don't you be a good boy and stop drawing attention to us."

By the time that Naruto was done, Jun was growling lowly in his throat and giving signs that he was about to burst and go wacko on the blond. Although he never got the chance to unleash himself on Naruto because Yuuto draped an arm over his shoulders with his hand gripping his right shoulder. Restraining him from what the blue haired boy knew that the other would do if he didn't.

"Hey, it's been a while sense we've seen each other...." he trailed off, giving the blond a look that would hopefully let him know what he wanted from him.

'O. Tu. Ran.' Naruto discreetly mouthed to the other boy.

".....Oturan-san." He tried to hold down the smile that threaten to break over his face at the name that he picked. While Jun mouth mostly to himself in distaste, 'Oturan.' Cho came up and stood on the other side of Jun and cheerfully watched the scene play out. Keeping her mouth shut, not wanting to ruin whatever the blond was planning.

Yuuto purposely, with slight exaggeration in his movements, looked at the other two members of Naruto's team. "How you've been doing? And who's the rest of your team?"

By now, the rest of the room lost interest in the moment before commotion and went back to whatever they were previously doing. Which suited Naruto just fine, he didn't need their big noses in their business anyway. "This is Wakahisa Seiji--" Pointing towards Sasuke and then pointing to Ruri. "--and this is Kawaguchi Hanako." Not bothering to answer about his well being, it wasn't that important like their made-up names.

"Now that we have gotten the important shit out of the way, what are you doing here?" Jun asked in his normal rude way.

Naruto rolled his eyes and answered in an exasperated way, "God Jun, you can be dense sometimes." Said dense sent a fierce glare at the blond. "What do you think we're doing here?" And without giving them time to even answer, like he even wanted them to, he answered for them with a huge grin plastered on his face. "We're here to take the exams! Why else would we be here?!"

Sasuke smirked as Ruri tried to suppress a smile. Though Jun's features darkened at the response, knowing from experience that he wasn't going to get a direct answer. "Hmn. Whatever dick-head. Just don't get in our way." He said as he turned his head to the side like a stubborn child.

"I wouldn't even think of it." Naruto began with that same grin on his face but as he continued, his expression turned flat and his eyes stared at Jun menacing. "Just stay out of our way. Don't be the normal arrogant brat that I unfortunately have the pleasure of knowing and attack us for something that we're not even gonna have. This is business for us Jun, so don't you dare fuck it up." His tone turning into a growl through the last sentence.

Jun directed his gaze back at the now shorter blond and glared all he was worth. Prepared to open his mouth and spout out several forms of obscenities at him. But Cho opened hers, which stopped the boy immediately, "Don't worry 'Ran-san, I'll keep him in line."

This comment resulted in Yuuto and Ruri to snicker underneath their breaths, Jun to blush and Naruto to lose the seriousness and grin widely. Sasuke just quirk an eyebrow at everyone's reactions, not really getting the inside joke.

"I bet you will chicklet." Naruto said with a snicker of his own.

A mock scowl settled on the young girl's delicate features and said shortly, "Don't call me that!"

Naruto merely rolled his eyes at her usual response to her nickname and chuckled lowly. Turning slightly to the side and noticing the bored and uninterested expression on Sasuke's features. And with a wicked idea springing to mind, he skillfully brought his hand behind Sasuke's lower half without him noticing. And with slight hesitation, he quickly pinched his butt cheek. Deep enough and hard enough where it caused the disguised raven to jump a foot off the ground with an unmanly yelp.

'Well, I hope that got him interested.' he thought as he full out laughed. The severe glare that was currently burning holes through him not deterring him in the slightest in his laughing. Sasuke upped his glare to the highest level at the laughing idiot. "Dobe...." he growled out. This growl actually sounding more animalistic than his normal growls and sneers.

Cho, Jun and Yuuto blinked at the strange action that their sempai just did. It wasn't like him to sexually taunt someone. Actually none of them have seen the blond ever do anything remotely sexual, let alone insinuating it. 'Unless....' thought Yuuto. '.....now it wouldn't surprise me if that Seiji was him.'

