Of Orientations, Unexpected Kisses, and Teammates
-Of Orientations, Unexpected Kisses, and Teammates-
After leaving the building, Amaya immediately began to look for Naruto and Lord Third's grandson. However, due to being unable to find them, her search eventually just turned into walking around aimlessly.
"Amaya!"
Hearing someone call out her name, Amaya looks up, spotting Naruto jogging towards her. "Hey, where's the kid? He followed you, didn't he?" She asks, looking over the blond's shoulder for the little tyke.
Naruto waves her questions off, grinning widely as he reached her side. "Oh, I took care of it, even taught him my Sexy Jutsu." He informs proudly.
After processing his words for a moment, Amaya blanches. "You didn't?!" She asks, her exasperation growing as he nods happily in response. 'Poor Hokage-sama... If Naruto could catch him off guard with it, there's no doubt his grandson can and will as well.' She mused, pitying the elder but also finding amusement in his newfound predicament.
Shaking the thought away, Amaya turns her attention back to the blond next to her as they begin walking. "So, are you coming back over tonight? Mama's worried that you're not "taking proper care" of yourself or something."
Folding his arms behind his head, Naruto statues up at the sky, humming to himself. "Mmn, nah not tonight. I wanna turn in early so I'll be on time tomorrow... If I come over, it'll be another late night like always." He replies, turning to her with a soft smile.
Amaya laughs, shrugging it off with a nod of understanding. "Okay, if you say so."
-THE NEXT DAY-
After breakfast, Amaya jumps up from her seat, calling out her goodbyes over her shoulder as she made her way to the door. However, before she could even get her hand on the handle, she's suddenly stopped as two separate arms wrap around both her shoulder and waist. Looking up, she sighs as she makes eye contact with the twins, wondering what the two could possibly want from her now.
Seeing her curious expression, Kou, the louder one of the two, grins brightly. "We thought we'd walk with you today!" He informs cheerfully.
Kurai nods, smiling softly down at her. "We hardly get to spend time with you."
Somewhat surprised, Amaya stares at the two thoughtfully before nodding, leading the way out the door. "Okay... But we'll probably end up meeting Naruto on the way--"
"That's fine." They interject at the same time, shrugs and all.
Stretching, Kou looks up at the sky as they walk. "Besides, I like the lil' dude, he's pretty funny." He comments cheerily as they leave the compound, earning smirks from his siblings in response.
Their walk turns silent after that, that is until Amaya turns to them with a strange expression. "Oh, by the way, I met Ebisu-san yesterday... Sort of." She tells them, immediately catching their attention.
"What happened?" Kurai asks, slowing down in his stride, brushing back his unruly brown hair while taking a glance at Kou with a knowing look.
"Well, Naruto and I were meeting with Lord Third..." The youngest began, making sure to go into great detail of her and Naruto's escapades leading up to and following the events of the day before, her "grand" story leaving both males in stitches once finished.
"I'm telling ya, Kurai, we need to bring the kid in on one of our pranks sometime!" Kou exclaims, clutching his stomach from laughing so hard. "He's a genius! I mean a 'Sexy Jutsu'?! And it actually works?!"
"It would be interesting... Imagine what we could get on Toshiaki." Kurai replied with a strange glint in his eye, earning a dark chuckle from his usually "brighter" twin.
Amaya shivers at their expressions and tone, deciding it best to quickly change the subject as she spots Naruto walking ahead of them at the end of the block. "Well speak of the devil!... NARUTO!" She calls with a wave, prompting him to look up in their direction.
"Hey you guys! I was just on my way to your place, believe it!" He informs, coming to a stop as the three siblings reach him.
As soon as he's in reach, Kou reaches out and pats him lightly on the back. "We heard about what happened yesterday! You gotta tell us about that jutsu of yours!" He states, leaning in with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.
Naruto glances at Amaya curiously, sweatdropping when his friend subtly shakes her head 'no' with a panicked expression on her face.
***
While continuing down the street, Kurai nudges Amaya gently in the side. Once he has her attention, he motions silently with his head toward an area in the fence, which was jutting out oddly, as they near.
'Obviously a disguise... And a terrible one at that.' Amaya thought to herself, shaking her head as she and her brother look behind them to Kou and Naruto. Both quickly realizing that the two hadn't noticed anything due to their constant blabbering, causing the two to roll their eyes.
