Naruto- gaanaru- negotiated infidelity 4
It's been awhile, I know. The past three months have been something of a blur and finding time to write was difficult. Thank you, everyone, for your patience and your support. :)
Title: Negotiated Infidelity Ch 04- First Strike
Fandom: Naruto (AU)
Pairing: GaaNaru, SasuNaru
Rating: PG-13, for language
Warnings: None for this chapter
Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are the property of Masashi Kishimoto. No profit is made from this, no harm intended.
Summary: There were rules in place. Naruto had set them himself. If only he could follow them...
Negotiated Infidelity 04
First Strike
There was a tension in the air, an undercurrent of excitement buzzing in the locker room. Naruto rolled his shoulder trying to ease the slight tension in his neck, trying not to let the atmosphere affect him.
“How’s the leg?” Shikamaru asked him. He had his dark green goalie shirt on, his hair pulled tight against his scalp. His long hair jutted out of a small ponytail high on his head that reminded Naruto of a pineapple.
“Better,” Naruto smiled. “It’s more purple than blue, but I figure that’s an improvement. I won’t be rough housing out there, but I should hold my own.” Naruto pulled his blue sweat band over his head, pushing it up his forehead to pull his long bangs out of the way.
“How does the other team look?” Naruto asked. Shikamaru’s lips twisted, and a sharp huff made his nostrils flare. This was not encouraging. Usually Shikamaru was the one to take a look in advance, to pass on words regarding strategy.
“About that,” Shikamaru started carefully. “Did you know?” His dark eyes flit sideways in both directions as though he was looking for someone.
“Know what?” Naruto asked, following his gaze. He tucked his head band behind his ear and settled it the way he liked it.
“Suna’s goalie,” Shikamaru said carefully. “Did you know it was him?”
Naruto frowned, wondering what Shikamaru was getting at. Green eyes flashed in his mind and smiled, laughing to himself. As if, he thought.
Shikamaru paused. His eyes slid past Naruto and he stopped abruptly. Naruto turned to look, spotting Sasuke’s curious look.
“Coach wants us on the field, now. You too, Nara.”
Naruto nodded. “We’ll be right there.” Naruto reached inside his locker and pulled out his lucky frog towel, the one he kept waiting for him on the bench at each game. He rummaged inside for one more item.
“Don’t take too long,” Sasuke warned before heading in the other direction. Naruto picked up a small pouch, pressed the folds to make sure his necklace was there. He tucked it back into the protective layer of fabricand slammed the locker shut.
“Let’s walk and talk,” Shikamaru said, fiddling with his gloves. Naruto spun the dial of his lock for good measure. Draping his towel over his shoulder he turned and followed Shikamaru toward the door.
“That guy you ran into the other day,” Shikamaru began again. “He’s the one, right?”
His eyes flicked upward and Naruto found it difficult to meet his gaze. He looked at his shoes, noted that one of his laces could be a little tighter. He had been trying not to think about that, or the question still plaguing him. Everything had been going so well. . .
“You told Sasuke about it, right? Everything square?” he prompted. There was an edge in Shikamaru’s voice that made Naruto uncomfortable. There was an urgency that made him sqirm.
“Yeah,” Naruto said defensively. “I told him about it that night.”
Shikamaru looked relieved. His shoulders slumped a little and his body seemed to deflate with one big sigh. “Good, because we’re all about to be reunited again.”
“He’s here?” Naruto startled. “You’ve seen him? I invited him to the game, but he left so abruptly I didn’t think...” Naruto paused.
“Whoa, Naruto, what are you talking about? What invitation?” Shikamaru asked.
Naruto paused. “We talked that night and I invited him to the game. I told him I’d be playing.” His sentence trailed off when he noted his teammate’s expression.
“So then he didn’t tell you.” Naruto shook his head, not comprehending what Shikamaru was trying to tell him. “Naruto, he’s here because he’s playing against us. He’s on the other team.” Shikamaru shook his head, “Geez you know how to pick them.”
Naruto furrowed his brow. He thought back to the sudden anger on the other’s face, his anger when Naruto bragged about his position and insulted the other team.
I’m not your friend. I can’t be.
It was like a light switch flipped on in his brain. Like the last puzzle piece had brought the picture into focus. Part of him wanted to laugh at the irony and part of him felt relief. If a sense of competition was all that stood between them, that could be overcome. Naruto found himself laughing as he continued his way to the field, giddy with a different sort of anticipation.
It explained why they had run into each other near the locker room, or why the other was in town. It explained why he showed up at the pub the other night.
“Naruto,” Shikamaru said with impatience as the striker ran ahead. He trotted toward the field, hoping he would see the other man, hoping he could wink at him or show some sign that he wasn’t bothered by their position on opposite teams. “Naruto!” Shikamaru called after him, trying to catch up. When he reached the edge of the field, his eyes scanned the bright green turf, picking out the details of the players in black and sandy beige.
Shikamaru’s hand tugged his arm roughly. “I wasn’t done,” he said even as Naruto’s gaze traveled further. He paused when he noticed the goal and the small figure stretching in front of it. A figure in a maroon shirt, with deep red hair. “I was trying to tell you, he’s their goalie.”
Naruto’s smile fell. The man famous for his violence and for his ultimate defense, the one who had put more than one striker in the hospital was his opponent. The same monster that had treated him gently not a few nights before. It was inconceivable that they should be one and the same.
“No way,” Naruto muttered incredulously.
“Yes way,” Shikamaru’s voice brought him back to the present. “You better not let this distract you. We need you and Sasuke to be careful. Unless you think he’s planning to go easy on you.”
Naruto flushed. “I don’t flatter myself,” he snorted, remembering the dark look on the rooftop. “But it’s okay. I’ll be fine,” he said, reminding himself that there was a scout somewhere, watching from the stands. Now was not the time to let his personal life interfere. Shikamaru looked skeptical at best. “Really,” Naruto assured. He nodded in the direction of the goal, his attention already fixed on the lone figure so markedly separate from the rest.
He looked away to find Sasuke’s dark hair in the field, finding his number emblazoned on the back of his jersey. Naruto began jogging toward the field.
When he arrived Kakashi barked out his orders and Naruto fell in line, self-conscious as he practiced the few warm up drills. He wondered if the other team was watching him, or if the goalie himself had noticed him. He put a little more care into his footwork, trying to show off, to display his skill. Kakashi barked at him to hurry up and Naruto stopped trying too hard and fell into the motions.
Mentally he was combing over his memories, picking out the clues that might have tipped him off. He wasn’t angry, he discovered. It wasn’t like he had been deceived or vice versa. And yet the other man knew his name, had recognized it. Had the goalie been gunning for him from the beginning? Had the other man been angry when he realized he had helped treat the enemy? And yet for one supposedly so violent, those hands had treated his wounds swiftly and gently. It just seemed so out of place, so contrary to every impression he had received.
Naruto could make no sense of any of it when the whistle blew. The players huddled up for a last minute pep talk, but for Naruto it went in one ear and out the other. His attention was already on the faceless scout in the stands and his own determination to show Suna what he was capable of. The team cheered and then broke apart, wandering to their respective positions on the field.
Naruto took his spot on the center line, just right of Sasuke. His heart sped up a little as he looked across the field at the opponents facing him. Their bodies tensed, legs ready to go. The striker directly in front of him was tall, with short dark hair and brown eyes. He looked menacing, his face a solid mask meant to intimidate. Naruto’s eyes shifted to the goal, where a slender figure stood calmly, arms crossed over his chest.