Sasuke refrained from rubbing the abused area of flesh that the blond so leisurely pinched. 'I can't believe he pinched by ass.' But before the three could say anything and before Sasuke, who really wanted to physically retort to the blond, the instructor Ibiki came thundering in the room, yelling, "ALRIGHT MAGGOTS!! GRAB YOUR NUMBER AND SIT THE FUCK DOWN!!"

The loud booming voice seemed to sober Naruto up slightly. He calmed down as he took in deep breaths, turning toward Sasuke's scowled face and leaning close to him to whisper near his ear, "Revenge, love. Just revenge...." His tone holding an huskiness underneath that sent shivers down the Uchiha's spine.

Sasuke's scowling features softened as he quirk an eyebrow. "Revenge.....?" he questioned as his hand moved unnoticed.

Naruto squeaked loudly and startlingly jumped when he felt his butt being pinched roughly. And once that girly sound came out of his mouth, he slapped his hand over his mouth and snapped his head back to the disguised raven. Who was smirking smugly. "Yes revenge.....it's quite nice." And he walked off with a proud smirk toward the line that held the participants getting a number to which seat they were going to sit. Doing this before the blond could scream his ear off.

The blond watched as Sasuke walked to the line with his mouth hanging open behind his hand. 'He just pinched my ass, didn't he?'

'Yup Kit, he did.' Kyuubi responded dryly.

Naruto lowered his hand from his mouth and pouted. 'But that's not fair. He's the one that practically played with my ass first. It was suppose to be my revenge, not his.' His bottom lip stuck out more as he walked toward the line and took his place within it. Leaving behind the three that were a little shell shocked at seeing someone touch Naruto and that person still living to tell the tale of doing so.

'Seiji has to be the younger Uchiha.' Yuuto concluded with the nodding of his head. 'Cause who else would be able to survive without injury doing something like that.' He went over to the line, dragging Jun with his arm still around the boy's shoulder with him. Cho followed her two teammates with giggles filtering out of her mouth from her own amusement that she found in the scene that was shown before her. 'So cute.....'


Gray clouds bubbled high in the sky over the vast amount of water and the ship that moved a crossed the surface. Swaying slightly with the waves that moved with the water. The atmosphere was dank with the wind blowing mildly, blowing against the Weasel masked man that stood above deck. He stood rigidly and stared at the land far off in the distance. 'We'll be there in a few hours.' he told himself.

But an uneasy feeling kept creeping within his system. Uneasiness that something was going to go terribly wrong once they stepped into Yuugure. Something he just couldn't shake out of him. And it was starting to annoy him.

Sounds of footsteps coming from behind him rang in his ears but he didn't bother to make any move to turn to acknowledge the man. Nor did he acknowledge him once he stopped by his side and stood as silently as he, himself, did. The two stood in this manner for several minutes. That is, until the Falcon masked man spoke in an even tone, "I now have deep respect for you, Kane-san. Dealing with Ryutaro-san and Hikko-san for a long period of time must be very tiredly. I have no idea how you do it?"

Itachi chuckled lowly in his throat. Neji was hardly alone with the two for three hours and he was speaking in such a way. Try spending years with the two arguing a least twice a day and having their mouth running almost non stop. He was just lucky that he has a long range of patience or he probably would have gone insane with the other members of Akuma.

"Earplugs." he stated like that was exactly what he did. But actually he tuned their arguments out of his mind most of time. Unless they were arguing about something important. Which usually never happens.

This time it was Neji who chuckled lowly before he calmed and asked, "I noticed that the fox, Daiki came back from Konoha. Did he say anything on how Tatsuo and the Uchiha are doing?"

"From what Daiki reported, Sasuke knows about Asuka and is dealing with the news quite well. Which I must say, surprises me." By saying this, Neji cocked his head toward the other man. This gesture silently saying that he was surprised by that. "Sasuke.....he's always been emotional. More so than I ever could be. It just surprises me that he took the news about his deceased daughter so well. It's not something I expected." He paused a moment before he continued with a smirk underneath his mask. "I don't like to be proved wrong."

Neji shook his head in amusement at the other's personality. But his amusement was interrupted with a loud crash that came from below deck. The location where the brunette left Miki and Kyoko arguing alone.

Those two alone and arguing. Now that wasn't a good combination.

The two normally stoic males let out a long sigh of annoyance at the same time. Lowing their heads slightly and basically ignoring the more bangs and yells that followed the first one. Not moving from where they stood as they knew that it was in their best health to keep it this way.


