Desert Flower

Barbecue

  "Going back so soon?"

  "Have to if I want to make it to the Chunin Exams." I softly laughed while looking at Kankuro. "I don't want to be a Genin forever."

  "Watch, you get stuck as a Chunin forever instead." Temari popped off.

  "Mean!" I popped Temari's arm with the back of my hand, and she laughed. "I may have no interest in Kage, but one day I will be a Jonin."

  "Oh? No interest in becoming Hokage like Naruto?"

  "Goodness, no. Ask Gaara, being Kage has way too many responsibilities."

  "I think the responsibilities are just too much for you." Gaara gave me a small smile, and I laughed.

  "Damn right, they are. I'll let you and Naruto handle that stuff." Resting my arm on Temari's shoulder, I placed my other hand on my hip. "I much prefer being able to roam."

  "Like a stray animal." Kankuro teased.

  "Oi! I'm not a stray."

  "Yeah, Kankuro, she's just free-range. Always comes when Master calls."

  "Keep with the dog jokes, I dare you."

  "You can thank Gaara. He started it."

  "What?!" My gaze shot to the redhead, and he immediately averted his eyes as he looked embarrassed. "No, you couldn't have-"

  "One of the times you went chakra binging." Temari waved her hand. "Compared you to a dog and even pat your head."

  "I wasn't....very nice back then." Gaara mumbled while rubbing the back of his neck and looking even more embarrassed.

  "Gaara!" I whined as my shoulders slumped.

~

  "Naruto, there you are!" I called out to the blond before ruffling his hair. "I went to your place to find you, but you weren't home. Oh, hey, Sakura."

  "Hi, Sayuri." The pink-haired girl smiled and gave me a small wave.

  "We're going to visit Kakashi-sensei since he's still in the hospital." Naruto pouted while running his fingers through his hair as if it would fix his gravity-defying, looks like he just stuck his finger in a light socket, hairdo. My gaze then drifted to the unfamiliar face standing a bit behind Sakura.

  "....Who are you?"

  "My name is Sai."

  "He's our new teammate." Naruto had a grumpy edge to his tone.

  "He was just about to try and give us nicknames."

  "Nicknames? Oh, what are they?"

  "Sakura said they usually have something to do with the person's traits or characteristics." Sai said while holding his chin and looking at Sakura. "And I think I get it now, Ugly."

  "Oh, no...." I mumbled while seeing Sakura freeze.

  "Damn you!" The pink-haired girl did a 180 with her temper, and Naruto had to physically hold her back.

  "S-Sakura-" I raised my hands to try and calm her down, but she already swung a fist, and Naruto went down.

~

  "Hurry up, Sakura." Naruto rushed the pink-haired girl as I had my eyes glued to the meat grilling.

  "Where's Shikamaru?"

  "He said he had to go home and help his dad collect deer antlers for making medicine." Choji answered while wiping the drool from his chin. I couldn't tell who drooled more; hungry Choji or half-Shukaku Gaara?