Here was his real opponent. The coin was tossed, and Naruto felt a slight thrill when the ball was awarded to his team. The referee placed the ball down in the center, and Sasuke shot him a look, telling him to get ready. Itching to get started, Naruto nodded and Sasuke started off the game with the first kick; just a tap that Naruto sent back to him once he bolted down the center of the field.
Suna’s men were quick. They were on Sasuke, crowding him before he could clear the ball. Naruto dropped behind him, taking it back and looked up at the large forward blocking his way. He whistled and shot it back to Sasuke before the crowd could descend on him again. Kiba brought up the left and the ball zig zagged back and forth. Naruto kept an eye on it, looking for openings in the field. He tried to wiggle up the side but defense pushed forward so much he was immediately in danger of being off sides.
Finally when he seemed to find a clearing, he called to Sasuke. Turning his head only briefly, his left foot struck out to intercept the ball hurtling in his direction. A foot came out of nowhere, just high enough that it might catch the ball, but it wasn’t going to stop. Things seemed to slow and Naruto realized where it was headed. Nearly falling in his attempt to change his trajectory, he just managed to bring his knee up, his feet nearly tangling with the Suna sweeper gunning for his leg.
Naruto glanced up at the goalie and scowled, receiving a calculating grin in response.
Naruto shook it off. He looked around, but the ball had been lost, pushed back to mid field. Glancing apologetically at Sasuke, he turned his body toward his own goal and moved with the players down the field.
Suna’s defense lived up to its reputation. Each time they drew near to the goal, they were pushed hard and Naruto found himself jumping over well aimed kicks over and over again. It was like a veritable obstacle course. He found himself tiring with the effort of watching out for himself.
He sent a particular kick too wide, watching it roll outside the boundaries. He cursed himself silently as the whistle blew, the referee waved his arm to award the ball to the other team. Sasuke’s hand was there on his shoulder.
“Relax, we’re still in the first half.” He walked into position, seeking out the likeliest suspects. The kick was high, well over his head and the ball bounced behind him, landing near a Suna player waiting for it next to Sai. Naruto didn’t chase after it. Even as the ball made it’s way closer to Shikamaru, he used the pause to breathe a little, forcing air into his lungs to slow his heart rate. He wiped his eyes with his wrist band, clearing the sweat dripping down his face.
He crossed his arms over his chest, watching as a strong kick sent the ball hurtling toward the goal. Shikamaru leaped and blocked it, the ball bouncing off his hands and back into the air. He raised his arms in time and grabbed it out of the air.
“How’s the leg, sweetheart,” a deep voice teased. “Konoha must be desperate if they’re letting cripples on the field.”
Naruto laughed, watching as the ball was tossed high into the air. Sai intercepted and began passing it back up the field. Naruto turned back to look at the Suna player trying to rile him up. “And what does it imply about Suna when its players can’t keep up with a cripple?” he winked.
He dashed down the field as Sai kicked it right into Sasuke’s zone. Naruto swept the field and noticed a player hanging back far enough to make his position legall.
“Sasuke!” he yelled, glancing over his shoulder quickly. They were open and not for long. Sasuke didn’t wait to look, kicking the ball hard in Naruto’s direction. He overshot it a little and Naruto felt his heart lift as the crowd began to cheer. He chased down the ball and realized at the last minute that the goalie was rushing head on to meet him. It would be a race between them.
Naruto grinned as he picked up his knees, pumping his arms beside him. He didn’t stop, even when it seemed they would collide. The ball was just within reach. He moved in position to make the shot when the goalie came sliding toward him. The ball was swept out from under him, and a cleat placed just high enough collided with his left shin. Naruto felt a shock go through him. He fell forward, breaking the fall with his forearms. He watched as the ball was intercepted by a Suna player and cleared out of the area.
The goalie picked himself up and stood like nothing was wrong. His sharp green eyes were cold as they regarded Naruto on the floor.
I’m not your friend. That was the message in his eyes.
Naruto rolled over and sat up, rubbing his leg through the shin guard as best he could. He felt like part of his leg was missing, like the flesh was no longer there. There was a moment of feeling stunned before Sasuke’s hand was gripping his, pulling him to his feet.
“Walk it off,” he told him.
Naruto did. He ignored the twinges in his knee. After this he could baby himself all he wanted, but not now, not today. All illusions of a friendly rivalry evaporated. He glanced over at the goalie standing calmly in his net. Their eyes met and Naruto found nothing of the boy he had met just days before.
Sasuke looked at him curiously. “Did he say something to you?” he asked, turning to look over his shoulder.
“No,” Naruto replied. He could hear the defensiveness in his own voice and he was pretty sure Sasuke heard it too. Naruto shook his head and concentrated on trying to find the ball. “It’s nothing. Let’s play.”
-
Naruto sank onto the bench, grabbing his froggy towel as he mopped up his face. He tipped his nose to the sky as he squirted his water bottle, allowing the cool water to run down his forehead. “Ahh,” he sighed.
Something picked at his sock and Naruto looked up, startled when he noticed Sasuke tugging down the fabric and undoing the first strap of his shinguard.
“What are you doing?” Naruto asked.
“Ice it dobe. It’s worse, isn’t it.” His fingers pressed along the bruise. A new one had sprouted around his knee, already turning a deep purple.
“It’s fine. I’ll last the rest of the game,” he said.
“And you’ve been playing like shit since you collided with that goalie. So tell me what’s wrong or I tell Kakashi to bench you. He aimed for your legs, didn’t he.” Sasuke’s eyes were dark with anger. The few times Sasuke had made shots on goal he had kept well out of range. Not that he was afraid. Sasuke didn’t mind getting down and dirty if it meant scoring.
Naruto sighed and leaned his head in his hand.
“Remember the fight I got into?” he said. He peeked one eye open. “It was at a bar packed with Suna players. I didn’t know he was the goalie at the time, but he was one of the party members involved.”
Sasuke’s eyes flared and his lips pressed in a familiar angry line. Naruto grabbed his jersey to keep him from rushing over there.
“He wasn’t the one that hurt me. It was a drunk bystander and he just happened to be in the way. But he was there when I got kicked. He knows I was hurt.”
Sasuke huffed. “And he told the whole fucking team where to aim.”
“Explains why you’ve been playing so badly,” Shikamaru’s voice popped up behind him. “Must be hard to complete a pass with everyone aiming to sweep your legs out from under you. But do you think you could, maybe as a favor to me, keep the ball on the other side of the field?”
Shikamaru plopped down on the bench beside him.
“You knew about this?” Sasuke asked.
“I was at the pub with him, remember? But no, I didn’t know who the guy was until he showed up this morning.” Shikamaru rubbed his towel against the back of his neck. He popped an orange slice in his mouth and sucked the juice. “Only one of their strikers is really worth watching. I’ve been able to keep up so far, but they’re getting more aggressive,” Shikamaru continued.
Naruto glanced up and noticed Kakashi moving in their direction. His attention was fixed on Naruto’s leg and as he neared, Sasuke moved aside. Iruka was right behind him. The trainer’s hands were gentle as he pressed ice against the bruise.
“You’re taking a break. When that whistle blows, Neji is taking your spot on the field. Let those Suna guards aim for someone else for awhile.”
