The Coming of the King

Chapter 11 - Graduation and a Line of Questioning

Chapter 11 - Graduation and A Line of Questioning

Editor's Note: I didn't have an Author's Note for this chapter? Weird. Come join me via the links in my bio or contribute to my financial situation via my Redbubble for some cool pride merch! (I use the word "via" a lot.)

Chapter 11

Five Years Later - Naruto's P.O.V.

Graduation day. The day I've been waiting for for so long. Hopefully, Sasuke will take the graduation test today. I've done it the past two years, to cement my stupidity and rank as "Dead-last."

'Hey, isn't that carved into my stomach?' I immediately apply my henge, becoming shorter, my hair turning completely blond, and my violet eye becoming blue.

"Kit, don't tell me that you just noticed,"

'It's not my fault, y'know! It's not like I ever see the scars, furball.'

I change out of my sleepwear and into my famous jumpsuit, postponing my morning routine until this evening. For the past five years, I've maintained a careful balance of rivalry and friendship with Sasuke. I'd rather ditch the rivalry and stick to just being friends, but I need to keep up my act.

Sasuke constantly acts like a bastard, acting cold and aloof to everyone. It's quite easy for me to get a rise out of him, though. I'm the only one who can get any sort of reaction out of him.

I wonder where the little kid running up and calling me "Kitsune-nii" went off to. Of course, watching your family get murdered is pretty traumatic. I'm the one that caused him that pain though, I don't deserve to feel guilty or regretful.

I don't bother with breakfast, this train of thought made me lose my appetite anyway. I walk out the door, securing a big grin on my face and placing my hands behind my head, walking down the street in a carefree manner.

I'm hoping to run into Sasuke, so I take my time and keep track of his chakra signature. I can feel him coming closer and once he rounds this corner, we can walk together. He rounds the corner and calls out, "Hey, dobe," I flounder slightly as if he surprised me and gape at him. "What?" he asks.

"You snuck up on me!" I shout.

"Huh?" he deadpans.

"You shouldn't do that, y'know. I'm gonna be Hokage one day, y'know." I point out solemnly, mentally cursing my use of "dattebayo." Of course my mother had to pass her verbal tick down to me.

'Damn stupid fucking can't believable.' I grumble to myself.

"But it's adorable, Naru!" Kurama interrupts, scandalized.

"Of course I know that, dobe," Sasuke huffed. I almost do a double-take. "I didn't mean to startle you, so can we just move on?" I ponder his offer, clearly over-exaggerating my thinking.

"Yeah, okay," I reply cheerily. Sasuke huffs again. We both know that he told me that he knew I'd be Hokage just to appease me. I can be incredibly stubborn, and it isn't something Sasuke seemingly wants to deal with today. "So, are you going to take the graduation exam?"

"Yeah," Sasuke replies, voice tight and shoulders tense.

"Heh, you'll pass easily, believe it!" I urge, trying to seem a bit melancholy in the process. Let him think I'm doubting my ability to pass. It'll only help my cover.

"You will too, y'know," he responds quietly, almost shyly.

For a second, he reminds me of his past self, the one that he allowed Kitsune to see. He took the bait, deciding to try and cheer me up. We both know that I've failed twice and that it would have to be a miracle that would let me pass. Of course, only one of us knows about my true skill level.