𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒 || Naruto Uzumaki

╎007

why is the gif not here? don't ask me it's not uploading lmao 😭

──────═✿═──────
『 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 - 𝟎𝟎𝟕 』
──═✿═──
━『 Mission beginning 』

An hour passed, and by then, Sakura was already off, discussing something with Tsunade. Naruto and I were left to our own devices to kill off the hour by walking about Konoha, chatting about meaningless things to distract ourselves.

I found myself bombarding Naruto with questions about his three-year training period, mainly so that I could hear more about the time which he had spent away from me. Though very interesting to note the things he did and new abilities he gained, I used it also as a way to keep him from asking about the situation during Gaara's rescue mission. Every time he veered towards that topic, I steered him off course.

Our mission finally underway, we walked out of the village. The weight of our task settled over us as we walked. Naruto was glaring at Sai the entire time, his annoyance so plain.

"What?" Sai asked, breaking the tense silence. "If you keep looking at me like that, I will hit you."

Naruto's agitation flared up instantly. "What? You think I'm scared of you?"

I sighed, feeling my tension rise. This was going to be a very long mission, I said to myself.

Sai showed no emotion, though, and merely continued in his calm, almost detached manner. "I don't have anything against you personally," he said, his voice almost robotic. "I'm just stating a fact."

"Yeah, right," Naruto huffed, jabbing a finger at Sai. "You're trying out some personality type or another? Well, you suck at it! We don't need some act like you on this team! In fact, I bet we'd be a lot better without you, jerk!"

"That's enough, Naruto!" Yamato was getting impatient very fast. "Sai is your teammate now, so even if you don't get along, you're still going to have to find a way to trust each other. I know Kakashi-sensei taught you a hell of a lot better than this. So please, for Kakashi's sake, lose the attitude, huh?"

"No! He's not one of us! The fifth member of Team Kakashi is Uchiha Sasuke!" Naruto shot back, his tone thick with frustration and hurt. "Even on his best day all this loser could ever hope to be is a wannabe Sasuke. He will never be our teammate."

"Fine by me," Sai replied with that infuriatingly fake smile. "The last person I'd ever want to be compared to is some traitorous roach who abandoned his village for Orochimaru just because he wanted to become stronger."

"How dare you." Naruto trailed off, his annoyance palpable.

"Regardless of either of your opinions," Sakura began, holding an arm out in front of Naruto to stop him from attacking Sai. "Naroto doesn't know you all that well yet. That doesn't excuse him not to judge. I'm sorry. Please forgive Naruto."

"Sakura?" Naruto hummed, confusion clear in his voice.

"Like I said, fine by me," Sai smiled, his demeanor strangely unaffected by the tension.

"I agree," I interjected and stepped forward, next to Naruto. "Please forgive Naruto. Sasuke is my brother, as you might have already gathered, but he was quite the problem child. I don't know what his problem is, honestly—" I lied with ease, my words laced with sarcasm. "So please, any words said by Naruto, Sakura, and me to you are just personal feelings. Don't take it personally, of course."