The duo share another look as they all pass the "disguise" safely with nothing major happening. 'Maybe we're not the ones their waiting fo--'
Before Amaya could finish the thought, the so called "disguise" is ripped off and thrown to the ground. They all spin around at the commotion, each one staring blankly at the sight before them.
'It's that kid from yesterday!' Amaya thought to herself, none too impressed.
"You're mine Naruto!" The child exclaims, pointing at the blond as he took a step forward, only to trip on his scarf and flaceplant the ground, causing the three Minamoto siblings to sweatdrop at the scene.
"Uh... What do ya think you're doing, Konohamaru?" Naruto asks, completely unaffected as he stares down at the child blankly.
'Konohamaru... Huh, so that's his name!' Amaya mused, pounding a fist on her palm lightly.
"That was a slick move, that's why I respect you as a rival." Konohamaru informs as he stood, completely ignoring the question.
Naruto's expression turned into one of confusion. "But I didn't do anything..." He replies, thoroughly confused. His response making the twins snicker into their hands.
"Alright, now fight me fair and square!" Konohamaru yells determinedly, once again ignoring what was said as he stepped forward with a fist clenched in front of him.
Sighing, Amaya takes a step forward, waving her hands in a placating motion. "Mah, mah, slow down there pipsqueak." She began, gaining the kids attention as he turns to her. "It's only been a day, and we've got places to be."
Konohamaru stares at the girl for a moment, gaping like a fish out of water before his face began to turn a light shade of pink, earning himself knowing looks from the twins standing behind her.
"She's right. Sorry, Konohamaru, but we have orientation today." Naruto cut in apologetically, rubbing the back of his neck slightly.
"Orientation?" The child questioned, moving his gaze from Amaya and onto Naruto.
"That's right, as of today I'm a ninja. Believe it." The blond answered seriously, slightly adjusting his forehead protector.
***
After a few more minutes of talking, they say goodbye to Konohamaru and continued on their way to the academy. "Well that was interesting..." Kurai comments quietly, earning an amused nod from his twin.
"We also have to tell Toshiaki-nii about Imouto's possible future fanboy." Kou added with a shit eating grin, adjusting a few brown strands of hair that fell into his brown eyes.
Amaya feels her eyes twitch as the two began snickering. "Shut up." She growls out annoyed, making their laughter grow louder. Shaking her head at the two, Amaya looks ahead, spotting the academy gates a little ways away. 'We can make a run for it before they do anything embarrassing...' She thought to herself, chancing a glance between her older siblings and an oblivious Naruto. However, before she could make her move, the two wound their arms around her shoulders, pulling her closer as if they knew what she was thinking. 'Creepy.'
Once they reach the gates, Naruto heads on inside to get a good seat, leaving Amaya alone with her brother's.
"We have another mission for a Lord Hokage, so we'll be gone for a few days." Kou began while pulling the smaller brunette closer by the arm and into a hug.
"But you two just got home. Is it serious?" Amaya asks, giving them both a worried look as he releases her, allowing Kurai his chance.
Kurai is next to speak as he pulls her into an embrace of his own. "It's a simple escort mission, we'll be just fine." He reassures, patting her on the head while stepping away.
Amaya's frown relaxes slightly. "Ah, well either way, be careful okay?"
"We always are, little bird. Don't worry so much, you'll get wrinkles that way. ~" Kou kids, reaching up to pinch her cheek before poking her between the eyes.
Grunting, Amaya swats his hand away, turning to Kurai when he speaks. "We have to go pick up our order from the shop before we leave, since we were running low on weapons."
"Also, good luck with your new team and sensei! When we get back, we want to hear all about it, and we'll teach you some new techniques. How's that sound?" Kou adds cheerfully, grinning at the reaction that followed.
"YES!" Amaya exclaims, excited as she gives a small fist-pump. "I'll tell you all about it when you get home." She agrees, and with that, they both nod and turn to leave.
As soon as they're a good distance away, Amaya turns and makes her way inside.
-A Few Minutes Later-
Walking into the classroom Amaya glanced around, making eye contact with Naruto before waving. Seeing that he was already at a full table, surprisingly sitting next to Sasuke, she headed toward her usual spot by the window.
"Huh? What are you doing here, Naruto? This isn't for dropouts, you can't be here unless you graduate."
