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As they stood and watched their mouths dropped. As Kakashi effortlessly climbed up setting one foot in front of each other! Walking horizontally crutches under his arms before eventually walking onto a branch upside down! Before beginning to explain the benefits of chakra control.
Thud. Three kunais appeared on the grass in front of them. Sasuke grasped the cold metal kunai, fixing it into the proper hold. Before closing his eyes and focusing the chakra to his feet. Once he felt the warm chakra on his feet circulate he ran forward making it part way up the tree. But then his foot went in causing wood chips to fly and a dent in the tree. He flipped backwards off of it and looked to his sides. He was surprised by how difficult it was. He stared at the spot where he’d been pushed off the tree and thought about how too much chakra caused you to be pushed off the tree.
He turned and saw Naruto rubbing a bump on his head, noting how too little chakra caused you to slip and not be able to stick. Then he looked to where Sakura should’ve been. Only to not see her.
“This is surprisingly easy,” he heard Sakura say and he looked up to see her sitting on a branch. His hands clenched and his teeth gritted. He didn’t understand how she’d done so well her first try. Especially with how little she trains.
He turned his attention to Naruto who looked disappointed, and was rubbing his head with a wide grin on his face.
“It looks like Sakura has the best chakra control,” Kakashi was saying but Sasuke’s attention was already back on the tree. Wondering why he’d been able to get up a fourth of it and why at that part of the tree he used too much chakra. When he saw out of the corner of his eye Naruto attempting to run up the tree again. So he focused his chakra to his feet and clutching the kunai in his hands he ran to the tree again.
They kept at it, going again and again. There feet thumping on the tree. The day had started bright but the sky was getting darker. When he heard Naruto and Sakura talking. Sasuke looked to only to see Naruto looking cheeky and hiding his mouth. Sakura looked dumbfounded before replying. When they’d finished and Sakura and Kakashi were heading back he turned to Naruto.
“What did you ask Sakura?” Sasuke asked. He wondered if Naruto was talking to Sakura about him or tips for the exercise.
Naruto stared at him annoyed. Sasuke felt a bit bad about interrupting his attempt. But then Naruto’s expression started looking extremely amused before looking away, “Not telling.” Sasuke could feel his eye twitch. Before realizing that this was Naruto’s way of getting him to talk to him. So instead of asking again, cause he wouldn’t give into the dobe he turned back to the tree. Preparing to run up again. After a few attempts he turned to see Naruto doing better. Sasuke could feel the annoyance begin to build up.
Before turning back to the tree. Putting together his hands, closing his eyes and focusing. The next thing he knew he was running up the tree and passing his mark, swiping his kunai and hopping down. He couldn’t let Naruto beat him.
The following hours were spent racing to the top of the tree. When eventually they both had made significant progress, Sasuke noticed that Naruto looked exhausted. He sighed. Before walking over to the sitting Naruto and offering a hand. Which Naruto stared at suspiciously before reaching out, allowing Sasuke to pull him up. Sasuke allowed Naruto to lean on him, but it wasn’t romantic least to Sasuke it was probably romantic for Naruto though.
When they ate dinner after getting back, Naruto was trying to eat as much as him. It was so annoying, they continued to race. Before it caught up to them and they both threw up on the ground, before holding up their bowls for more. Only for Sakura to scold them. They eventually finished and had to go to bed.
Sasuke couldn’t believe that he had to sleep so close to Sakura and Naruto. His fangirls? His fanboys? His fan people? Sakura was smiling and Naruto looked annoyed. It was obvious Naruto wanted to be sharing only with him.
The next day they had to practice again running up the tree, Sasuke still couldn’t get to the top, and Sakura had succeeded and was sent to watch over Tazuna. Sasuke’s teeth grit.
When Sakura and Kakashi came to check on them later Naruto and Sasuke had already made great progress. Throwing down kunai Kakashi and Sakura seemed surprised. Then Naruto did a prank pretending to fall probably hoping to get a reaction out of Sasuke only for Naruto to fall for real. The next thing Sasuke knew he was hopping between trees before catching Naruto’s ankle hanging upside down holding him and thinking about how he was tricked into helping the dobe. Hoping that the dobe didn’t think he liked him back.
They kept practicing before he eventually headed back.
The next morning they realized that Naruto wasn’t there, Sakura was saying how he probably wound up dead, and Sasuke felt his chest tighten. He quickly shoveled in his food before standing.
“I’m going for a walk,” Sasuke said. Before opening the door and walking to the forest. When he saw Naruto he saw someone walking away. When they passed each other Sasuke felt something jolt through him. He stopped and turned watching the person walk a few steps away before turning back and walking to the dobe.
“That’s weird,” Naruto said looking at Sasuke in a daze rubbing his head, “He’s prettier than Sakura.” Stopping Sasuke in his tracks, the dobe had hit his head and was saying the first stuff coming to his mind! Sasuke could feel his cheeks warm.
“Why this world is full of mystery’s.” He heard Naruto say. He couldn’t take it any more and walked up punching the dobe in the head to prevent future romantic advances. So he feigned that he hadn’t heard.
“Did you forget about mealtime idiot?” Sasuke said before turning to walk back flustered.