Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Crazy Little Thing Called Love ❯ Stealing ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: Tonight we're gonna party like it's nineteen ninety—SECOND IMPACT

 

 

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Stealing

 

 

Failure to pass the Genin exam a second time really stung Naruto, for all of his hard work and training he had once again failed where the second group and the first group before had all passed with flying colors. He had tried, really tried to get the clone jutsu right, he had put all of his heart into it but somehow his clone had ended up looking like he had gotten into a fight with a wood chipper with predictable results. Some of the other students were still receiving counseling for it.

 

Down but never out, Naruto got back on the saddle and got ready to dive right back into improving his jutsu. Fortunately for him, Mizuki imparted him with some advice.

 

“Sometimes it doesn't hurt to have a bit of help, why don't you ask a Genin for some advice on the Clone Jutsu?”

 

While not too keen on asking for help instead of some secret jutsu, Mizuki had eventually worn Naruto down and convinced him to go out and do it. So here he was at Ichiraku's, sitting down the counter from Team 2's strongest Genin, Shinju Hakuza. The rather atypical young man stood out due to his penchant for gold-colored paper, which he was using to make a paper airplane.

 

“Hey Shinji!”

 

Naruto's obnoxious voice startled him, prompting him to mess up a crease. His eye twitching, the dark-haired Genin turned to look to him with a look of disgust. “What do you want, Uzumaki?”

 

Oblivious to Shinji's irritation, Naruto grinned. “Say, I'm trying to pass the Genin exam but I can't get the clone jutsu right, think you can help me out?”

 

“Wait,” Shinji blinked, “You didn't pass the second test?”

 

“Oh no, I couldn't get the clone right no matter how much I tried. I blew it big time, but I'm definitely not going to fail the next!”

 

If you couldn't pass the second test, then you were never meant to be a Ninja in the first place. That this punk would have the gall to even think about going for a third waste of everyone's time offended Shinji to his core. All the kid did whenever he was supposed to learn something useful was goof off, and whenever he came to within a hair's breadth from failure he'd give some bullshit about “never giving up” and that idiot Iruka would eat it up with one of those stupid, proud smiles.

 

God he hated Naruto, it was hard to find someone else who didn't think the same way. You either had to be a complete idiot like Iruka or totally under his radar like the Hyuga girl.

 

“So come on how about it? C'mon Shinji, I could really use the help!” Naruto pleaded.

 

An idea popped into his head, and Shinji developed an acidic grin. “Say Naruto, how about instead of Clone Jutsu, I show you a Jonin rank jutsu?”

 

Naruto grew wide-eyed at this. “J-Jonin rank, but those are really hard!”

 

“Yeah, but if you can pull one off, you'll pass automatically.” Shinji explained. “It's a pretty neat Jutsu too, a one hit kill every time!”

 

That sounded awesome! A one hit kill technique? With something like that he could become a Genin, or maybe even a Chunin with that! “Show me! Show me! Show me!”

 

Shinji chuckled and deftly performed a one-handed seal behind his back, before raising said hand up. “Alright, you want to see it? Hold completely still and watch closely because it's gonna be quick.”

 

He had no intention of killing Naruto, he had placed enough chakra into his hand to just knock the boy out cold and give him a hell of a headache when he woke up later. He took aim, the intent to harm flashing in his eyes before he struck like a blur.

 

Naruto stumbled back, startled when Shinji's fist stopped a centimeter from his face, caught at the wrist by Sasuke Uchiha of all people. Looking from to the hand holding him and the arm connecting it, Shinji let out a growl.

 

“What the Hell, asshole!” He snapped at Sasuke as the rookie let go of his arm.

 

Sasuke merely smirked at him. “That was pretty good, but you know what happens when a one hit kill jutsu misses, right?”

 

Shinji looked from Sasuke to Naruto, who looked plenty mad as he realized what the Genin had been trying to do. “Oh shit…!”

 

“It leaves them open to counterattack.”

 

“You fucker!” Naruto yelled as he punched Shinji square in the nose, laying him flat out on the ground in front of Ichiraku's. Quite accustomed to these sorts of displays, Teuchi asked his lovely daughter to continue cooking as he went out to get dispose of the riff-raff that had earned the ire of their best customer.