Shikamaru's voice drawls lazily, catching her attention. Turning away from the window, Amaya puts her focus on the two boys as they begin to speak.
"Oh yeah, do ya see this; do ya see this? Open your eyes, Shikamaru, it's a regulation headband." Naruto replies smugly, gesturing to his forehead protector before adding, "We're gonna be training together, how'd you like that?" Causing Shikamaru to scoff in disbelief and amusement.
"Let me put it to ya this way, I look great in this headgear! It's almost as if it was made for me, believe it!" The blond continued to say with an affirmative nod, causing the young Minamoto to snicker slightly at the cocky action.
Shikamaru turned his gaze away from the prideful Uzumaki and towards Amaya, silently asking for confirmation.
Amaya leans forward on her arms and grins. "He's tellin' ya the truth, Shika-kun. Naruto graduated." She informs, earning a quiet groan from the boy as he made his way to his seat next to her.
After that, things were somewhat quiet, despite the silent mumbling of the other students talking. That is until Ino and Sakura burst through the door panting, as if they were in a race. Though Amaya didn't doubt the possibility of that happening.
"I'M FIRST!" The two girls screech in unison, gaining everyone's attention for a moment, prompting them to look toward the door.
"I win again, Sakura!" Ino gloated smugly while turning to the pinkette, who frowned distastefully in response.
"Give it up, I had to look back to see you! My toe was at least a tenth of an inch ahead." Sakura replied, her tone condescending yet thoughtful as she began scouring the classroom for her "precious Sasuke".
'You'd think they'd put that energy into something that actually mattered, like training, but no... They don't. I guess that's why they always do better with written exams than physical ones.' Amaya mused to herself, quickly losing interest in the two girls.
"Have you always been this delusional?" Ino rebuked, however, Sakura was no longer paying attention to the blonde as her green orbs caught sight of Sasuke's broody form.
Naruto, the poor boy, thought the pinkette was smiling at him and waved at the girl as she made her way over. "Hi, Sakura! What's up?" The blond greeted cooly, hoping that she'd take notice of his newly acquired headband.
Sakura, with her usual tunnel vision for Sasuke, ignored the boy and shoved him roughly aside once he was within distance. "Move it!"
With narrowed eyes, Amaya grits her teeth. Her hands form into fists and she prepares to push herself up from her seat, only to be stopped as Shikamaru ceases her elbow in a firm yet gentle grip. Their eyes meet for a moment and he shakes his head, silently telling her not to bother with it.
Grunting, Amaya relaxes her tense muscles and returns to her former position, her fingers tapping on the table as she fought the urge to release her temper. 'Next time she does that, I'll kick her teeth in.'
To her right, Shikamaru mushroom sighs as a bead of sweat runs down his temple. 'Crisis averted... Tch, these girls never learn - even after all these years...' He thought, remembering back to all the times the brunette next to him let her temper run wild and free.
"Ah, good morning, Sasuke." Sakura greets sweetly, pretending as if she didn't just push Naruto over with the strength on ten men.
'Honestly, why does Naruto even like her?' Amaya wondered to herself, resting her chin on the heel of her palm, mentally preparing herself for the argument that was about to unfold at the Haruno's actions.
Unperturbed by Sasuke's silence, Sakura continues to smile hopefully. "Mind if I sit next to you?" She asks shyly, immediately gaining the attention of other females in the room.
"Back off forehead, I'm sitting next to Sasuke!" Ino suddenly cuts in, storming her way over to the table.
Sakura's demure expression drops for a moment as she sends the blonde a glare. "I was here first." She replies before turning her attention back to Sasuke, her dismissal causing Ino's face to flush in anger.
"Saa~ Here we go." Amaya drawls, locking eyes with Shikamaru, who nods just as uninterested.
"I walked into the classroom before you did, everyone saw it!" Ino spat.
Sakura sighs in annoyance, but that doesn't stop her from throwing her head back with a laugh. "Dream on."
By this point, almost every girl in the room that heard the argument between the two, joined in. Each spouting out phrases like "Actually I got here before either of you!"; "So did I, I'm sitting next to Sasuke!"; and of course, "No I am!" Each one making Amaya want to bang her head on the table.
-Meanwhile-
"Most promising student, Sasuke Uchiha, is that him?" A man with silver gravity defying hair asked as he and other Jounin observed the class through the Hokage's crystal ball.
