The Camp Shinobi Disaster

Chapter 43: What's Better Than This? Kids Bein' Friends

-Chapter 43-

The next few days went by quickly. It was a hectic time for both staff members and campers, as they scrambled to get back to some semblance of normalcy in the camp in the midst of the rescues.

As Tsunade had decreed, each cabin was to spend the rest of the week doing fun things. The day after everyone was rescued, she awarded each cabin with their completion certificates and took back their weapons, congratulating everyone on a job well done.

Sakura beamed with pride as she held her certificate. She took a selfie with Ino with both of them holding the papers. She sent her the photo (as Karin had tracked her down to give her phone back the night before) immediately, and it became her new lock screen photo.

They spent the majority of their time with their friend group, which had grown since the first day nearly two weeks before. Karin, Neji, and Sai joined them for good, much to their delight.

Hinata mustered up the courage to ask Naruto for his number to keep in touch, and he was all too happy to oblige, declaring next that they should all make a group chat to keep in touch over the summer. Each person chipped in with a phone number, even Neji, surprisingly. The group chat was aptly named "Summer Camp Peeps!"

That first day of fun was spent tubing. They each invited two people to go with them and Iruka, one of the instructors, loaded up the boat and took them around the lake. Each camper had a blast; Hinata actually burst out laughing when Neji began screaming when Naruto called to Iruka to take the boat faster. Every time they hit a bump, the only thing you could hear above the boat was a shriek and the kids' laughter.

Much to the Uchiha's slight jealousy, Sakura spent a lot of time with Hinata and Neji. Even though she assured him that he was a cool guy, he still looked a bit mopey when she walked with the boy.

"Damn, Sakura, you bring all the boys to the yard!" Ino cackled after a trip around the lake (in which Neji grabbed Sakura's arm to keep himself from flying off the tube). "You have a type or something?"

"Says the one that only likes boys that resemble Sasuke!" The pinkette retorted, giggling. "Don't think I don't see the resemblance between him and Sai!"

Ino blushed pink, stuttering. "H-- he doesn't count! It doesn't work like that!"

"Hmph. I'm only here because I was invited." Neji folded his arms. Then, as a hesitant afterthought, "... and to spend time with my cousin."

Hinata just beamed at that, resting her head on his shoulder.

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On the second day of fun, Temari's cabin invited Team 7 to go with them on a shopping trip to town. Sakura was ecstatic, especially since she'd be spending more time with the older girl. Sasuke and Naruto were a bit wary about hanging around Kankuro and Gaara, but once Temari insisted (read: gave a thinly-veiled threat) to them that they would behave, they relaxed a little.

Temari only said that she owed them for saving her teacher when asked for a reason. Her brothers agreed. Gaara seemed especially grateful to Sakura for what she'd done, and tagged along with her for a while during the trip.

This, of course, creeped out Sasuke, who nearly got into a fight with the redhead because of how much he conversed with his cabinmate.

Kankuro and Temari saw the tension in the air, and quickly said that the boys would fare better going around the town in twos, allowing the girls to shop together at their leisure. Thankfully, both boys begrudgingly agreed, and Naruto was just happy to share an interest in griping about how much of a killjoy their cabinmates were with Kankuro.