Naruto hunched forward and sighed loudly, almost banging his head on the desk in front of him. 'That was most excruciating thing that I've been through in a long time.' thought the blond with great relief that it was over and hopefully he would never have to put his nerves through that ever again.

As Sasuke said, the test was about cheating without getting caught. And just as he, himself, suspected, he didn't know a single answer to any of the questions. Which personally didn't really surprise him. He just thanked the heavens that Sasuke was in eye sight or he would have been screwed beyond believe. Because the scary personality dude made the chuunins sitting near the walls grade the papers to make sure that everyone got the right amount of questions correct. Something that Sasuke mentioned didn't happen before.

Now he was banging his head on the table to hopefully knock some of the stress that built during the test, that--he was sure--will permanently leave him mentally scarred. 'Brat stop that! You're giving me a headache!' Naruto actually laughed at that, though it was bitterly. 'I wouldn't say anything fur ball! You could of helped me answer those questions but noooo......you wanted to be an ass and let me squirm until Sasuke got the chance to send me the answers!'

Kyuubi dismissed he accusations with the wave of one of his tails. Even though the accusation was absolutely true. It was quite amusing letting the boy squirm nervously in his seat and feeling him sweat bullets. It was funny indeed. It takes a lot to make the blond so nervous. 'Ahh Kit, it was just some helpless fun.'

'Yeah, for your amusement only.' he deadpanned as the fox chuckled sinisterly to himself.

A sharp tug on his hair caused him to turn his head, so the side of his face was lying on the surface of the desk and looked up at the--already known--male. He playfully glared up into the brown eyes that used to be onyx. Missing their original color. "You didn't have to pull my hair, that hurts."

Sasuke scoffed and resisted the sudden urge to roll his eyes. "Stop acting like a girl and come on." he said as he grabbed onto the blond's ear. Moving to go out the doors like the others that were following the instructions of their next instructor, Anko.

"OW! Owowowow!" protested Naruto from the tugging on his ear. "That ear is stuck there, you know! It's not gonna come off!" And in order to keep said ear intact, he moved along the direction of the pull. Grabbing the hand that gripped his poor helpless earlobe and tried to pull it off but the damn limb had a vice grip. He whimpered like kicked puppy, giving up as he let Sasuke lead him out of the door and outside. Mumbling loud enough so the raven could hear, "What has my ear ever done to you?"

This time Sasuke didn't even bother to resist the urge, he rolled his eyes and even made sure that the blond could clearly see him doing so. Which, as he thought, resulted in Naruto to regain his fight and grumble all at once. Something he's always found to be amusing. Although, it would be even better if he could see the flame within his eyes grow brighter in their original sapphire color.

Sasuke stopped once he was outside among the other participants and standing by Ruri. With some amusing reluctancy, he let the ear he held hostage go. And right when he let go, Naruto immediately tended to it by rubbing the sore and abused flesh and at the same time, scowling at the person who held it captive.

Naruto was going to yell at the disguised raven but these instructors have some impeccable timing when he wanted to get back at the other male. So he opted out to just kick him in the shin and listen up to this--already concluded--crazy lady with purple hair.

The brunet boy, who now has a bruised shin, groaned softly at the impact of the blond's bony foot with his shin. His groan being the only indication that something even went on between the two at that moment. Well, besides the glare that was now directed at the blond. But that was to be expected. That damn kick hurt!

He turned his eyes back forward, only when Anko began to do her usual speech about the Forest of Death and trying to scare the participants with the form and all that shit. It was really uninteresting. It becomes like that when you've already been through it. And personally, it didn't scare him then and it was definitely not going to scare him now.

So, with his boredom, his eyes began to wander. Ignoring the other participants and taking in the several Anbu and Jounins standing a short distance behind Anko. He, unfortunately, recognized a few right away.

The first was, of course, Sakura in her Anbu uniform with her green painted hawk mask on. She stood perfectly still with her hands clasped behind her back, resembling a military soldier. Standing next to her was another familiar presence, her best friend Yamanaka Ino. She was also in Anbu gear with an green painted Bear mask and standing exactly like Sakura.

