Not Living With The Biggest Knuckle Headed Ninja Anymore!

Chapter 21. Learning to Carry Others

Over the past few weeks I was forced to stay in the village, much to my dislike. Tsunade did take her word seriously and made me do plenty of jobs around the village. First it was all simple grunt work of me cleaning the river or find somebody's missing pet. Those missions were a bit embarrassing at first since they were all Genin missions, but I soon gave up being prideful and did my best to help the village. 

After a month of just doing simple Genin work, Tsunade decided to set me up with a nice job of helping at the Academy. When I first heard the news I was not quite sure what to think. 

"Are you sure?" Slowly, I questioned her with both of my eye brows raised. "What made you want to stop putting me to do some low Genin work?" 

"Lately a sickness has been going around the Academy and they need someone who would be willing to do odd work." She explained to me then threw a large book at me. My eyes widened in shock as I caught it and felt like falling to the ground due to its weight. "You will need this if you want to help teach there." 

I clutched the book to my chest and narrowed my eyes at her. "What makes you think I will not almost kill some of them?" 

She simply shrugged her shoulders. "Somebody has to keep them in line. Even though you are a brat at times, you would best know how to deal with other brats." 

I grinned as I put my hands up in the air. "I have to give you some credit, not everybody catches on to the fact that brats have their own language." A smug look had formed on my face and Tsunade rolled her eyes. 

"Just shut up and get out of my office. I have things to do," She said and waved her hands at me. 

"Sake to drink," I snickered. 

"I said get out!" She yelled and I laughed as I ran out of the office. "Be at the Academy tomorrow seven sharp to receive your orders!" 

That was how I was given the job of working at the Academy. That night I went home and read the book as I ate some food on my bed. Reading the book made me realize how much I had forgotten since I graduated from the Academy. Thankfully, much of the lessons easily flooded back into my mind. It was the history part that I knew I was going to have a bit of issues with the most. That subject took me longer to nail down. 

The following few weeks I helped at the Academy and began to teach some classes there. At first I was a bit nervous on what to do or say, but I gradually got the hang of it. The kids quickly learned my name and not to make me mad. There were a few instances where a child had to learn the hard way not to anger me. 

"There is no way I can do that!" The young girl yelled at me. Her face had become red from embarrassment. 

"Maybe if you stopped being such a smart ass then maybe I would not make you do it." I snapped at her and crossed my arms over my chest. 

"My hand is beginning to hurt." She whined and I snorted. 

"That sounds a bit like a, you problem. Just keep writing." I said to her. She was sentenced to write, "I will not be a smart ass" on the board a thousand times. She had to write as little as possible since I told him that if she could not fit it all on the board, then she would have to start over to make it fit. 

I sat on my desk and read the notes I had written on what to write for the next lesson. The other kids were outside and having recess, meanwhile one punk stayed inside and wrote down her own lesson. I felt official and in control when I taught. It was something that I enjoyed doing.

Iruka was very surprised and angry to see what I had made the girl write. That day I learned a lesson of my own: One must be careful with their language around young children. 

During that time frame, I had become closer to Iruka and we began to see each other as equals. Occasionally, I would ask him how I should teach something to the kids. He and I saw more and more of each other. It was interesting to hear about how I was a child. 

"I cannot believe I was so arrogant." I wrinkled my face at the thought of my cocky younger self. Iruka playfully messed with my hair in an attempt to comfort me. 

"Everybody was like that when they were younger, so you are not the only one." He said to me with a smile on his face. 

It was moments like those that I really appreciated having him as a sensei and a friend. 

****

"What?" My jaw felt as though it had fallen off of my face and onto the ground. 

"Jiraiya is dead." Naruto whispered to me. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around him in an attempt to comfort him. He felt so lifeless and dead in my arms that it had actually scared me a bit. Never before had I seen Naruto so depressed. 

It had been a while since he and I were able to hang out, so I knocked on his apartment door one day to see if we could spend time together. When Naruto opened the door, he looked dead. Right away I asked what was wrong, only to learn that Jiraiya had died just the day before. 

"N-Naruto, I am so sorry." Quietly, I whispered to him and his response was a small head nod. It was at that very moment I decided to dedicate my time to take care of him during his time of sadness. 

The next few days, I cooked food for Naruto, even if he did not eat much of it. I made sure not to talk about Jiraiya for those few days. On the first day, I did not even call Naruto into his kitchen to eat the food; I marched into his room and sat on his bed. I held up the food between chopsticks in my hand. 

"I am going to feed you." I said and slowly moved the food towards his mouth. A small and hopeful smile was placed onto my face. "I will carry you through the rough times, even if I have to do it for a whole year. If needed, I will drop you so you can remember how to do things for yourself again and give you the much needed tough love." I explained to him. A small smile formed on his face. “At this moment, I will carry you.”

Gradually over time, Naruto did things himself. He was soon able to cook for himself again. Well, technically he could never cook in the first place but he making himself some ramen was good enough. I was very happy to see him begin to laugh and smile again. Sadly, I knew I would have to spend less time with him again and focus on the Academy. 

"Well, I just made this lunch for you since you're an idiot and cannot cook for yourself." I said to Naruto as I handed him the lunch in the morning. 

He grinned and took the box from me. "I will be an idiot for the rest of my life then." A blush spread upon my face and I crossed my arms over my chest. 

"Fine, be that way." I muttered to him. Soon, I felt a pair of arms wrap around me. 

"Thank you." 

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Hnnnnnnnnnnn. I know this is shorter than usual, but I am trying! Sadly, I just keep losing my attention for the story. :c Anyways, how are you guys? Excited for school? Do you want to light school on fire yet? What did you think of this chapter? How about those Naruto and Harmony feels? Favorite pick up line? 

I hope you guys have a wonderful day and smile! Farewell lovelies. (: