A/N: I do not own Naruto.
Chapter One: Experiment
X x x X
I stared at the clock emotionlessly as I waited for Iruka-sensei to finish his lecture on missions and why they are important to complete. My brother, Naruto, snored obnoxiously next to me. I was about to fall asleep myself. I scanned the rest of the students in the room around me; they all either looked bored, or ready to fall asleep.
Even Sasuke Uchiha looked like he wanted Iruka-sensei to go mute.
I couldn't help but smirk at Sasuke's expression. He was always so emotionless, but annoyance was clearly written on his face. I was interrupted by my thoughts when Iruka-sensei called upon me, "Azuki! Please wake your brother up! This is not nap time." I blushed slightly when everybody stared at me and my brother.
I gently shook Naruto and he barely opened his eyes and looked at me, "Oh, hey, ugly," He muttered, making me sweatdrop and sigh. "Get up, Naruto," I whispered as I nudged him in the ribs with my elbow. I didn't mind Naruto saying stupid things like "hey, ugly," to me. I'm used to it. He's Naruto, for crying out loud.
A few kids were still glaring at us for no reason. I just kind of looked away and tried to avoid eye contact with anyone, except Iruka-sensei. Well, I just continued to stare at the clock for the most part. Class would be over in about 2 minutes, 'Thank God...' I thought to myself.
"And that, kids, is why you should always make sure that you finish your missions to their complete abilities!" Iruka smiled at us and the bell began to ring, making all the students jump up and fight each other just to get out of the door. It is recess, after all.
Naruto lazily stood up and slowly walked out of the room, but he was stopped by Iruka-sensei, making me stop behind him. "Naruto, you need to stay awake during class, or you will not get the grades. Is that understood?" Iruka was serious, yet I could tell he was trying to hold back his anger, but I just brushed it away.
"I'll make sure that he doesn't do it again, sensei. Thank you for being so understanding," I smiled and pushed my brother out of the door. Before I could turn around, I felt Naruto bump into someone, making me bump into him from behind. I blushed when we looked into the onyx eyes of Sasuke. He glared at us and scoffed, "Watch where you're going, losers," He muttered before walking off. Naruto growled low and balled his fist, while I pushed it down.
"Come on, Naruto, let's just go play on the swings," I suggested, which was what we always did... since we weren't welcome to play with the other kids. "Fine..." Naruto sighed and wrapped his arm around my shoulder as we walked towards the swings. I returned the favor and we walked arm-over-shoulders. Anybody could tell that we were definitely related!
Once we made our way to the swings and got comfortable, we heard all the other kids mumble mean things about us. "Ew, do you see those ugly clothes that Azuki's wearing? Does she get them from out of the dumpster? Or does she rob homeless people?" I heard Ino whisper to Sakura, who giggled behind her hands.
Hearing those words made my stomach sting with hurt. It's true... Naruto and I don't have the best looking clothes. He's got his orange jumpsuit and I have my black t-shirt and blue jean shorts. But my shirt is way too big for my body so it almost looks like I'm just wearing the t-shirt with nothing under it.
"Did you see the way she was looking at Sasuke in class? As if he'd ever even look at her twice! She's so ugly, and she stinks!" Sakura whispered back to Ino, whom agreed.
I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes, but I tried my hardest to hold them back. I was used to being called names like ugly and nasty. But, it hurts the same every time. Am I really that ugly? I ask Naruto, but he's my brother, so of course he says I'm pretty. I sighed and tried to swing in peace when I felt a rock being thrown at the back of my head.
I looked over and saw one of our classmates, Kiba, looking at me with anger in his eyes. "Hey, you stupid brat! Get off the swings!" He yelled, followed by some other kids screaming hurtful things towards my brother and I. Naruto, of course, told them to back off, but they just kept chucking rocks at us. We beelined it from the swings so we wouldn't get hurt and just went and stood to the side, watching all the other kids play.
I continued to try and hold back tears, but those rocks really hurt me. I could tell that I would have a few bruises tomorrow and I could feel a lump on the back of my head from where the first rock hit.
Naruto grumbled and walked off, obviously pissed, while I just sat there and tucked my head in between my knees. I tried to blur out everything and everyone around me. But, it was hard when I heard some boys start to call me names once again.
The senseis didn't even say anything to the other kids as they bullied my brother and me. They just... let it happen. They're not supposed to do that, are they?
I sighed and tried to hold the tears back. If I cry, that means I'm weak, right? That's what I hear a bunch of kids say. Crying is a sign of weakness, and I don't want to be seen as weak, do I?
Honestly, I didn't really believe that deep down, but I didn't want to give the other kids any more reasons to pick on me. I have enough on that list.
I could hear faint footsteps getting louder as they approached me. I looked up and saw Sasuke Uchiha standing over me. He glared down at me with hatred. I did nothing but stare back, waiting to see what his next move was. Was he going to hit me? Insult me?
"You're in my way," He simply stated. I looked behind me and noticed that I was sitting in front of one of the doorways into the academy. But, I'm not that big! He had plenty of room to walk around me!
But, being the shy and meek girl that I am, I simply scooted over and let him by.
He scoffed before mumbling, "Loser," and walking into the building. I closed my eyes again, letting the darkness of my head take over me. I just wanted to feel numb so I couldn't feel, hear, or see anything.