"Yes, he's the one." Lord Third replied, nodding to himself as he smoked from his wooden pipe.
"He's the only survivor left of the Uchiha clan." Another Jounin, with bushy eyebrows -clad in a green jumpsuit, mused aloud to himself.
"That's right." A woman with curly brown hair confirmed.
"That girl from the Minamoto clan, she should prove to be promising as well... I look forward to seeing what she brings to the table later on." A brown-haired male with facial hair, adds while lighting his cigarette, his eyes locked onto the image before him.
The silver haired male from before trails his one, visible eye around those shown in the ball - specifically those assigned to his own team, his gaze eventually landing on a familiar blond. 'Hmm... Naruto Uzumaki, huh?'
Naruto, having enough of the squabbling over Sasuke, leapt on top of the table in front of the young Uchiha with a seething glare.
"NARUTO! Stop glaring at Sasuke!" Sakura screeched, catching the attention of everyone in the nearby vicinity.
'Sakura?... Why are they so obsessed with him? Sasuke, Sasuke... What's the big deal with this guy?' The blond thought to himself with a frown, unknowingly leaning in closer as Sasuke returned his glare wholeheartedly.
Amaya could've sworn that she saw sparks of rivalry fly between the two as she watched on with bated breath.
"WOAH! This is great!" A boy sitting in front of Sasuke exclaimed as he leaned back into his seat, accidentally bumping Naruto forward. Feeling his arm nudge someone, he turns around, an apologetic look on his face. "Sorry, did I bump you?" He asks, only to freeze along with everyone else at the sight.
"..."
Everyone stared as Naruto lost his balance and fell forward, his lips smashing into Sasuke's in an accidental kiss.
Amaya blinked once, then twice before bursting out into a fit of laughter. Gasping for breath through her giggles, she hunched over and leaned against an equally amused Shikamaru for support. Eventually realization set in, and she was soon joined by all of the boys in the classroom.
"What the..." Sakura stared, dumbfounded, while Ino spluttered out flabbergasted, "I uh..."
'CHA! THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS! I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SASUKE'S FIRST KISS! NARUTO WILL PAY FOR THIS! CHA!' Sakura's inner self thought while clenching her hands into fists.
Throughout all of this, Naruto and Sasuke had jerked away from each other. Both doubled over, retching violently.
"Huh? They are vicious..." The boy from before, who caused it all, stated cluelessly.
Calming down, Naruto suddenly stopped moving and sniffed the air. "Danger..." He murmurs, trailing off as he slowly turned his head to the left, instantly catching sight of Sasuke's fangirls glaring at him.
"Naruto... You are so dead." Sakura growled, cracking her knuckles.
"Hey woah, it was an accident!" The blond replied, in hopes of convincing the horde of fangirls, with no such luck, however.
"You're finished!" Ino snapped as they all took a step toward the knucklehead.
"Mah, mah c'mon you guys, it was an accident. It's not like they wanted to kiss!" Amaya cut in, standing from her seat, hoping that she'd be able to calm everyone down. But alas, no one payed her any mind.
"Hold on..." Naruto stuttered, hopping down from the desk before taking a cautious step backwards.
-Meanwhile-
"As usual, Naruto is right in the middle of some kind of trouble." Lord Third muses aloud to the room of Jounin. All watching through the crystal ball as the Uzumaki is pummeled by a crowd of angry girls, while the youngest Minamoto tries to break up the fight.
"With Amaya right behind him..." Kenji grumbles with a sigh, wincing as he spots his daughters hair being pulled as she fought off three girls at once. His grimace growing as her retaliation to the attack was ten times worse.
Sakura was the one who eventually got the seat next to Sasuke, taking her spot between both him and Naruto with pride.
Amaya, after dusting herself off, had retaken her seat next to Shikamaru as Iruka began to talk.
"As of today, you are all ninjas. You will face difficult trials and hardships. But that's nothing, what comes next will be far more difficult. Now you're only Genin, first level ninjas. All the Genin will be grouped into three-man squads, each squad will be led by a Jounin, an elite ninja." Iruka informed, fighting back tears as he glanced around the room, seeing as this may be the last time he'll see some of his students faces.
"Well, someone's gotta be in Sasuke's group. I wonder who?" Ino asks rhetorically from her spot on the opposite side of Shikamaru, causing Amaya to make eye contact with the boy as she rolled her eyes.
