A/N: Here Chapter 11, a light one just some secnes I wanted to include into the story.
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I know you hate me already a bit for what happened to Yuuki and I am not done yet, but like in live she will have some hardship bevore it gets better.
"bla" normal talking
´bla´OC thinking
´bla´OC inner
Chapter 11: Friendship
Two days before the exam I called my friends to meet together in the park because I needed to tell them something important.
´You are sure now is the best time?´
´Yes´
´You are also sure it is the right thing to do?´
´Yes, you swore to be always honest to your friends so, yes it is the right thing to do´
´Ok´
´Hey don´t be so nervous they are your friends´
´But will they still be when they hear that I can´t be with them anymore?´
´You are not out of the world and Friends are always there for another even when the other one don´t do the same as the others cheer up´
´You can easy say this you are my inner and mustn´t do this´
´True but I have to fight your darkness and that isn´t easy either ´
I walked nervously up and down on our hill in the park waiting for my friends.
´Ah there they are´
I looked up seeing them all coming up to me I could hear Naruto and Sasuke having their normal talk.
"THEME!"
"Dobe"
"THEME!"
"Ah look she is already here" Ino pointed out interrupting the two.
"Yuu-chan" Hinata greeted me and the others followed suit.
"H-H-ay everyone" my smile was a bit cramped because I was too nervous, fidgeting with my hands and shifting my stance every now and then.
"So what wanted to say to us?" Naruto asked outright straight to the point.
I steeled myself looking all of them in the eyes and began telling them the finding of the doctors and the decision of the teacher.
They were all shocked.
"You-You mean you won´t become genin and be with us?"
"Yes" I didn´t look up feeling really guilty and ashamed of myself.
"There must be a way" Sasuke mumbled.
"Yeah don´t give up Yuu we will find a solution." Naruto cheered up and the others joined him making different plans from bribing the teachers up to fake the Hokages writing and making me genin (You won´t believe it but that idea came from Sasuke)
´See they all are here for you´
"Everyone, I´m happy that you all would do this for me but I already decided on another way, I will become a cook " I smiled at them and they fell silent on that, then they all build a circle and began whispering and arguing about something until they came to a decision
"You are still our friend so you will be there on our graduation exam right?" Kiba declared.
"Yes I wouldn´t miss that"
"Good" I gave him a questioning look.
They all grinned at me.
"Sure we won´t just sneak her name on the genin list?" Ino asked again and they began to discuss this, but this time to make me laugh and cheer up.
"I told you so" Shika said from my side.
"You did" I smiled at him just to receive a short kiss to my forehead.
I bathed for the rest of the day in the warm feeling of having such great friends.
Graduation day
I came really early to the academy having yesterday received my own graduation.
I sat on Narutos swing waiting for my friends to come out as fresh genins.
"You are early Yuuki-chan" I nearly fell on the floor.
"Itachi" I gave him a pouted.
´Why, oh why he does that´
´You asked that already once I think´
´Can´t stop asking that´
"You are so easy Yuuki" He grinned mischievous at me.
´He-He-He´
´Yes he do that on purpose´
I maybe have gaped at him a bit disbelieving, because he began laughing at me like that time once where I stole his dango but it only made me gape more.
´The hell I don´t understand him´
´But isn´t that what you find so fascinating about him? That you can´t figure him out?´
´No I find fascinating that he can be so absolute imitating outward and such a sweet, caring man inside, that paradox´
´The opposite from you, you are a sweet and nice girl outside but can be cold hearted inside´
´That bad?´
´Only sometimes´
"You are here for Sasuke, but where are Mikoto and your Father?" At that he stopped laughing.
"They will come later, the Hokage called them" he got a thoughtful look on his face clearly thinking about the Why.
"I´m sure everything is alright" I smiled at him but it only made him stare a bit at me.
"Yuuki..." He was searching for words.
"Are you alright?"
"I´m fine Itachi" that only got me the same look that Shika gave me for that answer.
"It is really ok, I decided on another path you know" I gave him a firm look making him believe me.