I was interrupted from my thoughts soon after when I heard the bell ring, signaling all the students of the academy to return to their next class. One more class and the day would be over.
But then, there was always a tomorrow. And for me - that was a curse, instead of a blessing.
X x x X
Our last class consisted of an experiment. It was a trust exercise, one of those cliché exercises where you fall back into your partners arms. For some reason, Iruka-sensei thought it would be helpful to enhance our senses or something along those lines.
The point is, we were partnered. And I didn't trust anyone in this class, except my brother. Anyone.
And with my luck, Naruto would not be my partner...
...Which he wasn't.
Who was my partner? Ino Yamanaka. One of the people I trust least in this world. I think Iruka-sensei's trying to kill me...
"Okay, class. Everyone partner up and begin the exercise by one of you holding out your arms to catch the other as they fall back. Now, you must catch your partner. If one of you senses that your partner will not catch you, then react by maintaining your balance and use your chakra to do so. Begin," Iruka-sensei instructed as Ino looked at me with an evil smirk that would make Satan cringe.
"Turn around, Uzumaki," Ino ordered in her sickly-sweet taunting tone. It made me sick to my stomach to hear her talk like that, but I did as I was told (only because this was a grade) and turned my back to her.
"Okay, lean back," She cooed, her voice coated with sugar, but I knew under that coat was a nice, thick coating of vinegar. My stomach churned at the thought. Yuck.
I gently leaned backwards and accidentally lost my balance. Ino backed away and let me fall to the ground on my back, everyone stopping what they were doing to look at me and laugh. The only people in the room that weren't laughing were Iruka, Naruto, and Sasuke.
Iruka was upset because I was getting picked on, along with Naruto, and Sasuke was smirking. Which is kind of like laughing for him, I guess.
Naruto helped me up and I dusted myself off, trying to ignore all the snickers and cackles of my mocking peers. "That is enough! Azuki, are you okay?" Iruka asked as he bent down to eye level with me. God, I'm so short.
I could feel my face heat up from embarrassment, "I-I'm okay..." I muttered, wanting to get out of the spotlight of shame and derogatory.
Naruto grabbed my hand and let me out of the classroom and down the hall. "Come on, Azuki, we're going home. I'm tired of us getting picked on and you getting embarrassed," he muttered darkly under his breath.
"Naruto, we can't just leave. We'll get in trouble!" I tried to convince him otherwise, but Naruto was just straight up pissed, and there was no changing his mind. Sighing, I decided to just walk home with him in silence so he could gather his thoughts.
I hope he'll be okay... he's more upset about my fall than I am... I thought to myself as I studied the angry contours of my brother's chibi face. His crystal blue eyes sparkled, even if he was pissed.
I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, "its okay, Naruto-kun. Let's go get some ramen," I suggested, making him smile soft as we changed course to head towards the Ichiraku ramen shop. Naruto and his ramen obsession...
X x x X
"Mmm!" Naruto mumbled as he slurped down the noodles of his Miso ramen. I couldn't help but smile at him and slurp on my own noodles as well. "Are you two enjoying yourselves? How about another round? On the house!" The Ichiraku Ramen Shop owner suggested, making Naruto and I shake our heads vigorously.
And with that, we ate another round of noodles. Being related to Naruto and all, I couldn't help but pass up a perfect opportunity for FREE ramen. It just wasn't going to happen.
After finishing the ramen and paying for the ramen that wasn't free, Naruto and I walked to our house, since it was the evening and school was already over. A bunch of people whom passed us looked at us as if we had the plague or something. Naruto and I kept our gazes down as everybody glared at us with so much hatred.
We hurried to our apartment to escape from the awful stares and whispers of strangers. "Finally home," Naruto chanted with his hands crossed behind his head with a wide smirk. I grinned and decided to go and take a shower and go ahead and just go to sleep… I was really tired anyway.
"I'm going to clean up and go to bed, Naruto-kun. See you in the morning," I stated, giving Naruto a kiss on the cheek before gathering my things for the hot springs and exiting the apartment.
X x x X
I sighed in content as I relaxed in the hot springs. I loved coming here in the evenings and invigorating in the steam. I felt as if I was pampering myself… and this is probably the closest that I will get.
I smirked to myself and grabbed the washcloth and lathered some soap on it. It smelt like vanilla and strawberries, my favorite. I started to slowly bathe myself, basking in the scent of my body wash.
I stopped what I was doing when I heard the door open and close, followed by footsteps. That's weird… I thought everybody went home. I thought to myself, biting my lip.
When I saw the pink hair, I immediately calmed down and sighed a sigh of relief, "Sakura… you scared me," I breathed, earning a scoff from her. "Woman up, Uzumaki. Are you really that scared?" She mocked, and I narrowed my eyes.
"For your information, Haruno, this town is full of perverts. You could have been some old fat guy trying to rape me!" I threw my hands in the air for effect, and she just rolled her eyes and pulled off her robe and dipped her scrawny body into a nearby spring. "Whatever," She scoffed before wetting her cotton candy hair.
I rolled my eyes and finished my bath; because I didn't feel comfortable being in the hot springs alone with Sakura. Like I said earlier, I didn't trust anyone but Naruto. Point blank.
After drying off, getting dressed, and packing my things up, I left the hot springs and headed back to my house to find my brother asleep in his bedroom. I giggled softly to myself and decided that it would be best if I got some rest, too.