Naruto frowned. He watched as Iruka babied his leg, treating it like it was delicate.
“I can still play,” he pouted, earning a rap to the back of his head from Shikamaru.
“It’s meant to be strategic. He’s changing up the game. Naruto nodded, realizing it was a smart move. Neji was swift and as a sweeper he was equally strong in offense and defense. Naruto looked up at the scoreboard, the double zeros on both sides and sighed.
“I know.”
Iruka took his hand and placed it over the ice pack. “Hold it here,” he smiled, his warm brown eyes conveying a measure of sympathy. “We don’t want things to get worse, do we?” The trainer straightened out and went back over to the refreshment table. He picked up a cup and carried it over to another player.
“Sasuke,” Kakashi-sensei said. He pulled Sasuke away for a moment and put an arm around him. The two men leaned in close, discussing a strategy Naruto was no doubt no longer a part of. They wandered slowly in Neji’s direction.
Naruto looked at Shikamaru. “This sucks,” he said. Shikamaru pat his back.
“Relax. I’ve got a strategy. And if Kakashi bites, we might get you back in the game before its over. Let’s just hope defense helps cover my ass until then.” Shikamaru slipped free of the bench, walking away silently before Naruto could pester him with questions. He noticed then that Kakashi had gestured the other players forward. They huddled up, their heads bent toward their coach and their faces fixed on him with absolute concentration.
Feeling sorry for himself, Naruto glanced across the field where the Suna players did the same. They seemed to be discussing something. But when Naruto searched for a familiar shock of red hair, he noticed it was missing. He searched the field and the stands where the guests sat to cheer them on. It was like he had vanished in the space of five minutes and Naruto pondered where he could get to in such a narrow window.
The bag of ice was slipping from his hands and Naruto shifted it, holding it against his knee for a brief interval before moving it back to his shin. He shook his head, realizing he had been a little naive out there. Somehow, in the back of his mind, he had expected the goalie to pull his punches. He should have known better. After the swift declaration that they weren’t friends, it should have been obvious.
Had he been a little more petty he would have told Sasuke where the goalie was wounded. But Sasuke was riled up enough as it was and that wasn’t really his style. Naruto huffed under his breath and shifted on the bench. He brought his leg up, pulling his knee to his chest so it was easier to ice. He looked out across the field and wondered where the scout was in the stands. He wondered if he had ruined his own chances by playing so poorly in the first half.
Naruto started to feel angry with himself.
He glanced across the field and wondered what Suna would do with him on the bench. A few of them had been glancing over at them, no doubt noticing him with a pack of ice on his leg. He wondered if they would set their sights on Sasuke instead or if Sasuke would handle it better than he did
A chorus of male voices rose. Naruto glanced over at his team. They broke apart, and a few of them grabbed orange slices in the last few minutes they had before the next half began.
Naruto sought out Sasuke’s dark eyes. They met briefly before his head was turning, trying to catch something Kiba had said. Shikamaru waved at him, a smile on his lips as he moved toward the opposite goal. Naruto smiled back and took that to mean he had found some measure of success.
A solitary figure in a red shirt had also approached the field. He didn’t check in with his coach or his teammates as he wandered over to his new post. Naruto found it curious that he hardly seemed to socialize with his team. In fact, if there was a new game strategy, it probably didn’t even apply to him. Naruto tilted his head and frowned at this. In the dots he had connected, suddenly one of them seemed out of place.
-
Suna was killing them. Naruto hobbled on one foot as Iruka-sensei yelled at him, again, to stay off of it. He threw his arms in the air when Sai passed a ball directly to Suna’s sweeper. “Argh!” he yelled as the ball was swept down the field toward Shikamaru. Kakashi grabbed him by the back of his jersey and sat him down.
He ignored the events behind him even as Naruto tried to keep an eye on them. “Sit down, Naruto, let’s talk.” Naruto looked at the clock and noted they were already twenty minutes into the second half. A one mocked him from the “visitor” side of the score board and Naruto dug his fingers into his hair, wondering how Kakashi could be so calm.
“Shikamaru told me an interesting plan,” his coach said evenly.
Naruto’s thoughts halted. He looked at his couch, suddenly interested in what he had to say.
“Did you notice where I put Neji?” Naruto nodded. Neji had taken Sasuke’s place in the center while Sasuke took Naruto’s former position. Given that Neji was equally strong with left and right kicks, that didn’t seem too unusual. “I’m going to pull out Neji and put you back in. I want you running center with Sasuke and Kiba protecting your sides. I don’t want you to hold onto the ball for any longer than you need to. Keep it on the move.” Naruto nodded. “I told the boys to play it cautious, to keep away from that goalie. Right now, I bet they think you boys are scared after what happened to you. Which is why they’ll be confused when we show them we’re not.”
“You want me to face them head on,” he said. He grinned when he thought of diving right back into the middle of things.
“This time, you get that ball first.” Kakashi ruffled his hair. “Just, nothing too flashy, okay?”
Naruto began to retie his laces, doubling the knots when his shoe felt comfortably tight. “I can’t make any promises,” he said, adjusting his socks over his shinguard.
Kakashi called for a time out and the referee blew his whistle. Neji was called off the field and Naruto sprang onto the grass, trotting to Neji’s position. They exchanged high fives and Neji smiled a little as Naruto waltzed onto the field. When everything was back in place, the whistled sounded and the field was turned into a blur of action.
Naruto shot a look at Sasuke. He gave a thumbs up and a grin before turning and winking at Kiba. His teammates smiled and they began their respective dances with the Suna players quick on their heels. Naruto held perfectly still, leaning his weight on one leg as if the other still hurt. The Suna player hardly paid him any mind, keeping a respective distance. A sign that they weren’t taking him seriously.
The ball bounced around the goal, Suna players maintaining quick, well controlled passes. Suddenly Choji went in for the kill and the large player, always intimidating by his sheer size, knicked the ball in its pass and sent it off its trajectory. Lee intercepted and pulled it further from the net. He noticed Naruto, gearing up to pass, but Naruto shook his head. Instead he let the sweeper run the ball down the field. For a scrawny guy he was amazingly fast and his footwork was hard to beat.
The Suna player was discovering this for himself as Lee ran circles around him. When the Suna player attempted to sweep Lee’s legs out from under him, the Konohan popped the ball into the air, head butting it in Naruto’s direction.
The ball flew too high, more toward Sasuke’s side of the field. Everyone rushed for the ball, even as the goalie came further out of his box.
“Go Sasuke!” Naruto screamed, letting his teammate know he couldn’t get it. Sasuke pumped his arms as he kicked his heels high, sprinting toward the ball. It bounced off the field, high enough not to kick. The goalie was there ready to grab it when Sasuke leaped up catching the bouncing ball with his head and sending it toward the goal. Both men collided, falling to the grass. Naruto watched the ball as it sailed in the air, bounced off the cross beam and bounced back toward him. Suna’s defense beat him to it, sweeping the ball back out.
Sasuke was already on his feet, dusting off his knees but the goalie sat on the field, hunched over while his hand clasped his chest. A whistle was blown and Suna’s coach ran onto the field. He kneeled and peered into the goalie’s face. There was a tight expression there, his shoulders rising and falling too rapidly. It took a moment for Naruto to realize he was hurt.
Players began to gather. Naruto also pushed his way forward. “What happened?” he asked Sasuke.