"I don't know..." Sakura dismissed, seemingly indifferent on the outside, not once glancing behind her to look at the blonde. 'CHA! I'M GONNA BE WITH SASUKE, SO STAY AWAY FROM HIM, YOU HAG!' Her inner self exclaimed through clenched teeth while making a fist.
"Saa~ Honestly you two, does it really matter at this point?" The Minamoto asked lazily, earning looks from the two girls -glares that had little to almost no effect; a side glance from the Uchiha; and an amused chuckle from the Nara beside her.
'Groups of three... That'll only slow me down. I will admit though, some would be a better teammate than most.' Sasuke thought to himself before sparing another glance at the Minamoto behind him.
'I wanna be with Sakura and well, Amaya would definitely be awesome... I don't care, as long as it's not Sasuke!' Naruto thought as he glanced at the said trio, his eyes narrowing when they reach the Uchiha's form.
"We want each squad to have a balance of strength and abilities, so that's how we set them up. However, due to an uneven number of graduating students, one squad will consist of four. The extra member may also assist other teams on missions, if the situation calls for it." Iruka then cleared his throat and continued, "I will now announce the squads..."
'A team of four? Assisting other teams? That's fine and all, but it seems like the fourth member is extra baggage that they didn't know what to do with...' Amaya thought to herself with a small frown before adding, 'It's probably me, of course. I did register late because Mama was hospitalized at the time...'
The Minamoto was so deep in thought, she didn't hear the previous teams being called. 'I hope my name hasn't been called yet... That would be awkward.' She thought with a sweatdrop.
"Squad 7... Naruto Uzumaki; Sakura Haruno; Sasuke Uchiha; and Amaya Minamoto." As Iruka said this, Naruto cheered when he heard his, Amaya's, and Sakura's name but quickly deflated when he remembered Sasuke.
'A team of four? Of course, that's my luck, that'll only slow me down more... At least I'll have one competent teammate besides the Jounin.' Sasuke fumed, none too happy about being on the same team as the Dobe and one of his biggest fangirls.
'I knew it...' Amaya deadpanned, sighing as she turned to look out the window to her right. 'I'm the baggage.' She added to the thought distastefully.
Iruka continued, "Next, Squad 8... Hinata Hyuuga; Kiba Inuzuka; Shino Aburame."
"HOW DID YOU GET IN HIS GROUP?!" Ino shrieked in disbelief to both Sakura and Amaya, as it finally seemed to click with both rivals about who was on the Uchiha's team.
'KA-CHING! TRUE LOVE CONQUERS ALL!' Sakura's inner self, once again, made an appearance - exclaiming joyfully. However, Sakura was still somewhat put off by the fact that she wasn't the only girl in the team with Sasuke. Furrowing her brows, she took a glance at the brunette who was currently looking out the window in boredom. 'I've never really talked to her. She hasn't showed anything that hinted to a crush on Sasuke, but she could hide it well... Either way, I won't lose!' The pinkette thought to herself, determined.
"I don't get it, what do you see in a guy like that? He's not so special." Shikamaru asked, looking towards the Yamanaka beside him somewhat curiously, not really caring.
"You are so beyond clueless, Shikamaru. Don't you get it?" The girl rebuffed, turning in her seat to look at the lazy boy.
"No, I don't get it, cause I'm not a girl." He replied mockingly, smiling slightly to himself as Amaya snorted in amusement at his response.
"You're so full of yourself... Jealousy is a terrible thing, I'd hate to be on your squad." Ino replies harshly, catching Amaya's attention, prompting her to turn and cut into the conversation.
"That's a bit ironic, don't ya think? Considering you'd do anything to be in mine or Sakura's position right now." She chimed sassily.
Shikamaru grins and leans back in his seat with a chuckle, embarrassing the Yamanaka even more as she sent them both a scathing glare.
"Now, Squad 10... Ino Yamanaka; Shikamaru Nara; and Choji Akimichi." Iruka called immediately after.
Ino pales at his words as Shikamaru turns to her with a smug grin. "Heh, didn't you say something about hating to be on my squad?" He asked cockily, causing the Minamoto beside him to smirk triumphantly.
"Those are all of the squads..." Iruka began but was cut off by Naruto as the blond stood from his seat, slamming his hands onto the table.