 

Wringing his hands, Naruto crossed his arms and gave a harsh look to Sasuke. He didn't like being tricked—he was supposed to be the prankster here—but being saved by Sasuke of all people made it even worse.

 

“I didn't need your help, asshole.” He snapped at him.

 

Sasuke's reply was not surprising. “I didn't come here to help you dead-last, so let's leave it at that.”

 

“So what, you just decide to pop up and help me for no reason? What do you want?” Naruto asked, understandably suspicious.

 

“I need your help with something.”

 

Naruto stopped and played those words over in his head again. Was Sasuke serious? Mr. Top of the Class needed help with something from him of all people?

 

“Wait…you need my help?” Damn the suspicion, he was curious now.

 

Sasuke nodded and glanced to the side, where he saw the top of Tenten's head peeking from above a nearby roof, watching closely. “Yeah, I need your help. There's this girl I like, and I need your help impressing her.”

 

The orange-wearing boy's laughter was the most deafening and humiliating thing Sasuke had ever heard at this point in his young life. His self-proclaimed rival must've been eating it up, to have him come off some perceived pedestal and lower himself to Naruto's level just to ask him for help. Naruto was on top of the world now, the laughter proved it.

 

“Hahahahahahaha! Me helping you get a girl, when you could just turn around and have any girl in class go out on a date with you? That's really funny, I almost forgot to laugh!”

 

Looking somewhat annoyed, Sasuke sighed. “Look, if you help me out with this I'll teach you the Grand Fireball Jutsu.”

 

Naruto stopped laughing at that, and looked at Sasuke in surprise. “Whoa, wait a minute. What did you say?”

 

“If you help me out I'll teach you the Grand Fireball Jutsu, and help you work on your Clone Jutsu so you can pass the Genin Exam.” He replied plainly. “It's as simple as that.”

 

“Really?” Naruto scowled a bit. “Say I do help you out with this, why would you even need my help?”

 

“Because she doesn't like guys like me.” He answered plainly.

 

Naruto was dumbstruck at this. “What? You mean there's a girl in all of Konoha who doesn't want to go out with you!? Stop the presses! Quick Old Man, call a news reporter, this is big!”

 

“Naruto…!” Sasuke growled in consternation.

 

He heard the fear in Sasuke's tone and looked around, realizing that he didn't want this to get out. “Oh I see. What kind of guy does she like?”

 

If he only knew, and Sasuke was going to make sure he didn't. Luckily Naruto kept talking.

 

“Who is she, anyway?”

 

That question he was more than willing to answer. “It shouldn't be too hard to figure that out. It's the only girl who doesn't go around stalking or making a fuss about me.”

 

“Yeah you're right, that's a pretty short list.” Raising a finger to his chin, he begins thinking about the possible candidates for Sasuke's affection. Of all the girls in their class from the start of the year, only one seemed to stand out, but he couldn't put a name or a face to her. “Um…”

 

This went on for about ten minutes, Sasuke patient through knowing that grasping the obvious was as difficult as spotting the subtle for Naruto. Through some strange talent, Hinata was a master at being both, and that wore down Naruto as he finally gave up.

 

“Alright, who is she?”

 

“Hinata Hyuga.”

 

Naruto blinked at that, genuinely surprised. “Who is that?”

 

Sasuke just shook his head. “The dark blue-haired girl with pale eyes, she's really quiet. She tends to exist 180 degrees outside of your visual spectrum, too.”

 

That last part sounded like a jab, but Naruto ignored it. She sounded familiar now. “Hmm…now that I think about it, I've seen her around a lot.”

 

“Yes, except when she's standing right next to you.” Sasuke thought before Naruto asked his next question.

 

“So you want me to help you get with her, where do I come in exactly?”

 

That part actually caused Sasuke pause, he hadn't actually given this part much thought. Could he just say “Oh, I need you as bait”? No, that'd clue him on her feelings and ruin everything. He needed something to convince Naruto he could actually be useful at doing, more than just running interference for the fan club—which he had already planned for.

