Seven Years | Gaara no Sabaku |

Chapter 9: Kakashi-Sensei

Sasuke had disappeared to eat lunch on his own, so I grabbed my bento box and trailed after Iruka-sensei. He held the door to the teacher's lounge open for me, agreeing to let me eat with him after I'd asked since I didn't really know anyone else. Well, I did know Ino but she'd gone to eat with her new squad and I didn't want to intrude. Sasuke and Naruto had both disappeared so I wasn't really sure where else to go.

Once we returned the the classroom, teams of students began to leave with their assigned Jonin one by one — until our squad was the only one left. He stood at the door with his head shoved in the hallway, looking back and forth searching for our teacher. Even Iruka had left by now.

I was sitting on top of the desk behind Sasuke, my legs dangling on either side of him as he sat in his typically position — leaning slightly forward with his fingers laced together. My head tilted in confusion as Naruto took an eraser from the front of the classroom and put it between the closed door.

"Our teacher's a jonin — an elite ninja. You think he'd fall for that?"

Naruto was about to argue and I sighed. Was it always going to be like this? Probably. From what I'd known of Naruto, I wouldn't put it past him and I'd known Sasuke my whole life. Their rivalry was just going to go on forever, I knew it. Maybe they'd get over it eventually and become friends? I honestly doubt it. My head turned towards the door as the hand was set against it, sliding it open. Naruto burst into laughter as the eraser fell onto the masked man's head, and then the floor.

"I got him! He totally fell for it!"

"Hmm... how can I put this? My first impression of this group... you're a bunch of idiots. Meet me on the roof."

He disappeared with a poof and I scooted backwards, swinging my legs towards the side of the desk before hopping off. I walked ahead of the other two whilst Sasuke and Naruto glared back and forth from behind me. Our sensei was sitting on the railing when we'd arrived, which I didn't think was all that safe, but he was a jonin. I doubt he'd fall.

"Tell me about yourselves. One at a time. Things you like, things you hate, dreams for the future, hobbies. Stuff like that."

"Why don't you tell us about you so we can see how it's supposed to work?" Naruto suggested.

"Me? I'm Kakashi Hatake. Things I like and things I hate... I don't feel like telling you. My dreams for the future, I've never really thought about it. As for my hobbies... I have lots of hobbies. Okay, your turn. You on the right, you first."

"Believe it, I'm Naruto Uzumaki. I like instant ramen in a cup and I really like the ramen Iruka-sensei got me at the Ichiraku Noodle Shop. But I hate the three minutes you have to wait after you poor the water in the ramen cup. My hobby is eating different kinds of ramen and comparing them. And my future dream is to be the greatest hokage! Then the whole village will stop disrespecting me and treat me like I'm somebody! Somebody important." he cheered, fiddling with his headband the whole time.

"Alright, next."

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I hate a lot of things, and don't particularly like anything. What I have is not a dream, because I will make it a reality. I'm going to restore my clan, and destroy a certain someone."

I shivered at his words, mind moving to thoughts of Itachi-nii but I forced myself to push my feelings away. I couldn't think about that anymore. I had to stop thinking about it. It had been a few months since my last panic attack and I didn't want to break the streak now.

"Last one. Don't worry, I can understand sign language. Although, I will need to hear or read your name."

"Akemi Uchiha," Sasuke spoke for me.

"And do you have a sign name for everyone here yet he asked me?"

I blinked. He could understand sign language? Well, I guess it made sense that they'd put me with someone who could. It would have been awkward to have Sasuke translate for me all the time, and especially when we're out doing missions. I needed to be able to have more people than just Sasu-nii understand me. A part of me wondered if I'd be able to teach Naruto some sign language, but Sasuke's complaints about him made the signs point to no.

I gestured to Sasuke and quickly performed his sign before glancing to Naruto. I thought about it for a moment before making a gesture that Kakashi and Sasuke studied closely, meaning said blond stared in absolute confusion. I finally made a sign for Kakashi and he nodded before gesturing that I could continue my introduction.

'My name is Akemi Uchiha. I like spending time with my big brother, cooking, and visiting my...' I hesitated slightly, not particularly wanting to say therapist. Sasuke got the picture and muttered I liked visiting the Yamanaka flower shop before I continued, 'I... I guess I want to be a kunoichi that the Uchiha clan can be proud of. Oh, um, and I like going for walks around the village.'

Kakashi-sensei translated for the extremely confused Naruto who stood up, stepping in front of me and narrowing his eyes. I tilted my head in confusion as he leaned closer and Sasu-nii tensed up from beside me as if he was preparing to attack. Then, Naruto suddenly moved back and crossed him arms over his chest to loudly ask, "So why don't you say anything, anyway?"

"She's mute, you loser!" Sasuke snarled. "She can't speak."

"Good," Kakashi spoke to stop the argument before it began. "You're each unique and you have your own ideas. We have our first mission tomorrow."

"What kind of mission?" Naruto asked excitedly.

"It's a task that the four of us will do together — a survival exercise."

Naruto spoke up to protest that they'd already done things like that at the academy, but Kakashi-sensei explained that this would be different. He began to chuckle darkly, before explaining that out of all the Genin only 9 would pass while the others would return to the academy and my body went stiff. What if Sasuke passed and I failed? What would I do then? I shifted nervously and Sasuke shifted himself only slightly closer to me in a manner that only I would notice.

"Meet at the designated training ground at 5am — and bring your ninja gear. That's it, you're dismissed. Oh, and skip breakfast or you'll puke."