The Jinchuuriki Alliance || REWRITE ||

CHUUNIN EXAMS: PRELIMINARIES

I DO NOT OWN NARUTO

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Sasuke was scowling. Why was the dobe so happy to see that redheaded, sand-controlling boy? It didn't make sense. Well, not to the Uchiha anyway. No matter how much he wanted to deny it, he was starting to care for the blonde more than he would like to admit. It was frustrating, trying to think of what had changed. Because apart from that kiss in the Forest of Death, had anything really changed? Had Naruko just been trying to distract him, or was it something more? The boy was on the verge of tearing his hair out; why were girls so complicated? Times like these, he did genuinely wish the clan were still alive so he could ask his mother, or even Izumi. She had been one of Shisui and Itachi's close friends... no. He couldn't think about them — about him — right now. He had to focus. So why was that kiss still on the forefront of his mind? This was ridiculous; they were teammates and close friends. Nothing more, and nothing less. Sasuke couldn't afford to have it become something more... but the Uchiha also knew he would undoubtedly fall apart if ever it became something less.

Sakura noticed Sasuke's expression and couldn't stop a slight smirk from gracing her face. She found it laughably obvious that the Uchiha was slowly but surely falling for the blonde fox, and while she had once held feelings for the raven, she let them go after realizing Sasuke would never love her the way she wanted him to. If a brotherly love was all he was willing to give her, she would accept what she could get.

Their attention was turned to a male Jonin who now stood in front of the crowd; "Nice to meet you, everyone." He spoke calmly, quietly. "There's something I'd like you to do—" a few coughs broke into his sentence, "—before the third exam." He broke into another coughing fit, hiding his mouth with his fist.

Naruko touched the bridge of her nose lightly, sighing in exasperation before pushing her way to the front and making her way over to the Jonin. "Do me a favour, Hayate-nii, and please recite to me what Yugao-nee and I have been repeatedly telling you," the Genin growled under her breath as she pressed a chakra-cloaked hand to his chest. The chakra was a rustic orange colour instead of the usual green, but it seemed to soothe his cough.

Hayate cleared this throat, looking sheepish. "Um... to not strain myself?"

Naruko scowled up at him. "You know you have to adhere to the specific resting period between healing sessions if you want to get rid of this chronic cough. I swear, boys these days..." 

Hayate looked thoroughly chastised and faintly relieved when she didn't say another word until the chakra faded from her hand. 

Naruko stepped back with her hands on her hips, fierce cerulean eyes blazing with a protective fury. "Hayate Gekkō," she started, causing said Jonin to blanch at the use of his full name, "if you continue straining yourself like this before your resting period is over, I will not hesitate to slap two hundred of my original Paralysis seals on you and dump you on a hospital bed until the rest of your healing sessions are over and done with."

Hayate's jaw fell ajar at the threat that he knew Naruko would no doubt carry out, while the Hokage tilted his hat to hide his grin. Naruko didn't look at all fazed by the aghast expression on the Jonin's face. "And I'm sure Yugao-nee would be more than happy to cooperate with me," the blonde added pointedly, causing Hayate's face to drop.

"Fine," the Jonin muttered almost sourly under his breath. He cleared his throat and faced the crowd of Genin once more as Naruko returned to her place between her teammates. "As I was saying: we will be carrying out a preliminary round leading to the third exam."