Sasuke’s eyes narrowed a little. “My knee connected with his chest. He’s just winded,” he said, though an uncertainty laced his tone.
Naruto frowned. “You didn’t..?” he paused, uncertain how to finish that sentence. It wasn’t like Sasuke to play dirty. He was too skilled to need it.
A sharp look from his teammate cut that line of thought. “Just sticking to the game plan,” he said. Naruto looked over at the goalie still struggling to breathe.
“Right,” Naruto said with less conviction. He paced the field, watching the silent dialogue taking place between coach and goalie. A pang of guilt shot through him. None of his teammates really seemed that concerned and Naruto vaguely remembered that the tavern that night had been filled with Suna players. And yet he was the only one that had intervened.
He let out a breath when the goalie began to appear more responsive. He nodded to his coach a few times, visibly taking pains to take deeper breaths. Slowly, he climbed back onto his feet.
The referee placed the ball on the field, waving an arm in the direction of Suna’s team. He blew his whistle and the ball was kicked down the field, back into action. Naruto glanced over at the goalie one more time. The slender player was rolling his shoulder, but otherwise appeared calm. Kiba’s shout drew Naruto’s attention back to the game. Leaving his doubts behind him, he rushed forward and back into the fray.
The minutes seemed to tick by too quickly. Naruto cranked up his efforts to get around Suna’s defense, but it was like trying to circle around a wall. Naruto dashed for a pass and received it, resorting to quick footwork to fake out the defense and spin around him. He paused when he felt his ankle twist, a foot colliding against him as the ground rose.
The whistle was immediate. Kiba was beside him, bristling at a Suna player while his hand stretched out absently to help Naruto up. Naruto winced when he felt a twinge in his ankle, but a few rotations and it felt okay, well enough to walk on. The Suna players were yelling and when Naruto turned, he realized why. The referee had pulled out a yellow card. He was writing the players name on it and Naruto shook his head. They had grown too accustomed to his leaping over them. This attack had been careless.
“You alright, man?” Kiba asked him. Naruto nodded.
Naruto rubbed his knee absently. Luckily he had fallen on the other leg. Or unluckily. He would have bruises on both legs now. He looked over at Sasuke and gave him a nod. When the Suna player left the field, the referee took the ball and placed it on the grass. Naruto called Kiba forward. “Go long,” he said softly. Kiba grinned and skipped backward, inching back as far as he could with the Suna players tailing him.
The other players backed up with him and Naruto made a show of angling his body toward Kiba. He smiled when the Suna players began to crowd that side of the field. Naruto tried not to glance directly at Sasuke. With that side of the field clearing, he had a sizeable space to himself.
The whistle sounded and Naruto paused to glance up at the clock. They had time, but it was winding down. Naruto took a few steps back to give himself a running start. One of the Suna half-backs took the bait and backed up an additional few steps. Sasuke pushed the extra distance allowed to him and Naruto skipped forward, slowing his step as he swung with his left foot and not his right. He sent the ball hurtling slightly off the ground in Sasuke’s direction. The brunette accepted it easily and went racing down the field. When the bodies shifted in the other direction Naruto called out to Sasuke. The ball was sent flying back to the center. Naruto reached for it when the halfback slid in front of him. His toe nicked the ball sending it high into the air. Naruto leaped over him, racing for it as it began descending.
The goalie seemed to follow it’s trajectory, positioning himself to intercept. Determined, Naruto ran full throttle, ignoring the twinges in his legs. The goalie showed no hesitation as he came out of his box. He was too far out to use his hands and Naruto realized what he was aiming for. The ball curved in the air, coming back down. It was an awkward position to use feet and too risky to use his chest. Naruto leaped for it, realizing his body would crash into the goalie’s and not really caring. He grunted as the ball skimmed the top of his head, and snapping his neck in Sasuke’s direction, his forehead knocked against the goalie’s skull. Pain exploded in his head. Landing on his feet was jarring and before he could figure out what was going on, cheers had erupted everywhere.
Naruto looked around and saw Sasuke on the floor on the other side of the field. Propped up on one arm, his leg stretched out, Sasuke’s attention was on the goal and the ball tangled deep in the net. Even as Kiba pounced on him, Naruto was noticing the goalie squatting on the floor. His hands covered his face.
“Oh shit,” Kiba said. Naruto ignored the warm trickle down his cheek. His team was rushing down the field to congratulate him, pouncing on Sasuke and surrounding him as they cheered. The Suna players kicked grass and grumbled, but no one seemed to check on their goalie.
Naruto felt a familiar twinge of guilt. Pushing away the hands trying to pat him, he walked calmly to the goalie and hunched down.
“Hey, are you okay?” Naruto asked.
“I’m fine,” the goalie growled.
Sasuke sidled up in his peripheral vision, fingers grasped his chin, turning his head and Naruto bat his hand away. He looked for a black and beige jersey, finding the defender that had been on his tail. “Tell your couch to bring the kit. He needs bandages and ice.” The player looked at his goalie cautiously. He seemed to pause, wanting to say something before thinking better of it and dashing toward the other side of the field.
“Don’t do me any favors,” the goalie replied.
Naruto was about to protest when Sasuke tugged on his jersey. “Listen to the guy. Let’s get you cleaned up.” Naruto shoved Sasuke’s hand away a little more forcefully.
“Please, humor me. It’s my fault he’s bleeding.”
Sasuke’s face darkened. He grabbed Naruto’s arm and yanked him up painfully. “He chose to go after that ball. It’s not like you were playing dirty.”
Naruto sighed. He regretted telling Sasuke about the tavern. “This isn’t the time and the place to be petty. He’s hurt,” Naruto countered.
“What goes around comes around,” Sasuke said unsympathetically.
The goalie snorted. “Fuck you,” he said. He climbed onto his feet, wiping off the blood with the sleeve of his jersey. “Now are you going to cry or are you going to play?”
Sasuke rounded on the goalie. The shorter boy stood, not a trace of hesitation in the lines of his body. Naruto was reminded of the night in the pub, the weight in his eyes as he evaluated his opponent. He looked around, waiting for one of their teammates to jump in, to stop the fighting, but they all looked uncomfortable and Naruto remembered that it had always been his job.
Naruto shoved Sasuke and nodded toward the referee.
“Is there a problem, boys?” the official asked.
Naruto shook his head, ignoring the staring contest beside him.
“Then let’s get this game moving.” He looked at the players involved. Slowly everyone moved back across the field, taking up their spots for the next kick off. Only he and the goalie stayed where they were.
“Sorry, I must be one hell of a black cloud,” Naruto attempted to say jokingly. It almost got a reaction, when the goalie shook it off. A member of Suna’s team was jogging onto the field. The goalie turned and walked toward him, leaving Naruto without a reply.
Naruto turned and moved to meet Iruka. The trainer was trying to press bandages to his head before he even paused. Naruto held on in place while the trainer put an arm around Naruto and began to steer him off the field.
“Kakashi put Neji back in. You’re benched the rest of the game,” he said gently. “What happened to nothing flashy?” Naruto laughed uncomfortably. Iruka squeezed his shoulders; his way of letting Naruto know he was secretly really proud. “So what happened out there?” he asked, looking at Naruto with some measure of concern.
Naruto startled, and it wasn’t until Iruka’s eyes shifted to the bandage that he realized he was asking about the accident.
