Student-Teacher Challenge, Sasuke/Naruto
sasunaru100
‘Oh hell no,’ threatened to spill from Sasuke’s lips the moment he stepped in the room. But he was Sasuke, so he deftly spun on his heels and turned to go back the same way he came, without saying a word.
A kunai suddenly came sailing his way and embedded itself right above the door handle Sasuke’s hand had been previously reaching for.
"You weren’t planning to skip my lesson just now, were you?" The voice felt almost lecherous, laced with a sickening amusement. Sasuke didn’t turn away from the door as he spoke.
"You have the wrong shinobi, I’m not your student." The youngest Uchiha spoke through clenched teeth. Either he had the wrong room or Tsunade was a cold, hard bitch, probably laughing at this very moment at the top of the Hokage tower.
Loud, boisterous laugh filled the room. "Really. Because if I read correctly, on the formal letter Tsunade sent to me, it clearly says ‘Uchiha Sasuke’." There was a pause, and Sasuke could hear the sound of loud footsteps thundering towards him. How could an idiot like him be my jounin mentor?! Still, Sasuke didn’t turn around and waited until he could feel hot air breathing down his neck as a piece of paper was shoved in front of his face.
"Here, take a look. Read it for yourself."
It took a great deal of self-control for Sasuke to turn his eyes to the paper but it was him, and Sasuke could never turn down a challenge from his fellow shinobi. And there it was, in ink, even with Tsunade’s own signature at the bottom of the document…
"Uzumaki Naruto, It is in your best interest that you will allow Uchiha Sasuke to accompany your for the next two weeks following his jounin promotion. Relay the same procedures taught to you when you first gained rank and make sure he is well-informed by the end of the mentorship…"
"See, I wasn’t lying," Naruto said after a few moments. Sasuke just knew there was a grin quickly spreading across his former teammate’s face.
"This is ridiculous," Sasuke muttered under his breath as he finally pushed the arm and letter away from his face and continued to once again stare at the wall.
Naruto didn’t move from behind him. "Why, because for once you’re not the all high and mighty Sasuke-know-it-all? Or is it because you can’t stand the idea of taking orders from me?"
"You know this is because of my absence."
Naruto’s laughter rang harshly in his ear. "Is that what you like to call it?" The older boy could feel Naruto taking a step back from behind him and didn’t answer. Then as quickly as it started, the blond quieted, before speaking again. "Do you want to become a jounin or not? Because if you don’t, then I don’t want to waste my time."
Sasuke could feel the footsteps, further and further away.
"Sasuke." But said shinobi didn’t reply. The slight tightening in his chest was distracting him, a feeling that was leaving him feeling disconnected from himself, because he didn’t understand it's meaning.
"If you want to be a chuunin for the rest of your life-" Sasuke could make out the soft sound of hand formations being formed. "-Then that’s perfectly fine for-"
"Fine." The brunette finally turned around to look straight into those eyes with a cold confidence that he hadn’t been able to muster for the last ten months. Naruto stared back, just as defiantly, sitting down with his arms crossed in one of the few chairs of the conference room, as if he had been expecting Sasuke’s answer.
"Fine what?"
Sasuke just glared.
"You know...what if I don’t want to. I could refuse and just tell Tsunade you were giving me a hard time." Naruto grinned cheekily but his bold blues were painted with an emotion Sasuke hadn’t yet learned to read. The tension was hardly eased.
"But you have to." Sasuke all but spat as he took a defining step forward, he would not even consider the possibility of losing status-failing.
"Now where does it say that?" The younger teenager pretended to inspect his letter from Tsunade, giving Sasuke an exaggerated shrug when he came up with nothing. "Nowhere!"
Sasuke didn’t see the humor in the situation, and the way Naruto wasn’t as simple as the twelve-year-old boy he used to know was starting to unnerve him. "Naruto," he began warningly.
Naruto only raised his hands in mock defense before bringing his right hand to stroke his chin. "Well, just because we’re teammates and go way back," Blue eyes met Black. "I’ll consider under certain conditions."
This time Sasuke crossed his arms. "What." Had it been anyone else but Naruto, there would’ve been a new human-shaped hole in the wall of the empty jounin conference room. But it was Naruto, so with a patience he didn’t know he had, Sasuke restrained himself.
"You buy me ramen three times a week," Naruto began as he looked towards the ceiling, appearing deep in thought.
Sasuke snorted. "Is this some kind of sick joke to you?" Maybe paying damages to the administration building wouldn’t be so bad; there was a considerable amount in his family holdings. However, he’d still be a chuunin, so he once again pushed the thought of killing Naruto to the back of his mind.
"You want to be become jounin, don’t you?" Naruto retorted back quickly. Sasuke rolled his eyes but didn’t reply. "So ramen three times a week and you clean my apartment on Sundays for a month. I’ve been meaning to hire a maid, but, well, you know." At least he had the sense to look slightly sheepish as he placed a hand behind his head.
Was he seriously dealing with a child? Sasuke didn’t know anymore. For a moment, Naruto could’ve possibly passed for the adult Sasuke thought he had grown up to be. Then, that moment was quickly lost, and Naruto proved he really still was boy that Sasuke had spent the later part of his childhood with. "Fine, idiot. Let’s go." The newly appointed jounin started to turn around to leave when Naruto’s shrill voice stopped him in his tracks.
"Waaaaait. I’m not done yet. Geez Sasuke, have some respect for the guy who will make it or break it for you." The blond stood up and walked until he was next to Sasuke before he continued. "I’ll be your jounin mentor if you follow those two conditions and one more."
The serious look was strange on Naruto’s face, and it caused Sasuke to wonder if there was a change in gravity by the odd feeling of pressure pressing down heavily on his shoulders; pushing on his chest. The older teen frowned; the stress was probably still getting to him. And could Naruto possibly have some kind of personality disorder? But Sasuke shrugged it off, and continued to look the other straight in the eyes, waiting for a response.
Then, the world stilled, as the next words that fell past full pink lips met his ears. "You call me sensei."