"And what is this new path?"
"That - is - a - secret" I waggled my finger in tact to that teasing him.
"But sure you would tell that a friend" he got this mischievous glint in his eyes again.
"Sure you are my friend?" I asked in mockery.
And then I felt it light as a feather light his fingers tickled on of my tickle spots getting me to spit out a laugh.
"Yes" he said with an innocent look.
"Hmmm...I´m not so sure about that" and he did it again this time another spot near my waist but he didn´t stop so I soon found myself holding onto him while shaking with laughter.
"I surrender, I surrender yes you are my friend" I had tears in my eyes already and he stopped and helped me standing right. After getting some needed air I told him what I want to do for the next years.
"I want to be a cook so I´m learning from Akimichi-san cooking and baking" He seemed to be a bit surprised at the cheer in my voice but then his expression softened into this warm look he gave me sometimes.
"I´m sure you will be a great cook"
"Uhm...you want to try sometimes what I cooked?"
"I would like that" he strokes my head a bit giving me a fuzzy feeling.
´That feels good...know I understand why cats like this so much´
´Mhm´
´By the way don´t the Uchihas usual have a contract with cats?´
My eyes widened a bit with that revelation.
"Say Itachi?"
"Hai?"
"Can you summon cats?"
"You like cats?"
´Caught you´
´Not a real secret´
I looked expecting at him.
"Uhm yes I do, can I meet yours?"
"Sure why not the exam will take some time" he bit his tump and then slammed his hand down. From the cloud appeared an all-black Siamese cat with golden eyes looking absolute cool and noble.
"You called?"
"Good morning Yami, Yuuki this is Yami-san, Yami this is my friend Yuuki, be friendly to her"
The ninja cat gave me a short gaze then dismissed me springing on Itachis shoulder.
"For this you called me? What a waste of time"
´Wow insulted by a cat, don´t take it to hard girl´
´I will show this cat´
"Nee Yami-san you fur looks so silky can I touch it?"
´Touch, pet good I love animals´
´Here she goes again´
Yami opened his mouth to decline but caught the gaze of Itachi and shut it sitting still and waited with a look of "I hope this is over soon". Itachi crouched down so I could reach the cat.
´He got really tall over the years we only reach up to his chest´
´This time around he has a chance to live beyond his early twenties´
I began first lightly patting Yamis head and he just stared irritated at me until I began scratching behind his ears and putting a bit massaging pressure behind my strokes. He closed his eyes and began purring loudly and even began to smile and leaning into my touch so much he nearly fell of Itachis shoulders.
First Itachi was taken aback that Yami the unsocial cat with a heart of ice was reduced to a purring happy fur ball by the hands of a twelve years old little girl only to laugh at that. The slight shaking of Itachis shoulders got Yami back out of his daze blinking sometimes. First you could see disappointment then surprise that morphed into horror in a span of a second but he caught himself pretty quickly and turned to Itachi.
"She is tolerable" sticking his nose high in the air and then poofed away.
´I think that will be all of admission we will get for now´
´Oh that is alright I think making special catnip treat will get him around´
´Why do you love animals so much?´
`They are honest and more good than humans will ever be, and they are cute´
"I shouldn't be surprised anymore" Itachi mumbled.
"What do you mean?"
"Just that you really can easy make friend even with the coldest Ice cube and melt them"
I gave him a grin for that.
"Think he would like catnip treats?"
He chuckled.
"I´m sure he would like that, but be careful or you will have a bunch of cats following you around demanding the treats"
I imagined that and got a wider grin.
"I would even like that" I began laughing with him. We talked like that for a while seeing parents arriving waiting for their children.
´To think of it he was announced Head of Anbu just a week ago and look how good this job does him he is more relaxed and has more time for his brother´
"I think it is about time" I said and not soon after the bell was heard and the cheer of children coming for the door. My friends came out first running straight to me.
"Look look this looks great on me right?" Ino asked showing off her head protector now official a genin.
"What a drag" Shikamaru just said trying to bind his protector around his arm.
