That Damned Raven Haired Boy (SasuNaru)

Part 15

It was autumn and there was a chilled crispness to the air that had everyone wearing light coats and thin gloves. Konoha was lit up in a blaze of golds and reds and oranges. The river was no exception. The glassy blue of the water was hidden beneath a blanket of brilliantly coloured leaves.

The three youngest members of Team 7 stood on a bridge just above the waterway. They were all propped against the structure's rail in various positions, staring down in humbled silence.

"A cat," Naruto finally said disbelievingly, his look far off and insulted.

Sakura looked over at him and smiled. "A cat," she reaffirmed.

Naruto scowled. "I know. But..." He lifted his gaze from the river to look at her. "A cat?"

"Let it go," Sasuke advised blandly as he placed a wool clad hand over Naruto's. No one gave the action a second thought.

There was a pause.

Naruto glared at Sasuke for all he was worth.

How was he supposed to let go of a blow to the ego of this proportion?

"B-b-but a cat!" he exclaimed pulling his hand out from under Sasuke's and stepping away. He stood from his point between his two teammates and looked from one to the other as if they were absolute nutters.

He honestly thought they were.

"We've done so many cool things as a team. We defeated a jounin-level missing nin on our first mission! We fought head to head with Orochimaru, one of the Sannin!" A look to Sasuke. "Well you didn't, but that's not the point 'cause me and Sakura did! And we did a damn good job of it too!"

Sasuke scoffed and Sakura smiled. "We did, didn't we?" There was far too much condescension in her tone for Naruto's liking.

"Yeah. We did," he snapped irritably before heaving a dejected sigh and collapsing against the rail again. "Well we have an old one to re-add the list. We found a missing cat." He spit the word 'cat' out like it was some horrible food he absolutely detested - like it was nutrient enhanced apple sauce.

Sasuke smirked. "A cat."

When Naruto punched him square in the arm, he felt that he was completely justified.

The first thing Naruto did when he and Sasuke arrived at their shared flat was check for mail. Not because he was expecting anything. Most of the time all they received were love letters for Sasuke and the occasional death threat.

Those were always a hoot to read.

"Oi, Sasuke!" Naruto called as he pulled an envelope - addressed to him in neat flowing script - from the mailbox. "I got a letter!"

The brunette reappeared in the doorway to the apartment, sans his jacket and gloves, with a flat expression and his arms crossed sternly over his chest. "Good for you. Now get inside or close the door. The draft is going to chill the house."

"Aren't you getting domestic," Naruto taunted, doing as Sasuke asked. When the door was closed behind him, he glanced back down at the envelope that was addressed to him.

It was kind of chunky so there had to be more than a letter in there, though he had no idea what it could possibly be. "Hold this," he instructed Sasuke, holding out the letter to the boy. It was taken without a word and Naruto slipped off his gloves and jacket. Tossing them to the floor had been the original plan... Until Sasuke had pointedly cleared his throat and shifted his narrowed gaze to the closet.

"Neat freak," Naruto mumbled. But he didn't argue.

When the letter was safe and sound in his hands again, Naruto waved it experimentally. There was a tiny crinkling sound - very curious - but nothing else. His brow furrowed and the blonde gave Sasuke a questioning look as the brunette disappeared into the kitchen.