A couple of people down the line stood a fifteen year old Konohamaru in a jounin's vest. His mouth chopping on some gum in his mouth like an over-enthusiastic cow and his hands resting lazily in his pants pockets. He gave off an impression of a shinobi who didn't give a fuck. But his eyes kept busy by scanning over the medium sized group of chuunin participants, taking in all their faces.

Although this only made Sasuke mentally curse when they landed on Naruto. Resulting in the physically older boy's brows to furrow as his eyes took in the blond's complete appearance. Sasuke could particularly hear the gears turning in the boy's head. And glancing over at the blond, who actually had his complete attention to what Anko was saying, he thought, 'Why.....oh why.....did you have to pick that appearance, dobe?'

Feeling the raven's gaze, Naruto cocked his head toward the other boy. His eyes silently asking what he wanted. But the only answer he received was a barely noticeable shake of the other's head as Sasuke continued his observations of the shinobi in the back. Quickly putting Konohamaru's suspicious gaze to the back of his paranoid mind and went to the next shinobi he recognized. Which happened to be Kiba.

The most obviously recognizable one actually, being dressed in Anbu gear with a red painted Dog mask and having an overly large white dog sitting by his side. 'Definitely Inuzuka....' His posture showed confidence and arrogance with his arms crossed over his chest but the one problem that blew the whole thing was that he couldn't stop moving. It was very slight and normally wouldn't be noticed. That is, unless you're a trained Anbu.

But it wasn't him that was really bothering him right now. It was his dog, Akamaru, who was staring right at them and the movement of his nose indicating that he was sniffing the air. Which sent an uneasy feeling in his stomach. What if he recognized our scents? What if he recognized Naruto's? It was one thing suspecting similar appearances but a whole other with scents. Because scents can't be changed. And Naruto and Kiba--including Akamaru--knew each other back when they were younger. Meaning the damn dog knew the blond's scent.

He felt the familiar feelings of panic rising in him, the warning that Jiraiya gave him running through his mind like wild fire. "Because if the wrong person from this village finds out that he's within the walls of Konoha.....They will hunt him down and kill him." That warning clenching itself tightly around his chest.

Naruto looked over at Sasuke when he heard the increase of his heartbeat and breathing. Wondering what's gotten him into such an uproar. He leaned toward the disguised raven and asked in an whisper, "What's up?"

The sudden intrusion of his thoughts, startled him slightly. Glancing over at the blond that held worry in his dark blue eyes, "I'll tell you later." he whispered back without any panic that he felt leaking in his voice. Naruto seemed alright with this answer because he returned to facing forward again. But he brushed his hand lightly across Sasuke's hand in an soothing motion. Hoping that it would calm the raven down from whatever had him upset.

It didn't really calm him down, only diverted his mind from one to the other. Without moving his head, he lowered his eyes, looking at the hand that was still caressing his. He slowly moved his hand around the blond's and interlaced his fingers with his own. Unconsciously letting his thumb rub softly on the tan hand.

A small smile graced the blond's features and gave a small squeeze in return. A pleasant feeling erupting in his stomach at the affectionate action of the other. He felt wanted. And it felt ten times stronger because it was Sasuke. That he--on some level--accepted him, even if it wasn't completely. And even if it was only a little. He was going to cherish it and make sure that it grew into what they used to have.

Sasuke let his familiar smirk settle on his features when he felt the other squeeze his hand in response to him taking his. But that smirk quickly turned into a deep frown when he lifted his gaze back up and letting it fall on non other than Kakashi. Who stood at the very end of the line, closest to the tent that the participants were going to receive their scrolls.

'Great, another one.....' Sasuke internally groaned as he let his eyes glare at the gray haired jounin. Who held his one eye stare directed right at the two of them. But oddly enough, there was no suspicion located within the eye's depth.

No.....it was worse.

There was unadulterated anger directed mostly at the blond. Anger and some betrayal peeking out from underneath the clouded fury. His darkened mood filled the surrounding area and caused several of the younger--intimidated--participants to shiver and take nervous glances at the jounin. Even the Anbu, Jounins and Anko took a few weird looks at the man. Some even went so far as to follow his line of vision.

