Naru: Misty Eyes (A Naruto Fanfic) [Complete]

Chapter Sixteen: Arrivals from Suna

Only a few days after Kakashi asked if they'd participate in the exams, Naru was walking through Konoha. Kakashi had given them the afternoon after a morning full of learning water-walking. Naru did not appreciate the practice. She was still dripping wet, her hair refusing to dry. She grumbled to herself as she walked, "I don't like water... He did that on purpose... Revenge for the alarm clock... Four a.m. now..."

Suddenly, she heard a rather distinctive voice. "Watch where you're going, brat!"

Naru headed in the direction of the voice, which was joined by a child's. The kid did not sound like he wanted to be in the situation, not that Naru blamed him. After all... "Kankuro! Are you seriously bullying a little kid?"

"Huh? Naru, what're you doing... Oh, yeah." It sounded like Kankuro let the kid go, whoever he was, and Naru heard him run off quickly.

Naru laughed. "I missed you guys. I can't believe it's been six months already."

"Six down, six to go," Temari's voice said.

"Temari!"

"You didn't even say goodbye to us." Naru felt an arm around her shoulders. She'd missed the older girl, especially without anyone here that used tessen.

"I'm sorry. I guess I figured you guys would be busy."

"Not too busy to say bye." That was Kankuro. He ruffled her hair, which made Naru scowl.

Kankuro suddenly let out a small hiss of pain. "Hey! What the heck?!"

"What?" Naru asked. She'd heard a slight whistle, but she couldn't place what it was or what exactly had happened.

"Someone threw a rock at me!"

Naru was about to ask who, but the person responsible chose to speak up. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

Naru groaned. "Why do you care, teme?! And I already called them both by name. Surely a shinobi as good as yourself would've caught that."

"Shut up, dobe. I wasn't talking to you."

"Don't talk to her like that!" Temari protested, Kankuro grumbling in a threatening tone under his breath about prissy boys with stupid hair. "If Gaara..."

"Gaara's here?!" Naru cut in, the excitement obvious in her tone. "Where?"

"Geez," Kankuro said, sounding mock-hurt. "I sure feel the love. Now we all know who your favorite is."

"Was it ever a question, brother?" Gaara's voice joined the conversation, and Naru whipped her head towards it with a large grin. "Hey, Naru."

"Gaara!" She moved away from Kankuro and Temari, heading towards Gaara's voice. As she passed Sasuke, he grabbed her wrist, not tight enough to hurt but enough to stop her.

"He's from another village. They're technically enemy nin."

"Then so am I. Or did you forget that I'm wearing a Suna hitai-ate even on a Konoha team?" Naru knew her teammates chose not to think about it, so bringing it up was enough to get Sasuke to let go. She moved passed him quickly and hugged Gaara. "Missed you."

"Missed you too." Gaara's tone suddenly became very excited, like he had the best surprise in the world. "And you'll never guess who else came along."

"My parents?!" If she was right, then Gaara really did have the best surprise in the world.

Naru could hear Gaara's grin when he said, "And a few others."