Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Of Kunai, Shuriken and Shinobi Love ❯ Game Day. Ooh, Fun. ( Chapter 4 )

I woke up with a raging headache. I was sweating and shaking from a night of bad dreams. I felt despondent and thoroughly not myself. All in all, I did not feel like a game day.

All I wanted to do was curl up and go back to sleep. But the whiteness of Kakashi-sensei's note stared up at me accusingly from the table. I moaned and hauled myself from my bed.

I had a cold shower to wake myself up and a cup of the strongest coffee I could make. My teeth almost fell out, but it woke me up.

I was still grimacing from the coffee when I left my apartment to pick up my teammates. It was a sobering concept.

Naruto's own apartment was farther from mine than Sakura's house, but I both did and didn't want to be with her. At least, not alone. But I really didn't want to be alone with Naruto. I pondered for a moment, then heaved a sigh of frustration and headed right to Sakura's house.

It was still raining, but not as hard as the night before. I'd forgotten a rain jacket, but the cold rain woke me up nicely. I ran the last few blocks to Sakura's house, knowing I was early and that her mother would invite me inside their warm house to wait.

I knocked on the door, and Mrs. Haruno opened it, smiling. “Hello, Sasuke,” she greeted me. “Sakura's not quite ready yet. Would you like to come in?” “Yes, please,” I said, stepping into the foyer. I was always polite to Sakura's parents because they were always kind to me and I liked them.

Sakura was sitting at the kitchen table, sleepily eating a bowl of rice. “Ohayo, Sasuke,” she mumbled, not looking at me. I hid the sting of pain in my heart—where was the -kun she always added onto my name?—and nodded at her. “Ohayo,” I said.

“Would you like some breakfast, Sasuke?” Mrs. Haruno asked me, puttering around in the kitchen. “No, thanks, Mrs. Haruno,” I replied. “I already ate.” This was a lie—I hadn't had anything but that coffee—but I didn't think I could keep anything down with my stomach in knots from…something. Was it Sakura? Probably.

Am I ill? Probably.

“Hurry up, Sakura; you don't want to keep your friend waiting,” Mrs. Haruno scolded her. “He's not really my friend, Mum,” Sakura said, staring right at me. “He's just my team mate.” She put her bowl in the seat. “Be right back.” She went up the stairs into her room.

Mrs. Haruno sat across from me with a cup of tea. She pushed one towards me even though I'd said I didn't want any. “Did you and Sakura have a fight?” she asked. I jumped, shoving my mask into place. “No,” I said stiffly. “Then what's her problem?” Mrs. Haruno countered. “Since yesterday she's been sulky and rude. I made her favourite dinner last night, and she barely ate anything. Her father tried to talk to her but she ran off to Naruto's house. I know her too well to think it might be normal teenage blues. What happened?”

I felt my eyes begin to sting, and my nose hurt, which always happens when I'm about to cry. Embarrassed, I scowled. “I don't know,” I told her, bordering on the edge of rudeness. “I don't know what Sakura's problem is. How would I know, anyway?” “You're her friend, aren't you?” “A pretty shitty friend,” I retorted. She ignored my language and merely shook her head sadly. She seemed about to say something, but Sakura came clattering down the stairs. I looked at her, studying her features, and felt a pang of guilty pain. She was definitely unhappy. And I was the cause of it.

Sasuke the Ice Statue is definitely melting.

Sakura went by me without looking at me and only a muttered, “Come on, then.” I hurried to catch up with her. She slammed the door, ignoring her mother's yell of “How many times to I have to tell you? DON'T SLAM THE DOOR!”

Sakura strode furiously down the road in front of me. Her Chakra was heavily shielded, so I couldn't see what she was feeling. It would be hard for me, anyway. I paced behind her, studying her at me leisure.

Naruto joined us at the crossroads, took one look at both our expressions, and fell in beside Sakura. He began whispering in her ear, too quiet for me to hear. Occasionally she would reply softly, but he did most of the talking. Whispering. Whatever.

We got to the soccer field ten minutes early. The only people missing were Ino, Shikamaru and Chouji. Most senseis were there, too, Kakashi-sensei being the most obvious one missing.

We stood with Kiba and Akamaru, Shino, Hinata, lee and Temari. It seemed all three Sabakus were here, but Temari said Gaara would be a little bit late. Naruto was a bit disappointed at this. No wonder; he and the new Kazekage were pretty good friends.