He felt weary all of a sudden, and all his bumps and bruises ached. He looked at Iruka’s tense smile and silently asked himself the same thing.
Title: Negotiated Infidelity Ch 04- First Strike
Fandom: Naruto (AU)
Pairing: GaaNaru, SasuNaru
Rating: PG-13, for language
Warnings: None for this chapter
Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are the property of Masashi Kishimoto. No profit is made from this, no harm intended.
Summary: There were rules in place. Naruto had set them himself. If only he could follow them...
Negotiated Infidelity 04
First Strike
There was a tension in the air, an undercurrent of excitement buzzing in the locker room. Naruto rolled his shoulder trying to ease the slight tension in his neck, trying not to let the atmosphere affect him.
“How’s the leg?” Shikamaru asked him. He had his dark green goalie shirt on, his hair pulled tight against his scalp. His long hair jutted out of a small ponytail high on his head that reminded Naruto of a pineapple.
“Better,” Naruto smiled. “It’s more purple than blue, but I figure that’s an improvement. I won’t be rough housing out there, but I should hold my own.” Naruto pulled his blue sweat band over his head, pushing it up his forehead to pull his long bangs out of the way.
“How does the other team look?” Naruto asked. Shikamaru’s lips twisted, and a sharp huff made his nostrils flare. This was not encouraging. Usually Shikamaru was the one to take a look in advance, to pass on words regarding strategy.
“About that,” Shikamaru started carefully. “Did you know?” His dark eyes flit sideways in both directions as though he was looking for someone.
“Know what?” Naruto asked, following his gaze. He tucked his head band behind his ear and settled it the way he liked it.
“Suna’s goalie,” Shikamaru said carefully. “Did you know it was him?”
Naruto frowned, wondering what Shikamaru was getting at. Green eyes flashed in his mind and smiled, laughing to himself. As if, he thought.
Shikamaru paused. His eyes slid past Naruto and he stopped abruptly. Naruto turned to look, spotting Sasuke’s curious look.
“Coach wants us on the field, now. You too, Nara.”
Naruto nodded. “We’ll be right there.” Naruto reached inside his locker and pulled out his lucky frog towel, the one he kept waiting for him on the bench at each game. He rummaged inside for one more item.
“Don’t take too long,” Sasuke warned before heading in the other direction. Naruto picked up a small pouch, pressed the folds to make sure his necklace was there. He tucked it back into the protective layer of fabricand slammed the locker shut.
“Let’s walk and talk,” Shikamaru said, fiddling with his gloves. Naruto spun the dial of his lock for good measure. Draping his towel over his shoulder he turned and followed Shikamaru toward the door.
“That guy you ran into the other day,” Shikamaru began again. “He’s the one, right?”
His eyes flicked upward and Naruto found it difficult to meet his gaze. He looked at his shoes, noted that one of his laces could be a little tighter. He had been trying not to think about that, or the question still plaguing him. Everything had been going so well. . .
“You told Sasuke about it, right? Everything square?” he prompted. There was an edge in Shikamaru’s voice that made Naruto uncomfortable. There was an urgency that made him sqirm.
“Yeah,” Naruto said defensively. “I told him about it that night.”
Shikamaru looked relieved. His shoulders slumped a little and his body seemed to deflate with one big sigh. “Good, because we’re all about to be reunited again.”
“He’s here?” Naruto startled. “You’ve seen him? I invited him to the game, but he left so abruptly I didn’t think...” Naruto paused.
“Whoa, Naruto, what are you talking about? What invitation?” Shikamaru asked.
Naruto paused. “We talked that night and I invited him to the game. I told him I’d be playing.” His sentence trailed off when he noted his teammate’s expression.
“So then he didn’t tell you.” Naruto shook his head, not comprehending what Shikamaru was trying to tell him. “Naruto, he’s here because he’s playing against us. He’s on the other team.” Shikamaru shook his head, “Geez you know how to pick them.”
Naruto furrowed his brow. He thought back to the sudden anger on the other’s face, his anger when Naruto bragged about his position and insulted the other team.
I’m not your friend. I can’t be.
It was like a light switch flipped on in his brain. Like the last puzzle piece had brought the picture into focus. Part of him wanted to laugh at the irony and part of him felt relief. If a sense of competition was all that stood between them, that could be overcome. Naruto found himself laughing as he continued his way to the field, giddy with a different sort of anticipation.
It explained why they had run into each other near the locker room, or why the other was in town. It explained why he showed up at the pub the other night.
“Naruto,” Shikamaru said with impatience as the striker ran ahead. He trotted toward the field, hoping he would see the other man, hoping he could wink at him or show some sign that he wasn’t bothered by their position on opposite teams. “Naruto!” Shikamaru called after him, trying to catch up. When he reached the edge of the field, his eyes scanned the bright green turf, picking out the details of the players in black and sandy beige.
Shikamaru’s hand tugged his arm roughly. “I wasn’t done,” he said even as Naruto’s gaze traveled further. He paused when he noticed the goal and the small figure stretching in front of it. A figure in a maroon shirt, with deep red hair. “I was trying to tell you, he’s their goalie.”
Naruto’s smile fell. The man famous for his violence and for his ultimate defense, the one who had put more than one striker in the hospital was his opponent. The same monster that had treated him gently not a few nights before. It was inconceivable that they should be one and the same.
“No way,” Naruto muttered incredulously.
“Yes way,” Shikamaru’s voice brought him back to the present. “You better not let this distract you. We need you and Sasuke to be careful. Unless you think he’s planning to go easy on you.”
Naruto flushed. “I don’t flatter myself,” he snorted, remembering the dark look on the rooftop. “But it’s okay. I’ll be fine,” he said, reminding himself that there was a scout somewhere, watching from the stands. Now was not the time to let his personal life interfere. Shikamaru looked skeptical at best. “Really,” Naruto assured. He nodded in the direction of the goal, his attention already fixed on the lone figure so markedly separate from the rest.
He looked away to find Sasuke’s dark hair in the field, finding his number emblazoned on the back of his jersey. Naruto began jogging toward the field.
When he arrived Kakashi barked out his orders and Naruto fell in line, self-conscious as he practiced the few warm up drills. He wondered if the other team was watching him, or if the goalie himself had noticed him. He put a little more care into his footwork, trying to show off, to display his skill. Kakashi barked at him to hurry up and Naruto stopped trying too hard and fell into the motions.
Mentally he was combing over his memories, picking out the clues that might have tipped him off. He wasn’t angry, he discovered. It wasn’t like he had been deceived or vice versa. And yet the other man knew his name, had recognized it. Had the goalie been gunning for him from the beginning? Had the other man been angry when he realized he had helped treat the enemy? And yet for one supposedly so violent, those hands had treated his wounds swiftly and gently. It just seemed so out of place, so contrary to every impression he had received.
Naruto could make no sense of any of it when the whistle blew. The players huddled up for a last minute pep talk, but for Naruto it went in one ear and out the other. His attention was already on the faceless scout in the stands and his own determination to show Suna what he was capable of. The team cheered and then broke apart, wandering to their respective positions on the field.
Naruto took his spot on the center line, just right of Sasuke. His heart sped up a little as he looked across the field at the opponents facing him. Their bodies tensed, legs ready to go. The striker directly in front of him was tall, with short dark hair and brown eyes. He looked menacing, his face a solid mask meant to intimidate. Naruto’s eyes shifted to the goal, where a slender figure stood calmly, arms crossed over his chest.
