I'm Not a Therapist! I'm a Baker

Chapter Eight

It seemed this wasn't their first time meeting as both of their faces churned into scowls while they started fiercely at each other. It's been a long time since Yasuko has seen anything but a smile on the cheerful blonde face. And well, Sasuke's facial expressions were limited to very few. At least he seemed to match Naruto's fierceness as best he can.

"Are you guys friends...?" Yasuko asked, a sweatdrop appearing on his forehead.

He asked even though it was obvious there seemed to be a tension that filled the space between them. Lightning bolts bounced between them menacingly. Yasuko stared at them as they didn't bother to reply to him, they would rather glare at each other. It looked akin to a staring match but the element of rivalry was added

"Naruto.... Sasuke...." Yasuko said, his voice rising in volume to gather their waning attention.

"Yes, Yasuko-chan?" Naruto said, looking up.

"Hn?"

"You shouldn't argue, you're going to be classmates now," he said, knowing those simple words wouldn't be much of a help right now. "It'll be good if you both have friends while in the academy."

"I can't get along with that teme!" Naruto said, shaking his small fist at Sasuke.

"Dobe."

"See!"

"Naruto... Don't use words like that," Yasuko said, feeling tiredness overtake him. He had a feeling this rivalry would be the death of him.

"But Yasuko-chan, that teme is so annoying!"

"Hn, dope stop being stupid," Sasuke said.

"Alright, alright, look at that. Everyone is going on into the classrooms so you should do it too," Yasuko said, feeling ready to send them off. At first, he was feeling like a nostalgic parent, now he was riddled with irritation and ready to leave them in the hands of their sensei. "I'll come get you guys for lunch."

"I'll beat you there, teme!" Naruto said and ran off into the crowd, earning himself some loud 'hey's.'

"Loser." Sasuke said, "will there be tomatoes with lunch?"

"I'll make sure to get some for you," Yasuko said, giving the young boy a closed-eye smile.

"Hn." With that, Sasuke stuffed his hands into his pocket and walked up into the group of children. He didn't bother to catch up with the race Naruto declared one-sidedly.

Yasuko let out a sigh, if the kids were gone every day that would mean he would have a full day to himself. Off to the bakery.

Yasuko enjoyed his silence at the bakery without the interruption of the blonde or raven-haired children that swarmed at him. He was able to practice making different recipes that his mother often made. The customers seemed pleased too with the atmosphere returning to its normal tranquil place that the family brings.

"Thanks," a young silver-haired man said as Yasuko placed a cup of tea down on his table.

He smiled, "my pleasure."

After he finished helping his mom with the preparations for the rest of the day, he shed his baking attire and went off to their house. It was time to catch up on all the studying he had missed from the children that swarmed him as though Yasuko were a mother duck and them the ducklings.

The house was quiet.... It almost felt too quiet. He wasn't used to this silence. Yasuko couldn't help but think of the young children he sent off. Worry and worry and more worry infiltrated his mind. He washed those feelings away with a cold cup of lemonade from the fridge and quickly finished his pile of work that continued to stack up. Some of it was regular subjects like history and math, others were things about business and trade. Yasuko was learning these as his 'extras' at the school would call them for his future. Usually, people take an extra if they already have a planned future that needs extra training. Or people would instead do apprenticeships which Yasuko wouldn't need to do. Baking was already a large part of his life. One of the costumer's who had seen him out of the store had once said he brought the smell of a bakery everywhere with him, but that might be just because she was an Inuzuka ninja. Hana Inuzuka was her name, he recalled. His memory was fairly good.

As he tidied up his work, a grand idea that was sure to cause his ducklings great joy in case the first day of the academy did not go as planned. Yasuko would give them a gift!

...What would he get for them?

Naruto was much easier to shop for, no matter what he would regard him with a large smile that lit up the room much like the sun does to the Earth. Sasuke on the other hand... well he never wanted anything besides training and tomatoes. Maybe there was another 'T' thing he liked? Turtles, trees, targets...

Yasuko shook his head violently. What an idiot he was for thinking of such absurd things. Sasuke was prickly, he doubted that the boy would like turtles, or trees for that matter - unless he was violently attacking them-. Wasn't he fond of cats though?

It would be better to look around the stores, Yasuko decided. Studying could wait for another day. He ignored the voice in the back of his head that said that he was becoming fond of these two idiotic ninja to be's.

The village was bustling with people as usual under the hot sun of Kohana. Yasuko was dressed in dark green shorts that had quite a few pockets and reached his knees as well as a gray t-shirt that enfluged him. It was what he wore on his days out in the town, perfect for warm days like these where the sun felt the need to shoot burning sun rays at everyone.

First he took the time to browse through the stalls that were filled with trinkets and accessories. Maybe it would be better to give them something that would be a memory rather than a weapon or tool that will only last for so long. Yasuko spotted a cute cat charm that had a string to hang it off of things. It was really cute... It was a tabby cat with a heart spotted eye patch of orange. Yasuko just knew he had to buy it.

"I'll get this," he said, looking at that stall owner, feeling a small flush overtake his cheeks for some odd reason. It's the first time he's ever bought a charm for someone like this, maybe he was getting a soft spot for the Uchiha heir.

He handed over the money and left with a smile, urging the blush to fade. There was no reason to be embarrassed. He was just buying a gift for the two kids he babysat. Yasuko let out a hum, maybe getting Naruto something useful would be better since he had very few things?

Yasuko wandered into a ninja store, feeling a pang hit him in the heart. How many times did his father come into here to replenish his weapons before he was sent onto the battlefield to find a never ending battle. All sides will die, that is when the eternal battle will end. That was the life of those who swore by the ninja lifestyle.

Now, he was helping two kids get ready to be killed.

He shook himself from the thoughts and looked at all the things in the shop. Naruto wasn't in an absolute need for ninja clothing, the clothes he wore now would do until he graduates the academy. Weapons could wait, but maybe he needed something to decorate his apartment.

A small place filled with seeds and potted plants caught his attention. Naruto's apartment was filled with nothing besides milk cartons, which were not good decorations. Humming he browed the small stall, looking for something that was easy to care for. In the corner, a small aloe vera plant in a brown planter caught his attention. He knew right away it was perfect.