fallen leaves
title:
note: i finally caught up on the manga. (basically i read naruto like once a month, four or so chapters at a time.) SASUKE IS BACK. and sakura looks so cute all dressed up like a chuunin. :D
another note: i hate raking. my back hurts. and my arms hurt.
summary: team seven went on a lot of stupid missions. here's one of em. (a prequel of sorts to this.)
disclaimer: i do not own naruto.
also: HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANNE! I LOVE YOU. I AM WAITING FOR MY BEBES TO INSPIRE ME STILL. BUT YOU JUST WAIT.
Naturally, there were a lot of leaves in Konoha. A lot. And when autumn came around, most of those were on the ground, which meant a surplus in D-rank so-called missions of raking given to some poor, unfortunate genin squads.
Thus, with the combined luck (or the lack there of) of the three male members of Team Seven, it wasn’t particularly surprising when the Sandaime assigned them to one of the biggest yards in Konoha.
“When I’m Hokage,” Naruto began sullenly, “no ninja will ever have to rake again!” He probably would have sworn a blood oath if his arms weren’t so sore.
Kakashi looked away from his book. “But then what will you do about the leaves?”
Naruto stood still and stared up to the sky as he thought of a reply, though neither Sasuke nor Sakura were particularly pleased with the fact that he was taking a break while they were still working. “I KNOW!” Naruto grinned much too smugly for their tastes as he glanced over at Sasuke. “Since I’ll be the one in charge of, well, everything, I’ll make the Bastard the village leaf burner or whatever!”
No one looked very impressed.
“…just get back to work, Naruto.”
As Sasuke told Naruto he was an idiot and Naruto (loudly) defended his “super effin awesome thank you very much” idea, Sakura slowed down in her raking. She was tired. Sure, they were all tired but when she was that tired, she didn’t quite care about her teammates. She wanted a break, and seeing the way Naruto and Sasuke were fighting (as per usual), she had a pretty good plan.
When round thirty-three died down, Sakura smiled at Naruto. “Wow, Naruto, you rake so fast!”
“Uh…” Naruto blushed because holy crap, Sakura was talking to him. And complimenting him! “T-thanks, Sakura-chan!”
Then Sakura pouted. “I wish I could rake as fast as you…” She sighed and got back to work. Naruto did the same, occasionally sneaking peeks at Sakura and then reddening and looking away.
When Sasuke sent a dirtier than usual look Naruto’s way while raking even faster, Sakura inwardly smirked. So ten minutes later she sauntered closer to Sasuke and smiled at him mock-shyly.
“Sasuke-kun, you’re so good at this. You’re getting everything done before any of us!”
“Hn.” Sasuke barely repressed his smirk before suddenly glaring at Naruto, who was suddenly working harder.
Sakura smiled freely, knowing that both boys were too busy trying to rake faster than the other to notice her much too smug demeanour. She was so caught up in revelling in the fact that she no longer really had to do anything that she didn’t notice when Kakashi was standing beside her until he spoke.
“That wasn’t very nice, Sakura-chan.”
Sakura stiffened. Her grin faltered momentarily but she calmed herself down and looked up at her sensei confusedly. “What do you mean, sensei?”
“Playing with the boys like that,” he elaborated. Kakashi wasn’t sure if he should lecture her or not on teamwork because really, her manipulations did lead to the mission getting done much faster.
She scowled before pouting. “But sensei!” she whined. “I’m training them while we’re still in Konoha, where it is safer to learn that all it takes is a few compliments to turn teammates against each other for the enemy’s benefit.” Sakura nodded eagerly. “It’s for the good of the team. Really.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Kakashi was about to speak but someone (much) louder cut him off.
“HA! MY PILE IS BIGGER THAN YOURS, BASTARD!”
Suddenly there was a fire jutsu shot in Naruto’s (and his pile’s) general direction. “Not anymore, idiot.”
“I’M GONNA KICK YOUR ASS.”
“Tch, I’d like to see you try.”
Sakura raised an eyebrow at Kakashi, who was surveying the growing fire and the damage Naruto and Sasuke’s scuffle was leaving on their client’s property. “See what I mean?”
Kakashi sighed. “Yeah.”
“RASENGAN!”
“CHIDORI!”