Here was his real opponent. The coin was tossed, and Naruto felt a slight thrill when the ball was awarded to his team. The referee placed the ball down in the center, and Sasuke shot him a look, telling him to get ready. Itching to get started, Naruto nodded and Sasuke started off the game with the first kick; just a tap that Naruto sent back to him once he bolted down the center of the field.
Suna’s men were quick. They were on Sasuke, crowding him before he could clear the ball. Naruto dropped behind him, taking it back and looked up at the large forward blocking his way. He whistled and shot it back to Sasuke before the crowd could descend on him again. Kiba brought up the left and the ball zig zagged back and forth. Naruto kept an eye on it, looking for openings in the field. He tried to wiggle up the side but defense pushed forward so much he was immediately in danger of being off sides.
Finally when he seemed to find a clearing, he called to Sasuke. Turning his head only briefly, his left foot struck out to intercept the ball hurtling in his direction. A foot came out of nowhere, just high enough that it might catch the ball, but it wasn’t going to stop. Things seemed to slow and Naruto realized where it was headed. Nearly falling in his attempt to change his trajectory, he just managed to bring his knee up, his feet nearly tangling with the Suna sweeper gunning for his leg.
Naruto glanced up at the goalie and scowled, receiving a calculating grin in response.
Naruto shook it off. He looked around, but the ball had been lost, pushed back to mid field. Glancing apologetically at Sasuke, he turned his body toward his own goal and moved with the players down the field.
Suna’s defense lived up to its reputation. Each time they drew near to the goal, they were pushed hard and Naruto found himself jumping over well aimed kicks over and over again. It was like a veritable obstacle course. He found himself tiring with the effort of watching out for himself.
He sent a particular kick too wide, watching it roll outside the boundaries. He cursed himself silently as the whistle blew, the referee waved his arm to award the ball to the other team. Sasuke’s hand was there on his shoulder.
“Relax, we’re still in the first half.” He walked into position, seeking out the likeliest suspects. The kick was high, well over his head and the ball bounced behind him, landing near a Suna player waiting for it next to Sai. Naruto didn’t chase after it. Even as the ball made it’s way closer to Shikamaru, he used the pause to breathe a little, forcing air into his lungs to slow his heart rate. He wiped his eyes with his wrist band, clearing the sweat dripping down his face.
He crossed his arms over his chest, watching as a strong kick sent the ball hurtling toward the goal. Shikamaru leaped and blocked it, the ball bouncing off his hands and back into the air. He raised his arms in time and grabbed it out of the air.
“How’s the leg, sweetheart,” a deep voice teased. “Konoha must be desperate if they’re letting cripples on the field.”
Naruto laughed, watching as the ball was tossed high into the air. Sai intercepted and began passing it back up the field. Naruto turned back to look at the Suna player trying to rile him up. “And what does it imply about Suna when its players can’t keep up with a cripple?” he winked.
He dashed down the field as Sai kicked it right into Sasuke’s zone. Naruto swept the field and noticed a player hanging back far enough to make his position legall.
“Sasuke!” he yelled, glancing over his shoulder quickly. They were open and not for long. Sasuke didn’t wait to look, kicking the ball hard in Naruto’s direction. He overshot it a little and Naruto felt his heart lift as the crowd began to cheer. He chased down the ball and realized at the last minute that the goalie was rushing head on to meet him. It would be a race between them.
Naruto grinned as he picked up his knees, pumping his arms beside him. He didn’t stop, even when it seemed they would collide. The ball was just within reach. He moved in position to make the shot when the goalie came sliding toward him. The ball was swept out from under him, and a cleat placed just high enough collided with his left shin. Naruto felt a shock go through him. He fell forward, breaking the fall with his forearms. He watched as the ball was intercepted by a Suna player and cleared out of the area.
The goalie picked himself up and stood like nothing was wrong. His sharp green eyes were cold as they regarded Naruto on the floor.
I’m not your friend. That was the message in his eyes.
Naruto rolled over and sat up, rubbing his leg through the shin guard as best he could. He felt like part of his leg was missing, like the flesh was no longer there. There was a moment of feeling stunned before Sasuke’s hand was gripping his, pulling him to his feet.
“Walk it off,” he told him.
Naruto did. He ignored the twinges in his knee. After this he could baby himself all he wanted, but not now, not today. All illusions of a friendly rivalry evaporated. He glanced over at the goalie standing calmly in his net. Their eyes met and Naruto found nothing of the boy he had met just days before.
Sasuke looked at him curiously. “Did he say something to you?” he asked, turning to look over his shoulder.
“No,” Naruto replied. He could hear the defensiveness in his own voice and he was pretty sure Sasuke heard it too. Naruto shook his head and concentrated on trying to find the ball. “It’s nothing. Let’s play.”
-
Naruto sank onto the bench, grabbing his froggy towel as he mopped up his face. He tipped his nose to the sky as he squirted his water bottle, allowing the cool water to run down his forehead. “Ahh,” he sighed.
Something picked at his sock and Naruto looked up, startled when he noticed Sasuke tugging down the fabric and undoing the first strap of his shinguard.
“What are you doing?” Naruto asked.
“Ice it dobe. It’s worse, isn’t it.” His fingers pressed along the bruise. A new one had sprouted around his knee, already turning a deep purple.
“It’s fine. I’ll last the rest of the game,” he said.
“And you’ve been playing like shit since you collided with that goalie. So tell me what’s wrong or I tell Kakashi to bench you. He aimed for your legs, didn’t he.” Sasuke’s eyes were dark with anger. The few times Sasuke had made shots on goal he had kept well out of range. Not that he was afraid. Sasuke didn’t mind getting down and dirty if it meant scoring.
Naruto sighed and leaned his head in his hand.
“Remember the fight I got into?” he said. He peeked one eye open. “It was at a bar packed with Suna players. I didn’t know he was the goalie at the time, but he was one of the party members involved.”
Sasuke’s eyes flared and his lips pressed in a familiar angry line. Naruto grabbed his jersey to keep him from rushing over there.
“He wasn’t the one that hurt me. It was a drunk bystander and he just happened to be in the way. But he was there when I got kicked. He knows I was hurt.”
Sasuke huffed. “And he told the whole fucking team where to aim.”
“Explains why you’ve been playing so badly,” Shikamaru’s voice popped up behind him. “Must be hard to complete a pass with everyone aiming to sweep your legs out from under you. But do you think you could, maybe as a favor to me, keep the ball on the other side of the field?”
Shikamaru plopped down on the bench beside him.
“You knew about this?” Sasuke asked.
“I was at the pub with him, remember? But no, I didn’t know who the guy was until he showed up this morning.” Shikamaru rubbed his towel against the back of his neck. He popped an orange slice in his mouth and sucked the juice. “Only one of their strikers is really worth watching. I’ve been able to keep up so far, but they’re getting more aggressive,” Shikamaru continued.
Naruto glanced up and noticed Kakashi moving in their direction. His attention was fixed on Naruto’s leg and as he neared, Sasuke moved aside. Iruka was right behind him. The trainer’s hands were gentle as he pressed ice against the bruise.
“You’re taking a break. When that whistle blows, Neji is taking your spot on the field. Let those Suna guards aim for someone else for awhile.”
Naruto frowned. He watched as Iruka babied his leg, treating it like it was delicate.