"Here let me help you" I took it from him and wound it around his arm right and made the knot.
"Thank you Yuu"
"Yuuki you aren´t the only one not being a genin"
"What do you mean Kiba?"
"Naruto didn´t made it" I looked at him.
´You forgot´
´This time no I knew, but this is necessary for him to learn his kage no bushin´
´Oh right his trademark jutsu´
´He will steal the scroll tonight´
I looked on the blond standing a bit to the side.
"Naruto I´m sure there will be a way for you" I embraced him.
"So don´t be sad"
"I won´t I will make it and you too, believe it!"
"Congratulation Sasuke" Itachi patted Sasukes head, who maybe didn´t showed it outright but was extremely pleased to get praised by Itachi.
"Where are mother and father?"
"The Hokage wanted to speak to them, but don´t worry they will congratulate you later when they are back" now he ruffled Sasukes hair up, to agitate him a bit. Sasuke is a bit sensitive about his hair according to Itachi he takes one hour daily just to style it, but I think he just want to distract me from the fact that he also takes a lot of care into his hair.
"Ne Ne Yuuki watch we have something for you" Naruto said nudging a shy Hinata to the front.
"We all thought that it would be only fair when you have one too even when you aren´t a genin" She said and hold out a makeshift head protector with "honoured Friend" craved in.
´Oh my god that is so...so...I´m really lucky to have such friends´
Some happy tears appeared in my eyes.
"Thank you so much" I sniffled and pulled them in a group hug.
"Let´s celebrate this mother made extra much so we can all eat by me" Choji offered.
"YES!" Both Kiba and Naruto exclaimed and the others agreed to all but Sasuke who wants to go home and deliver the good news to his parents so we said our good bye to him and went for the Akamichi mansion.
In the late afternoon we all went home and I knew Naruto will have a talk with this other teacher getting the idea to steal the scroll and learn his jutsu.
´You left that thievery out right?´
´That and the mission in wave´
´Huh why?´
´They learned an important lesson from Zabuza and Hakus death, I liked Haku but maybe with the already alerted inner workings of the future teams the outcome will change, we don´t know´
´You mean some necessary evil need to happen´
´Right´
´The chunin exam?´
´I´m not sure I gave them the information we don´t know what they will do for measurements´
´I hope it doesn´t end in Hiruzens death again´
´Tomorrow they will form their teams we promised to meet up after they became aquatinted with their team members and new teacher´
´Poor Kakashi getting Team 7´
´With all his laziness he had it coming´
´True so until tomorrow then´
I yawned and went to sleep with my head protector proud on my nightstand.
For the morning I went to Akimichi-san having my first lesson in cooking mostly it was about ingredients and more theoretical she said I need to understand this first bevor she let me cook. And for lunch I went to Ichirakus waiting for my friends.
"Yuu look, look I made it" Naruto run up to me showing of his head protector to me.
"That is great Naruto I knew you would make it" I hugged him.
"Now what our teacher is an old man with grey hair and he hates us already"
"Only because you needed to play a dump prank on him" Sakura reminded him.
´Ah the rubber incident´
´I really wanted to see that´
Sasuke just gave us all his cool look but quickly claimed the seat on my left. The other ones appeared also one after another chatting happily about their new teachers complaining about them like the preteen we are.
"You know what our Teacher was way too late and then only told us to come tomorrow to the training grounds without eating before" Naruto whined.
´A the famous bell test´
´Should we give them something to eat beforehand? They will wait hours for Kakashi´
´I already planned that I will also drop a little hind that they need teamwork, but maybe this time around it will not be needed because they already know each other quite good´
´Should we watch? You know I really want to see that moment personally´
´You mean-´
´Yes THAT moment´
´Why not it could be funny´
"How are your lessons with Akimichi-san?" Shika asked me from my right side.
"Quite good she starts with me at the basics, knowing the ingredients and how to handle them before cooking. You knew that putting tomatoes in the freezer will destroy their aroma and when unfreezing they will turn into mush?"