"Iruka-sensei, why does a great ninja like me have to be in the same group with a slug like Sasuke?!"
Iruka regards him for a moment, glancing down to his clipboard for a moment with a hum. "Sasuke had the best scores of all the graduating students, Naruto, you had the worst scores. To create a balanced group, we put the best student with the worst student." He informs, his voice stern as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Just make sure you don't get in my way, loser." Sasuke huffs rudely, sending the class - with a few exceptions - into another laughing fit.
"Hey, what did you say?!" Naruto growls, pointing at the Uchiha.
"Hard of hearing?" The calm raven-haired boy asked mockingly, infuriating the blond even more.
Exasperated, Sakura grabs one of Naruto's arms and pulls him back down into his seat. "Knock it off, Naruto! Sit down!"
Once the class quiets down, Iruka grins and ends the orientation. "After lunch you'll meet your new Jounin teachers. Until then, class is dismissed."
Walking out of the academy, Amaya spots Naruto and lightly jogs over to him. "Hey, everyone's having lunch with their teammates, we should probably track ours down, too." She advises once she reaches the boy.
Naruto nods to himself, a thoughtful look forming on his face. "Lunch with Sakura I'm okay with, but that Sasuke... He gets under my skin." He huffs, looking around for the two.
Amaya sighs and nudges him gently in the ribs with her elbow. "C'mon Naru, he's apart of the team, we gotta include him as well... Besides, who knows, maybe you two will become friends!" She replies with a laugh as they begin to walk through the schoolyard.
"Friends?!" He exclaims indignantly, shaking his head furiously at the thought. "Hah, that'll never happen! I'll lose a limb before it does!"
Amaya grins and shakes her head, her eyes shining mirthfully. "Well you never know..."
After that, their walk turns quiet, that is until Naruto breaks the silence when he spots Sakura. "Look there's one of them now!" He exclaims, running over to the pinkette. "Hey, Sakura! Since we're in the same group I... Well, we--" The blond starts once he has the girl's attention, gesturing to himself and Amaya as he adds, "--were thinking we could have lunch together, and get to know each other."
"Why would I eat lunch with you? How did that thought even cross your mind?" The pinkette replies nastily.
At her answer, Naruto rubs the back of his neck nervously, visibly flustered. "But we're in the same group so you know I just thought--"
"Naruto, you're annoying."
Having heard enough, Amaya steps in front of the blond, giving the Haruno such a scathing glare it makes her take a step back. "Yeah? Well you don't have to be so nasty, we're just trying to be polite, but I see you're too dense to comprehend that."
Sakura opens her mouth to retort but stops as Amaya takes another threatening step forward. "No, I don't wanna hear it. Get lost, before you end up eating your lunch through a straw."
Sakura paused, and after seeing that the brunette wasn't joking, turned around and walked away - calling out Sasuke's name in a sickeningly sweet voice.
Taking a deep breath to calm down, Amaya turns to see Naruto's downhearted expression. "Hey, c'mon forget about it. She's not worth it... You wanna go to my place and grab some lunch?"
Naruto's eyes narrow in thought before he turns to her, shaking his head. "No, I just remembered that I have something to do really quick. I'll see you back here when we meet our Sensei."
"Okay... If you're sure. Is there anything I can do to help?"
Naruto jolts at her question and nervously waves her off. "Nah, I can handle it. I'll see you later!"
Amaya nods, and with that, the blond was gone. 'Oh, Naruto, what are you planning now?' She thought as he took off with a confident grin.
***
After stopping by her home to pick up some lunch and promising her mother that she'd tell her everything about her new team and Sensei when she got home, Amaya set off.
Currently the brunette was sitting in a tree, eating her lunch while listening to Sakura talk to herself about her "big forehead" from her own spot on a stone bench - which sat on the opposite side of the path. Shaking her head, Amaya looked up at the sky in thought. 'I wonder if Naruto got fresh milk, he said that his was outdated...'
Suddenly, both girls heard a noise. Looking down from her perch, Amaya saw that it was Sasuke, standing at the base of the tree. 'Strange, you'd think he'd be the one to notice me first... I'm not even masking my chakra or presence.' The girl thought, taking a sip of water as her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
Sasuke walked toward the stone bench, and once he was close enough, he leaned down so that he was eye to eye with Sakura. "Sakura, your forehead is so wide and charming... It makes me feel like.. kissingit." He murmurs softly, his statement coloring the girls already flushed cheeks a new shade of red.