 

“Oh!” Naruto grinned smugly. “I see what it is! You don't know how to ask a girl out, do you? Haha this is great!”

 

His words jarred Sasuke from his thoughts, and he angrily turned to him. “What and you're some kind of expert?”

 

“Sure, asking girls out is easy! You just go up and ask!” Naruto replied with his typical, confident smile.

 

His anger doused with the cold water of disbelief, Sasuke stared flatly at Naruto.

 

“And has that worked for you, Naruto?”

 

Naruto pulled a grimace and looked aside. “Well…not yet.”

 

As he had resolved before, Sasuke was willing to try anything once, and the direct approach for once seemed reasonable. Sure it didn't work well for Naruto, but he may have a better chance if he pulled it off right.

 

“Well why not,” he said, “If this works I owe you a Grand Fireball.”

 

Beaming, Naruto paid his bill to Teuchi and got up. “Well then let's go find Hinata so you can ask her out!”

 

Both rookies got up and left, leaving the staff of Ichiraku's shaking their heads at Sasuke's deception and Naruto's eager falling for it. There was nothing they could do or wanted to, they were paid to serve ramen, not judge people.

 

 

Seeing Sasuke and Naruto walking together caught Hinata completely off-guard as she made her way to the waterfalls where she trained in secret. Her curiosity and a chance to watch Naruto actually getting along with Sasuke overrode her desire to train, and she quietly diverted to follow them stealthily. Whatever notions she had to follow them at distance were quick to be dashed, however.

 

“Hey Hinata!” Naruto called out to her suddenly, and her face flashed a bright red.

 

Sasuke looked over to him incredulously. “You barely notice the girl yet you knew she was right there!?”

 

Naruto scratched the back of his head as the two of them walked over to the startled girl. “Well you said she existed outside my visual whatever so I thought I'd give it a shot, and look! Here she is.”

 

Looking over to Hinata, Sasuke immediately felt his cheeks warm up. She looked really cute when she was blushing like that, even if she was doing it over the guy standing next to him. “Ah…ah...”

 

His sudden trepidation surprised Naruto, who looked back at Hinata and shook his head. “Oh come on you big baby!”

 

Sasuke shot him a glare, before turning back to Hinata, who looked at him curiously. “Hello Hinata.”

 

“Hello, Sasuke-san.” Hinata replied with a light stammer while casting nervous looks back at Naruto, her blush deepening.

 

Taking a deep breath, Sasuke just thought “Screw it All” and took the Naruto approach. “Would you like to go out on a date with me?”

 

Were her ears playing tricks on her? Was there some sort of Genjutsu? A trick? Hinata was dumbstruck, floored even by Sasuke Uchiha of all people coming out of his shell and asking her out on a date, right in front of the person she admired the most.

 

Naruto tilted his head to one side at her reaction. Hinata's face was all red and hot now. “Hey, are you okay? Your face is all red.”

 

“Y-you? M-me? Date? B-but I…um, I-I, uh…” She lost the ability to form coherent sentences, no one had ever asked her out on a date, and even if someone did she probably didn't even notice them. All she ever cared for in any romantic sense was Naruto, and it disappointed her that it wasn't him asking her out.

 

She had to be polite, but with Naruto right there she was trapped by her bashfulness. “Um…uhh…”

 

“Do you have a fever or something?” Naruto stepped over, and reached up to place a hand on her forehead.

 

Upon that contact, Hinata underwent an emotional overload. Naruto's hand on her face, Naruto was touching her, Naruto was touching her! Everything then went black as she fainted dead away.

 

Sasuke watched the scene in utter amazement. All he did was touch her and she just dropped! This was going to be a very difficult, uphill battle.

 

“Hinata? Hinata! Oh man her coat, she's overheating!” Naruto reasoned before he unzipped the heavy coat.

 

When he did, both boys blinked and grew wide-eyed. She was dressed underneath the coat, but for it was pretty obvious the jacket hid quiet a lot.

 

“Whoa.” Sasuke said simply.