“I can still play,” he pouted, earning a rap to the back of his head from Shikamaru.
“It’s meant to be strategic. He’s changing up the game. Naruto nodded, realizing it was a smart move. Neji was swift and as a sweeper he was equally strong in offense and defense. Naruto looked up at the scoreboard, the double zeros on both sides and sighed.
“I know.”
Iruka took his hand and placed it over the ice pack. “Hold it here,” he smiled, his warm brown eyes conveying a measure of sympathy. “We don’t want things to get worse, do we?” The trainer straightened out and went back over to the refreshment table. He picked up a cup and carried it over to another player.
“Sasuke,” Kakashi-sensei said. He pulled Sasuke away for a moment and put an arm around him. The two men leaned in close, discussing a strategy Naruto was no doubt no longer a part of. They wandered slowly in Neji’s direction.
Naruto looked at Shikamaru. “This sucks,” he said. Shikamaru pat his back.
“Relax. I’ve got a strategy. And if Kakashi bites, we might get you back in the game before its over. Let’s just hope defense helps cover my ass until then.” Shikamaru slipped free of the bench, walking away silently before Naruto could pester him with questions. He noticed then that Kakashi had gestured the other players forward. They huddled up, their heads bent toward their coach and their faces fixed on him with absolute concentration.
Feeling sorry for himself, Naruto glanced across the field where the Suna players did the same. They seemed to be discussing something. But when Naruto searched for a familiar shock of red hair, he noticed it was missing. He searched the field and the stands where the guests sat to cheer them on. It was like he had vanished in the space of five minutes and Naruto pondered where he could get to in such a narrow window.
The bag of ice was slipping from his hands and Naruto shifted it, holding it against his knee for a brief interval before moving it back to his shin. He shook his head, realizing he had been a little naive out there. Somehow, in the back of his mind, he had expected the goalie to pull his punches. He should have known better. After the swift declaration that they weren’t friends, it should have been obvious.
Had he been a little more petty he would have told Sasuke where the goalie was wounded. But Sasuke was riled up enough as it was and that wasn’t really his style. Naruto huffed under his breath and shifted on the bench. He brought his leg up, pulling his knee to his chest so it was easier to ice. He looked out across the field and wondered where the scout was in the stands. He wondered if he had ruined his own chances by playing so poorly in the first half.
Naruto started to feel angry with himself.
He glanced across the field and wondered what Suna would do with him on the bench. A few of them had been glancing over at them, no doubt noticing him with a pack of ice on his leg. He wondered if they would set their sights on Sasuke instead or if Sasuke would handle it better than he did
A chorus of male voices rose. Naruto glanced over at his team. They broke apart, and a few of them grabbed orange slices in the last few minutes they had before the next half began.
Naruto sought out Sasuke’s dark eyes. They met briefly before his head was turning, trying to catch something Kiba had said. Shikamaru waved at him, a smile on his lips as he moved toward the opposite goal. Naruto smiled back and took that to mean he had found some measure of success.
A solitary figure in a red shirt had also approached the field. He didn’t check in with his coach or his teammates as he wandered over to his new post. Naruto found it curious that he hardly seemed to socialize with his team. In fact, if there was a new game strategy, it probably didn’t even apply to him. Naruto tilted his head and frowned at this. In the dots he had connected, suddenly one of them seemed out of place.
-
Suna was killing them. Naruto hobbled on one foot as Iruka-sensei yelled at him, again, to stay off of it. He threw his arms in the air when Sai passed a ball directly to Suna’s sweeper. “Argh!” he yelled as the ball was swept down the field toward Shikamaru. Kakashi grabbed him by the back of his jersey and sat him down.
He ignored the events behind him even as Naruto tried to keep an eye on them. “Sit down, Naruto, let’s talk.” Naruto looked at the clock and noted they were already twenty minutes into the second half. A one mocked him from the “visitor” side of the score board and Naruto dug his fingers into his hair, wondering how Kakashi could be so calm.
“Shikamaru told me an interesting plan,” his coach said evenly.
Naruto’s thoughts halted. He looked at his couch, suddenly interested in what he had to say.
“Did you notice where I put Neji?” Naruto nodded. Neji had taken Sasuke’s place in the center while Sasuke took Naruto’s former position. Given that Neji was equally strong with left and right kicks, that didn’t seem too unusual. “I’m going to pull out Neji and put you back in. I want you running center with Sasuke and Kiba protecting your sides. I don’t want you to hold onto the ball for any longer than you need to. Keep it on the move.” Naruto nodded. “I told the boys to play it cautious, to keep away from that goalie. Right now, I bet they think you boys are scared after what happened to you. Which is why they’ll be confused when we show them we’re not.”
“You want me to face them head on,” he said. He grinned when he thought of diving right back into the middle of things.
“This time, you get that ball first.” Kakashi ruffled his hair. “Just, nothing too flashy, okay?”
Naruto began to retie his laces, doubling the knots when his shoe felt comfortably tight. “I can’t make any promises,” he said, adjusting his socks over his shinguard.
Kakashi called for a time out and the referee blew his whistle. Neji was called off the field and Naruto sprang onto the grass, trotting to Neji’s position. They exchanged high fives and Neji smiled a little as Naruto waltzed onto the field. When everything was back in place, the whistled sounded and the field was turned into a blur of action.
Naruto shot a look at Sasuke. He gave a thumbs up and a grin before turning and winking at Kiba. His teammates smiled and they began their respective dances with the Suna players quick on their heels. Naruto held perfectly still, leaning his weight on one leg as if the other still hurt. The Suna player hardly paid him any mind, keeping a respective distance. A sign that they weren’t taking him seriously.
The ball bounced around the goal, Suna players maintaining quick, well controlled passes. Suddenly Choji went in for the kill and the large player, always intimidating by his sheer size, knicked the ball in its pass and sent it off its trajectory. Lee intercepted and pulled it further from the net. He noticed Naruto, gearing up to pass, but Naruto shook his head. Instead he let the sweeper run the ball down the field. For a scrawny guy he was amazingly fast and his footwork was hard to beat.
The Suna player was discovering this for himself as Lee ran circles around him. When the Suna player attempted to sweep Lee’s legs out from under him, the Konohan popped the ball into the air, head butting it in Naruto’s direction.
The ball flew too high, more toward Sasuke’s side of the field. Everyone rushed for the ball, even as the goalie came further out of his box.
“Go Sasuke!” Naruto screamed, letting his teammate know he couldn’t get it. Sasuke pumped his arms as he kicked his heels high, sprinting toward the ball. It bounced off the field, high enough not to kick. The goalie was there ready to grab it when Sasuke leaped up catching the bouncing ball with his head and sending it toward the goal. Both men collided, falling to the grass. Naruto watched the ball as it sailed in the air, bounced off the cross beam and bounced back toward him. Suna’s defense beat him to it, sweeping the ball back out.
Sasuke was already on his feet, dusting off his knees but the goalie sat on the field, hunched over while his hand clasped his chest. A whistle was blown and Suna’s coach ran onto the field. He kneeled and peered into the goalie’s face. There was a tight expression there, his shoulders rising and falling too rapidly. It took a moment for Naruto to realize he was hurt.
Players began to gather. Naruto also pushed his way forward. “What happened?” he asked Sasuke.
Sasuke’s eyes narrowed a little. “My knee connected with his chest. He’s just winded,” he said, though an uncertainty laced his tone.