"Really?" Sasuke perked up at hearing me talk about tomatoes.
"Yes, and there is a lot you can make from only tomatoes, this basic lesson will take a while but truth be told I really like them" I was glowing out of happiness and began listing some tasty receipts with tomatoes quit getting the attention from the other who began asking about the different things they like.
"But you still have time on Sunday right?"
"For you always Shika" I smirked at him giving the hint that I will play serious from now on and he better be prepared, but he smirked back signalling that yes he is prepared an I began grinning widely excited for a good match.
Again I stood up early making three bentos for my poor friend from Team 7 and was on my way to the red bridge where they should wait for Kakashi.
"Good morning!" I chirped getting a glare from Sasuke and a forced smile from Sakura.
´Definitive no morning persons´
"Morning Yuu~"
´Expect him´
Naruto waved and skipped up to us, only to have his stomach growling.
"I didn´t eat anything and you?"
The other shook their head no.
"You are lucky, I have some bentos made, you know I asked father for your teacher Kakashi-san and I heard he is always late so I thought you could need something to eat, he mustn´t know you ate or?" I smiled.
"You are a life saver" Naruto hugged me short then snatched his bento and began eating.
"Sure we can eat that? He won´t know?" Sakura was unsure to break the ordered from Kakashi, but when even Sasuke took his she followed suit.
"You are now a team, so better work together even when it means to sink together" I laughed and waited with them for Kakashi packing away the bentos when the others were done.
"Yo"
"You are late" Naruto and Sakura chorused.
"You know there was this cat-"
He got a deadpan gaze from his students and then registered my presents. I saw a short surprise and then a suspecting glare.
´Hehehe he catches on that we could have meddled with his test´
I only gave him an innocent look.
"Would it be alright when I watch from afar?"
He hesitated but then nodded.
"So come on"
We followed him to a training ground and he put up the clock and explaining the bell test while I sat myself at the pole with a bag of chips in my hand.
´This will be great´
´I really want to see how they manage´
And the fight was on and at first it was like in the manga Naruto alone vs. Kakashi, loosing greatly and then got shot up with the 1000 years of pain technique into the river. Munching my Chips I watched greatly amused.
´This is better than any cinema film´
´Told you so´
After that came the first change while Naruto was holding down Kakashi Sasuke and Sakura moved in, Sasuke using taijutsu and Sakura throwing Kunais from afar working together to get the bells.
But as they fight the copy ninja the naturally didn´t get any bells and Naruto falling for that dump sling trap was bound to the pole.
"I think from here on I will take my leave, see you around" I smiled at them sitting there and complaining if this lunch thing was a hidden trap or not.
"And don´t forget we are friends" I said like an afterthought and took my leave knowing they will pass this test.
A few weeks later
I ended my lesson today by Akimichi-san having a little bag of catnip treats. Making bonbons wasn´t that easy but I begged her to teach me them a bit earlier so I could perfect them over the time, but Akimichi-san only was totally happy babbling something that I was so thoughtful to try first food for animals bevor making food for humans, because when even animals won´t eat my food humans wouldn´t also. But I only thought of all the sweet cute cats that I could lure with the bonbons to pet them and so on.
´You are an animal fan´
´I´m, so let us go visit Itachi to give Yami one of them to test´
I was on my happy way to the Uchiha house when I saw Naruto, Sakura and even Sasuke frantically searching in the alleys and calling for a cat.
"Tora, come kitty, kitty"
´Ah Tora that poor cat of the fat lady´
´Should we help them?´
´The poor cat...´
´But her owner wants her back so do we help them´
I sighted and marched over to Naruto.
"Do you search for a cat?"
"Yes it is brown and has a red bow on one of his ears" I took some treats out of my little bag.
"Here take this, with this catnip Treats you could lure the cat, but they are my first try so I don´t really know if they work."
"Thank you anyway Yuu, you are really a great friend, making us bentos and helping us." Naruto hugged me shortly and then skipped up to the others showing them the bonbons a made some plans with them hoe to lure Tora.