 

Naruto nodded. “Yeah, Hinata-san's are bigger than both Ino and Sakura-chan…”

 

Hinata stirred as her fainting spell passed, both boys backing away. “Hinata?” Sasuke asked.

 

“Huh…?” Coming to, the first thing Hinata saw was Naruto and her blush returned. When she saw Sasuke staring at her with identical concern, she felt it grow even hotter. “Ah…um…sorry about that, I have to go home. I'm sorry, I really think I should lie down and—.”

 

Naruto was quick to stop her. “Whoa, hang on. I think you need to drink some water, because you're all red and shaky! I'll go get some right now!”

 

The orange-clad rookie got up and ran off, giving a thumb's up over his shoulder to Sasuke as he left view. Realizing that the dead last had gone and given him a chance to be alone and properly ask her out, he smiled briefly before kneeling down to help Hinata up.

 

“Are you alright?” He asked her as he offered his hand.

 

She sat up and self-consciously closed her coat. Looking over to Sasuke, her cheeks still red, she took the offered hand and rose with him back to her feet. “I-I'm sorry about that. Y-you asked me on a date, right?”

 

Sasuke nodded to her. “Yes.”

 

“Um…w-why?”

 

“I like you.”

 

The bluntness of the reply caught Hinata for a loop and her blush went a shade or two darker. Trying to regain her composure, she took several deep breaths before speaking. “I'm flattered, but um…I l-like someone else…”

 

Sasuke was prepared for that, as cruel as his retort was. “He doesn't notice you, though. He never will.”

 

“He's never going to be Hokage either…but he'll never give up trying.” Hinata's reply was just as quick, with Sasuke noting the meaning to her words immediately. He was ready for a challenge.

 

“I won't give up either.” He stated simply.

 

Hinata recoiled a bit. “H-huh?”

 

As if this day could not get any stranger, Sasuke smiled at her, smiled. “I'm going to win your heart Hinata, just you wait and see.”

 

For a moment, the image of Sasuke pursuing her relentlessly the same way Naruto came after Sakura crossed her mind and for a moment she paled. “B-but I'm not that special, r-really!”

 

“You can believe that all you want.” He said back to her. “I'm going to keep thinking otherwise.”

 

Her blush returning, Hinata looked away and cleared her throat a bit. Behind her, Naruto crept up on her with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Fine…you can do that…”

 

The next thing she knew she was stumbling forward, Naruto having not-so-discretely pushed her forward into Sasuke. The Uchiha was quick however, catching Hinata into his arms just as the orange-clad boy had planned.

 

“Perfect!” Naruto thought as he flashed a grin to Sasuke before Hinata looked back at him. “Oh sorry Hinata-san, I was in a hurry getting back and I tripped. Hehe!”

 

Hinata pouted a little as she gave him a forgiving gaze. “It's okay N-Naruto-kun…”

 

She felt Sasuke's arm tighten around her waist and she elicited a soft squeak of surprise. Looking up when he placed his free hand atop her head, she froze when she saw him staring down at her with an intense gaze.

 

“She's beautiful…” He already knew this, but being so close to her was a different thing from admiring her from afar. She was so soft and warm, and her pout was so adorable, painted with a flush of red. Suddenly his mouth felt dry, but when he swallowed it felt like he had a mouthful of water.

 

“S-Sasuke…?” Hinata asked began.

 

His tongue sweeping along his upper lip quickly out of anticipation, he moved forward and caught her with a deep, shockingly passionate kiss just as she finished calling his name.

 

Hinata went rigid in his arms, eyes wide as his lips pressed against hers. She could hardly believe it, he had kissed her without warning or asking or anything! Why wasn't she pushing him away? However as soon as she began to regroup, he slowly pulled away from the kiss, their lips parting with a soft smack.

 

Just like that, he had stolen her first kiss, just taken it right from her and the person she had dreamed of giving it to, the same person standing right off to the side grinning at Sasuke's success.

 

“Y-you…that w-was…” She stammered at Sasuke, tears beginning to well up when she looked at Naruto. “Y-you…you…wah…UWAAAAAHHHHH!”