All this attention toward his blond, caused Sasuke to unconsciously squeeze his hand around his dobe's nervously and move ever-so-discreetly closer to him. Ready to protect Naruto if Kakashi, who looked ready to attack at any moment, or any other foolish soul decided to direct harm onto him. 'Dammit Naruto, why did you have to give him that name.' he mentally snapped at the blond for being such an idiot.

Naruto made no indication that all the odd stares and one extremely fierce glare of death directed at him bothered him at all. But his stomach was twisting itself into nervous knots at the unwelcome attention. Making him regret his chosen appearance slightly. Though it was only slightly. Not enough to actually make him sweat like the decisions he's made that he regretted terribly with Sasuke. So basically this was nothing. Just another challenge to see if he can keep his identity unknown.

Even though, he already knew that Kakashi figured it out......

Breathing an inaudible breath out of his nose, he set his gaze on one of the Jounins passing out the forms with pens attached to the participants. Waiting patiently for him to get to their team while his hand squeezed and un-squeezed the hand in his. Preoccupying his mind and hopefully preoccupying the other's from the situation that Naruto--once again--dragged them into.

The jounin handed Ruri three forms, one for each of them, and she passed Naruto and Sasuke theirs. The group of participants was prepared to separate and read over the forms but Anko stopped them by announcing, "A couple more things!" Catching their attention. "As most of you probably noticed, there are jounin and Anbu behind me! They'll present because they'll be patrolling the forest during this part of the exams for any unwelcome quests that think they're the next bad ass!" Naruto snickered lowly at her choice of words.

"So, if you by chance come across them, do not initiate a fight! They WILL go to any lengths to protect themselves!" She quieted, hesitating slightly of speaking the next topic. "Lastly, Konoha has hired extra.....protection during the duration of the chuunin exams. Everyone here should know them as Akuma!"

She barely got the last syllable out before a large puff of smoke erupted a short distance to her left. Causing several startled yelps and sharp intake of breaths. Once the smoke cleared, seven figures in different animal masks and the same black cloaks stood side by side in unnatural stillness.

Naruto had to bite his lip to stop the laugh that threatened to explode when a collective of steps back occurred when the whole of Akuma appeared on the scene. Though he had to admit, they looked creepily good.

The momentary shocked silence quickly ended as the area exploded in whispers and some panicked questions. This only caused Naruto to struggle more with his laughter. But unfortunately against his amusement, Anko quieted the bunch down. "They will also be within and about the forest! And I will give all you maggots a strict warning! If you by some miracle come across them, don't be some cocky bastard who thinks his shit is all that and turn the other way with your tail between your legs! Because they are nothing but killers and will kill you if you give them a reason!"

"I take offense to that." Naruto grumbled to Sasuke. "We have to have a really good reason first."

But Sasuke wasn't paying attention to the blond or even Anko's speech. He was wondering where the extra Akuma member came from. "Why is there seven?" he asked mostly to himself as he looked at every mask and put a name to each one.

"Hmm?" questioned Naruto in mock innocence.

"Seven." Sasuke repeated, stopping at the Akuma member with a Wolf mask. "Why is there seven Akuma members?" Analyzing the Wolf mask that he undoubtedly knew. "There's only suppose to be six."

Ruri averted her head to the side that wasn't facing the disguised raven to the hide the smile that formed. Naruto, on the other hand, firmly pressed his lips together to keep the grin that was dieing to show itself, down. And without actually counting, because he knew how many there were, he forced out between his closed lips. "There is seven, isn't there?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the blond's attempt at being nonchalant about the situation. But he knew better than to be deceived by that seemingly innocent facade. Because he could see the twitch of the corner of Naruto's lips. Letting a smirk form, he commented, "You know, that wolf mask looks awfully familiar."

A mock cough came out of the blond's mouth as his hand lifted and scratched his neck nervously. "Hmmm.....really?" His voice cracking from the humor that bubbled underneath it. He purposely looked over the wolf mask of the Akuma member. "Well, look at that? It does, doesn't it? I just noticed....." Saying the last sentence an octave higher out of strength he was putting behind keeping his face normal.

The smirk Sasuke's face only grew as he leaned closer toward the blond. "Are you trying to ask me something, dobe?"