“God, it's cold,” Temari said, shivering. “I wish Gaara were here to make some warm sand to heat us up.” “What about Shikamaru?” Kiba teased, and got her fan in his face. We all laughed.

Tenten came into the group, looked at Sakura, looked at me, looked at Sakura again, then me again. Realization dawned in her eyes. Without warning, she darted forward, grabbed my arm and dragged me away from the group. They either didn't notice or they ignored it.

“Tenten, what the hell?” I snapped. Tenten looked at me, brown eyes frank. “You really haven't noticed?” she asked incredulously. I looked at her blankly. “Noticed what?” She shook her head. “And I thought Naruto was dense with the whole Hinata thing,” she sighed. “Sakura looks like she's about to cry. Like, she's just holding back her tears. You don't look so happy yourself. Whyyyy?” I heaved a sigh that turned into a groan. “I've just been a cold sonofabitch to her over the years,” I muttered. “I snapped at her the other day and… that was her breaking point.” “And now you feel uber-bad,” Tenten said matter-of-factly. I nodded.

She brooded for a moment, then announced, “You two would make an adorable couple.”

My face flamed. I was sure I heard raindrops sizzle on it. “Oy!” I exclaimed. “You would,” she insisted. “You'd never hear this from another guy, but you seriously would!” “No, we wouldn't,” I said firmly. “We'd make a horrible couple.” She shrugged. “Suit yourself. Just be sure you apologize,” she said, then wandered off toward Neji.

I stayed for a moment until I was sure my face was a normal colour, pondering her words. Then I walked slowly back. “What'd Tenten want, Sasuke?” Naruto asked. I shook my head. “Nevermind.”

Kakashi-sensei was fifteen minutes late. We were getting impatient. Even Gaara was there now, out of his meeting with Tsunade-sama. He had been kind enough to make an undercover area of hot sand that we all crowded underneath.

“Why's HE always late!?” Konohamaru whined. “Because he's an ass,” Naruto growled. “I resent that,” Kakashi-sensei noted calmly from behind us. I thought Naruto's blue eyes would bug out of his head. “WHERE WERE YOU!?” he yelled. “C'mon, Sakura, back me up.” “I was lost on the toad to life,” Kakashi-sensei said innocently. “BULL!” Naruto yelled. “Probably reading Icha Icha Paradise! Sakura, HELP ME!” “Do it yourself,” Sakura said in a small voice, staring at the ground. It was the first thing she'd said since we'd arrived at the field.

We all stared at her. Usually she'd jump right in yelling at Kakashi-sensei, without any prompting at all. Now…

Now she didn't.

And it was all my fault.

I flinched, turning away. “Let's just get this stupid thing over with,” I said, slipping into my Sasuke-the-Ice-Statue façade. Naruto raised an eyebrow at me, then exchanged a Look with Kakashi-sensei as we walked to the front of the crowd. Sakura trotted after us despondently.

The Chuunins and Genins—and Kazekage and Jounin—gathered in a line in front of the senseis. Kakashi-, Gai- and Kurenai-senseis looked at us for a moment, then Kurenai stepped forward.

“These will be two-player games,” she said. She pointed at Neji. “You. You're a One. Come here.” Neji obeyed, going up to stand beside her. “Pick someone,” Kurenai said. “Any someone. It doesn't have to be from your own team.” Neji surveyed the group for a long time, as if thinking—as if he could—but eventually he said “Tenten.” She bounced forward to stand beside him. Kurenai nodded. “You proceed like that,” she said, and began dividing us up.

I was a One. So were Hinata, Shika, Chouji, Kiba, Lee, Gaara and Kankorou. I didn't really pay much attention to who chose who, but Shika chose Temari, Chou was with Ino, Kiba took Shino and Hinata shyly teamed with Naruto. Then it was my turn.

I surveyed the remaining members (Sakura and Konohamaru) as though I was thinking. But I had already made my decision a long, long time ago. I pretended to bite my lip. Sakura was staring at the ground, looking miserable and giving a lousy attempt to hide it.

“Sakura.”

She looked up, startled, as I repeated her name, then walked slowly over to my side. I tried to smile at her, but it came out as a sort of grimace. So I gave up.

Lee looked crushed—he was convinced he loved Sakura—but called out to Konohamaru gallantly. Kankorou, seeing there was no one else for him to choose, shrugged and jogged over to join his little brother Gaara.

“That's good,” Kurenai said, nodding at them. “I like seeing things like that. These games, though, remember, are also training, in teamwork and coordination. Now. Let the games being.”

Let the games begin. Heh.