Naruto frowned. “You didn’t..?” he paused, uncertain how to finish that sentence. It wasn’t like Sasuke to play dirty. He was too skilled to need it.
A sharp look from his teammate cut that line of thought. “Just sticking to the game plan,” he said. Naruto looked over at the goalie still struggling to breathe.
“Right,” Naruto said with less conviction. He paced the field, watching the silent dialogue taking place between coach and goalie. A pang of guilt shot through him. None of his teammates really seemed that concerned and Naruto vaguely remembered that the tavern that night had been filled with Suna players. And yet he was the only one that had intervened.
He let out a breath when the goalie began to appear more responsive. He nodded to his coach a few times, visibly taking pains to take deeper breaths. Slowly, he climbed back onto his feet.
The referee placed the ball on the field, waving an arm in the direction of Suna’s team. He blew his whistle and the ball was kicked down the field, back into action. Naruto glanced over at the goalie one more time. The slender player was rolling his shoulder, but otherwise appeared calm. Kiba’s shout drew Naruto’s attention back to the game. Leaving his doubts behind him, he rushed forward and back into the fray.
The minutes seemed to tick by too quickly. Naruto cranked up his efforts to get around Suna’s defense, but it was like trying to circle around a wall. Naruto dashed for a pass and received it, resorting to quick footwork to fake out the defense and spin around him. He paused when he felt his ankle twist, a foot colliding against him as the ground rose.
The whistle was immediate. Kiba was beside him, bristling at a Suna player while his hand stretched out absently to help Naruto up. Naruto winced when he felt a twinge in his ankle, but a few rotations and it felt okay, well enough to walk on. The Suna players were yelling and when Naruto turned, he realized why. The referee had pulled out a yellow card. He was writing the players name on it and Naruto shook his head. They had grown too accustomed to his leaping over them. This attack had been careless.
“You alright, man?” Kiba asked him. Naruto nodded.
Naruto rubbed his knee absently. Luckily he had fallen on the other leg. Or unluckily. He would have bruises on both legs now. He looked over at Sasuke and gave him a nod. When the Suna player left the field, the referee took the ball and placed it on the grass. Naruto called Kiba forward. “Go long,” he said softly. Kiba grinned and skipped backward, inching back as far as he could with the Suna players tailing him.
The other players backed up with him and Naruto made a show of angling his body toward Kiba. He smiled when the Suna players began to crowd that side of the field. Naruto tried not to glance directly at Sasuke. With that side of the field clearing, he had a sizeable space to himself.
The whistle sounded and Naruto paused to glance up at the clock. They had time, but it was winding down. Naruto took a few steps back to give himself a running start. One of the Suna half-backs took the bait and backed up an additional few steps. Sasuke pushed the extra distance allowed to him and Naruto skipped forward, slowing his step as he swung with his left foot and not his right. He sent the ball hurtling slightly off the ground in Sasuke’s direction. The brunette accepted it easily and went racing down the field. When the bodies shifted in the other direction Naruto called out to Sasuke. The ball was sent flying back to the center. Naruto reached for it when the halfback slid in front of him. His toe nicked the ball sending it high into the air. Naruto leaped over him, racing for it as it began descending.
The goalie seemed to follow it’s trajectory, positioning himself to intercept. Determined, Naruto ran full throttle, ignoring the twinges in his legs. The goalie showed no hesitation as he came out of his box. He was too far out to use his hands and Naruto realized what he was aiming for. The ball curved in the air, coming back down. It was an awkward position to use feet and too risky to use his chest. Naruto leaped for it, realizing his body would crash into the goalie’s and not really caring. He grunted as the ball skimmed the top of his head, and snapping his neck in Sasuke’s direction, his forehead knocked against the goalie’s skull. Pain exploded in his head. Landing on his feet was jarring and before he could figure out what was going on, cheers had erupted everywhere.
Naruto looked around and saw Sasuke on the floor on the other side of the field. Propped up on one arm, his leg stretched out, Sasuke’s attention was on the goal and the ball tangled deep in the net. Even as Kiba pounced on him, Naruto was noticing the goalie squatting on the floor. His hands covered his face.
“Oh shit,” Kiba said. Naruto ignored the warm trickle down his cheek. His team was rushing down the field to congratulate him, pouncing on Sasuke and surrounding him as they cheered. The Suna players kicked grass and grumbled, but no one seemed to check on their goalie.
Naruto felt a familiar twinge of guilt. Pushing away the hands trying to pat him, he walked calmly to the goalie and hunched down.
“Hey, are you okay?” Naruto asked.
“I’m fine,” the goalie growled.
Sasuke sidled up in his peripheral vision, fingers grasped his chin, turning his head and Naruto bat his hand away. He looked for a black and beige jersey, finding the defender that had been on his tail. “Tell your couch to bring the kit. He needs bandages and ice.” The player looked at his goalie cautiously. He seemed to pause, wanting to say something before thinking better of it and dashing toward the other side of the field.
“Don’t do me any favors,” the goalie replied.
Naruto was about to protest when Sasuke tugged on his jersey. “Listen to the guy. Let’s get you cleaned up.” Naruto shoved Sasuke’s hand away a little more forcefully.
“Please, humor me. It’s my fault he’s bleeding.”
Sasuke’s face darkened. He grabbed Naruto’s arm and yanked him up painfully. “He chose to go after that ball. It’s not like you were playing dirty.”
Naruto sighed. He regretted telling Sasuke about the tavern. “This isn’t the time and the place to be petty. He’s hurt,” Naruto countered.
“What goes around comes around,” Sasuke said unsympathetically.
The goalie snorted. “Fuck you,” he said. He climbed onto his feet, wiping off the blood with the sleeve of his jersey. “Now are you going to cry or are you going to play?”
Sasuke rounded on the goalie. The shorter boy stood, not a trace of hesitation in the lines of his body. Naruto was reminded of the night in the pub, the weight in his eyes as he evaluated his opponent. He looked around, waiting for one of their teammates to jump in, to stop the fighting, but they all looked uncomfortable and Naruto remembered that it had always been his job.
Naruto shoved Sasuke and nodded toward the referee.
“Is there a problem, boys?” the official asked.
Naruto shook his head, ignoring the staring contest beside him.
“Then let’s get this game moving.” He looked at the players involved. Slowly everyone moved back across the field, taking up their spots for the next kick off. Only he and the goalie stayed where they were.
“Sorry, I must be one hell of a black cloud,” Naruto attempted to say jokingly. It almost got a reaction, when the goalie shook it off. A member of Suna’s team was jogging onto the field. The goalie turned and walked toward him, leaving Naruto without a reply.
Naruto turned and moved to meet Iruka. The trainer was trying to press bandages to his head before he even paused. Naruto held on in place while the trainer put an arm around Naruto and began to steer him off the field.
“Kakashi put Neji back in. You’re benched the rest of the game,” he said gently. “What happened to nothing flashy?” Naruto laughed uncomfortably. Iruka squeezed his shoulders; his way of letting Naruto know he was secretly really proud. “So what happened out there?” he asked, looking at Naruto with some measure of concern.
Naruto startled, and it wasn’t until Iruka’s eyes shifted to the bandage that he realized he was asking about the accident.
He felt weary all of a sudden, and all his bumps and bruises ached. He looked at Iruka’s tense smile and silently asked himself the same thing.