Naruto's breath stopped in his throat when he felt the other's breath on his neck and his cheeks burned heatedly, flaming his complete face. The fight with his amusement fading fast as he turned his face further away from the other's in hopes that he could hide his blush. But it only exposed his neck more to its prey. Who took slight advantage and leaned even closer to the blushing boy. Liking the way he was making him fidget. "Hmm....." Becoming so close to the blond that he could move three centimeters closer and he would be able to place his lips upon the warm skin in front of him. ".....What do you want from me?"

Sasuke's inwardly chuckled at the shiver that visibly ran through Naruto. 'I think I found my favorite pastime.' It was so amusing to make the blond so flustered. Especially with the knowledge stored in the back of his mind that Naruto was the merciless killer, Tatsuo. To make such a mercenary this shade of red just sent a feeling of pride through him.

"Ano...." came Ruri's soft voice, breaking the enjoyment that Sasuke was having. ".....it's time to read through the form and sign it. So, if you two are finished flirting with each other....." trailing off as she kept her eyes in the opposite direction than the two males.

"Hmn." Sasuke grunted, pulling away from the tempting blond. His hand that was still interlaced with Naruto's, squeezed slightly before reluctantly detaching itself from those warm fingers.

Naruto turned toward the back of Sasuke when he felt the heat of the other's body disappear and watched as he began to walk away. He let out the breath he was holding throughout the whole encounter of the close proximity and ran a hand through his hair. Stopping at the hairs at the nape of his neck and tugged at them as he thought, 'Man, how the hell does he seem to do that?'

A scowling pout developed on his features while he contemplated on this subject. But Kyuubi decided to save some time and answered it for him, 'Because you love him getting under your skin. So you gladly let him.' Naruto didn't bother to object what the fox said because it was probably true.

"You coming, Oturan?!" Sasuke yelled back at the spacing out blond. Who came out of his thoughts with a jerk and playfully glared at the brunette. Without saying anything and keeping his glare on the amused Uchiha, Naruto straightened his shoulders and stuck his nose up in the air. Walking with some stomping toward where Ruri has already made herself comfortable on the ground and was now reading through the form that was handed to her.

The smirk on Sasuke's face didn't lesson as he watched the child like behavior the blond was displaying. But he kept his mouth shut, from possible threats of saying something like he was 'cute' or 'adorable'. Those are two words in any kind of language that he just won't let out of his mouth. No matter what!

Sasuke didn't move until Naruto walked past him and that's when he began to walk again, behind the blond. Sitting down across from Ruri as Naruto sat down on her right. Sasuke and Naruto immediately signed the form without reading it. While Ruri, on the other hand, took her time to read over every paragraph--twice--before she felt satisfied with the terms and signed her form.

For the rest of the time, the three made idle chat until it was time to turn in their forms and receive--or in their case--not receive a scroll. Then strolling over to the gate of their choosing and began the second part of the chuunin exams. Oh, what fun.....


Though, unbeknownst to the two males of the former Team Seven, Kakashi watched them with his sharingan eye revealed. Copying the movements of the brunette boy's mouth, who whispered into the blond's ear. "Are you trying to ask me something, dobe?"

His mouth clenched tightly as realization struck him on who the brunette boy actually was. 'Dobe.....Sasuke.....' he concluded. There was only one person he's known whose ever used that insult. And the way the boy used it, it was as if he used it as a pet name. Which the same person only has done. 'So you know Sasuke......How long have you've known?' he asked himself bitterly. His anger boiling in his veins like fire.

He felt betrayed......Such deep betrayal at how his two former students could do something like this? How they could pull such an stunt that caused so much pain to so many people? 'Did you two enjoy the game you've played?' he silently asked the two in his line of vision. 'Was it amusing watching everyone's reactions?'

His rage could barely be contained as he watched the two flirting with each other so openly. Making him want to strike at them. But he contained himself by digging his blunt nails into the palm of his hands. Deep enough where blood bubbled from the wounds and leaked out into his hands.

A small part of him, that wasn't shadowed in his anger, felt like it was his own fault. That if he paid closer attention to the two, then maybe this wouldn't of happened. But he didn't think they were capable of something like this. Something of this degree. Sasuke might have had it in him for something so twisted but not.....Naruto. Well, that's what he thought.

'Looks like I underestimated you again.....Naruto......' He lowered his hitai-ate back over his sharingan eye. 'But it won't happen again.'