Amaya choked on her drink at his words, staring at the two incredulously. 'Wait... WHAT?!' The Minamoto shrieked to herself, her jaw dropped in awe. 'Is... Is this a confession?! Does Duckbutt actually have romantic feelings?!' She thought, leaning in closer, completely engrossed in what was happening before her.
"Just kidding, that's the kind of dumb thing Naruto would say." Sasuke said cooly, standing up straight before taking a seat next to Sakura on the bench.
'Pfft.. well he's not wrong, Naruto would say something like that but--... Wait, since when does Sasuke make jokes?!' Amaya thought to herself amused, before she became serious. 'Th-that's not... Naruto.. is it?!' She added, thinking back to how he acted at the academy. Focusing back on the duo below, she began to observe Sasuke's actions.
"I want to ask you something..." Sasuke began after sitting down.
"Huh?" Sakura blurted out dumbly, still in awe that the Sasuke Uchiha was actually talking to her.
"Naruto, what do you think of him?" He asked while glancing toward the pinkette.
'Why would Sasuke care about what people thought of Naruto?... That's definitely not Sasuke, I wonder what that knucklehead hopes to achieve by doing this...' The brunette thought in amusement, leaning back into her original position -still watching the duo below.
Sakura looks down to her lap in thought before answering. "He knows about my feelings and he purposely tries to get in the way. He enjoys interfering and making me feel bad. Naruto? He doesn't understand a single thing about me. He's just annoying." She scoffs, softening her gaze as she looks up to the Uchiha beside her. "All I really want, is for you to accept me, Sasuke... That's all."
'So, this kinda turned into a confession for Sasuke?... Poor Naruto, that's probably not what he wanted to hear.' The Minamoto thought, looking at the stunned expression on Sasuke's face.
"You just want me to accept you?" The boy asked confused.
"Yes, that's how I feel. I'd do anything for that." Sakura replied, leaning in towards Sasuke.
Shaking her head, Anaya brought a hand up to her mouth to muffle her laughter. 'Oh, is she going to kiss him? I bet he's freaking out.'
"It's true... I'm desperate..." The pinkette adds, their lips just seconds away from touching. However, before any contact could be made, Sasuke froze in place for a moment, grabbing his stomach as he jumped up from his seat and bolted.
"HEY, WHAT'S WRONG?!" Sakura called, concern marring her features as he ran off in the direction of the academy.
"I'LL BE RIGHT BACK!"
A moment of silence passes after Sasuke's form disappears from view. Amaya moves her gaze from the direction he went and onto the pinkette below, her brow raising at the giddy smile on the Haruno's face.
"I didn't know that Sasuke was so shy... Maybe he needs a little time to get ready." Sakura finally mused to herself.
Amaya giggles to herself and shakes her head. 'What a team...' She thought.
***
"Sasuke, you're back! Don't be so shy you bad boy! Are you ready now? Ya know, mentally prepared? Because I am... I mean I'm rearing to go!' Sakura called out excitedly.
At her words, Amaya looks up, immediately spotting Sasuke coming from the opposite direction than the one he ran off in.
The onyx eyed boy ignores her and continues to walk past. Pausing mid-step, he glances around and spots Amaya on her perch, giving her an acknowledging nod before continuing on.
"H-hey, wait a minute!" Sakura calls out again, curious about the change in attitude. Her voice prompts him to stop once more and turn slightly.
"Where's Naruto?" He asks coldly, scouring the area for the troublesome blond.
"Oh, see there ya go changing the subject again." Sakura sighs with a smile. It quickly fades and her expression morphs into one of annoyance. "Anyway, Naruto just picks fights with you! Ya know why he's so annoying? Cause he wasn't raised right, he doesn't have a mother or a father. No one to teach him right from wrong. Think about it! He just does whatever comes into his head. If I did things like Naruto, forget it! My parents would get mad and I'd get in trouble, so of course I don't do it, but if ya don't have parents to tell you, how would you know? He's selfish and bratty, he's all alone."
Gritting her teeth, Amaya pauses in collecting her trash as Sasuke turns completely around to face the pinkette, his expression dark.
"Alone, isolated."
'Sakura, as smart as you are, and claim to be, you really don't have any common sense.' Amaya sighed, remembering that Sasuke is the last of the Uchiha Clan and that he's literally in the same boat as Naruto.