´The poor cat´
´The next time she should run out of fire country when she won´t like to be taken back.´
´Yeah...so to Itachi next´
I rang at the door and to my surprise Fugaku opened the door.
"Good day Uchiha-sama" I bowed slightly waiting for him to say something.
"Hn"
´He may have changed a thinly bit but as always his knowledge of words astonish me´
´Come on don´t be like that´
´But it is true´
He let me in and disappeared to who knows where.
From visiting every now and then I knew the way up to Itachis room opening the door I was greeted with a rare sight.
It may only be around lunchtime but he was here on his bed napping obvious to the world.
´He is so handsome, see how at peace he looks in his sleep´
´Dam where is the camera when needed?´
´No time for this he is a skilled shinobi when you want to do something while he sleeps do it know before he wakes up´
Carefully I tiptoed to his bedside hesitating for a moment think of what to do.
´Drawing on his face?´
´Death wish?´
´Tickling?´
´Ready for his revenge?´
´Stroking his head like he did on Christmas?´
´Could work´
So I slowly reached for his head and began stroking it slowly testing the waters.
´Do you think there is someone who could show me how to give a massage?´
´Ask in the hospital´
´Aren´t nurses always overworked´
´Asking won´t hurt. Ah! Watch-´
I was distracted from my thoughts so I didn´t see it when Itachi moved. His hand shot forward gripping my arm and pulled.
"Wha-uff" I landed on the bed beside him and he pulled me half onto him winding his arms around my waist and torso and curled a bit around me putting his head on mine he gave a slight sight sounding a bit like my name and continue to sleep.
´Uhm...what now?´
´Don´t move an inch and maybe sleep a bit´
´But-´
´Want to wake a devil?´
´Ah no...I didn´t knew he was a cuddle sleeper´
I smiled and giggled at that prospect, but it was nice being in his arms, he was warm and smelled nice like campfire and cinnamon lulling me into a light nap so I pulled my arms a bit more to me and use his chest as a pillow and began drifting into dreamland.
My pillow moved a bit and I grumped lightly trying to hold it into place.
´You know pillows don´t move on their own´
´!´
I woke up with a start nearly hitting my head with Itachis.
"Ah! Sorry I didn´t want to fall asleep" I my hurry to apologize I missed his slight blush.
"It is oky but why were you even here?"
"I made the catnip treats and wanted Yami to try them, to see if I did them right, but I found you sleeping and I was a bit to near to you, you pulled me on the bed and from there on I couldn´t resisted to take a nap to wait for you to wake up."
He yawned shortly and stretched his arms over his head.
´You know he is a lot like a cat´
´Now that you mention it...you are right´
He rubbed shortly his eyes yawned a second time.
"Did you sleep alright?"
"Hmm...yes I did" he looked away and stood up me following his example stretched too and looked for the bag of bonbons for Yami.
A poof was heard and a complain.
"What!?" Hissed Yami at Itachi.
"Yami-san here I have something for you" I knelt down holding a treat right under his nose he breathed in and came down quickly snatching the treat and munching audible just a few seconds after he sat again before me licking his mouth.
"They are ok, do you have by any chance some more?" Until now I didn´t now a cat could lift her brow but it really looked funny how he tried to remain his noble self and at the same time want to have some more treats.
"Sure but I will leave it for Itachi to give you them" I handed the bag over to Itachi, in Yamis eyes I maybe have giving Itachi a dangerous weapon against him because he was eyeing his master calculating.
"It is late so I will be going" I turned to the door to open it but Itachi was faster.
"I will bring you home"
"But-"
"Let me do this for you as thanking you for the treats it is already getting dark" he offered
"Ok"
On the way home we talked about my progress in cooking and baking and I asked him about having a desk job as head of ANBU until we reached my door.
"Good night Yuuki" he said and leaned down to give me a kiss to the forehead.
"G-Good n-night Itachi-kun" I answered tomato red and having this warm fuzzy feeling again in the pit of my stomach.
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