"Huh?"
Standing to her full height, Amaya decides it's time to step in before the pinkette embarrassed herself any further. "Saa~ He ran off earlier." She calls nonchalantly, jumping down from her spot, catching the duo's attention.
"H-how long have you been there?!" Sakura asks exasperated, looking at the brunette with wide eyes.
Amaya shrugs. "The whole time. I was up there before you even sat down on the bench."
At her answer, Sakura gasps. Her face turning red once more as she thought back to moments prior, from the almost kiss to what she said about Naruto.
Sasuke raises a curious brow at Amaya's smug, knowing look and Sakura's embarrassed expression, a small part of him wondering what transpired before his arrival. Shaking the thought away, he turns his attention back to Sakura. "It's not about your parents scolding you, you have no idea what it means to be alone."
Jolting at his voice, Sakura turns to him. "W-why are you saying that?" She asks nervously.
"Because you're annoying." Sasuke replies dryly, much to her dismay before turning to Amaya. "Will you show me where he went?"
Nodding, Amaya begins to walk towards him, her mind flashing to Naruto for a moment. 'Sorry buddy, but this is something I've got to see.' She thought, a small tinge of pity forming in her chest.
As she walks forward, she gives Sakura a blank look, making the pinkette swallow nervously. Once close enough, Amaya throws her trash into the small garbage bin behind the Haruno, the sound making the girl flinch.
They make eye contact once more as the brunette backs up, her gaze stern as she places a hand on Sakura's shoulder, the gentle touch surprising and scaring the girl even more. "Not everyone can help the situation they're in. Naruto is one of those people... He didn't choose to be alone, I think you should remember that... Be a bit nicer next time, words can cut just as deep."
Sakura's eyes waver at the intense gaze. Finally, Amaya releases her hold and continues walking towards Sasuke, allowing Sakura to let out a sigh of relief as both make their way down the pathway.
***
The walk towards the academy was silent for the two. At least up until they reached a hallway near the bathrooms. Hearing a door open, both look up, spotting Naruto exit the bathroom while clutching his stomach.
Amaya laughs at the sight. 'He totally forgot and drank the expired milk.' She thought, smiling at the blond as he looked in their direction. His gaze trailing from his best friend to the unimpressed and blank-faced Uchiha.
"Sasuke, what are you doing here? How'd you get loose?!" Naruto asks, pointing at the ravenet angrily.
Tilting her head to the side, Amaya glances up at Sasuke with a brow raised curiously. "What does he mean by "get loose"?" At her question, Sasuke looks down at her for a moment before focusing on Naruto once more -obviously deciding not to answer. Becoming annoyed, Amaya also looks at Naruto. "What did you do this time?" She asks again, only to be ignored a second time.
"I used the Escape Jutsu. No sweat, it's a very basic technique." Sasuke replied, answering Naruto's previous question. His expression then becomes one of slight annoyance. "Why'd you do that? Transform into me?" He asks, growing increasingly suspicious as the brunette beside him snickers into her hand.
"I thought it'd be fun to try my moves out on you, so I did!" Naruto answered before quickly bringing his hands up to preform hand signs, creating multiple Shadow Clones in the process -much to Amaya's surprise.
Sasuke clicks his tongue in annoyance." Agh, the same technique again?!" He asks, exasperated, earning himself a surprised look from Amaya.
"Again!?" She shrieks, looking back and forth between the two, her eyes zeroing in on Naruto alone. 'You'd think that this technique would use up a lot of his chakra...' She thought to herself, watching as the clones charged in her and Sasuke's direction.
"This time you'll see what I can really do! You're going down for the count! Then you'll admit that I'm the best! Get ready, Sasuke!" The blond exclaims.
However, before anything could happen, Naruto and all of his clones suddenly froze. A moment of silence passes before they all spin around and run back to the bathroom, each one fighting one another to get through the door first.
"..."
Sasuke and Amaya remained in their original spots, watching Naruto and his clones blankly.
"What a loser." Sasuke grumbles, prompting Amaya to turn to him.
"Saa~ This'll take a while. Wanna head on back to the classroom?" She questions, jutting a thumb over her shoulder.
Sasuke regards her for a moment before nodding silently. "Hn."
'What a team...' Amaya thought once again with a small smile.