I curse at myself as I begin running towards the rest of my team. That spar with Shinji definitely held out to its purpose.
Stalling me!
"I'm back." I curtly say as I easily match up speed with Sakura and Kakashi, Naruto running ahead of us obviously in a hurry.
"Thank goodness Haru you're here!" Sakura sighs, she narrows her eyes at the cuts on my arms. "You're injured." She tells herself, slightly slowing down thinking I would too.
I glance back at her as I keep my pace going. "Why are you slowing down?" I ask with an arched brow. She looks at the blood dripping from the cuts in worry. "It would be better if I treated your wounds now instead of later, when we get into battle I don't want you to go in already hurt." She explains.
Naruto looks back at me and frowns "yeah Haru I thought you said he wouldn't hurt you!" He exclaims, a look of slight anger on his face.
I shake my head at my two team members. "Oh there's so much you two have to learn about me." I mutter earning Kakashi sensei's attention.
"What do you mean Haru?" Sakura asks, still eyeing my wounds wearily. I sigh and smile lightly at their confused faces. I quickly hold up a hand sign "Kesshō" I quietly murmur. The blood that was once liquid then solidifies in mid air and turns into sharp kunai like figures. I grab the kunai which is now made out of crystal and show it to my team, who all look like I just preformed some voodoo magic.
"What? It's called kekkei genkai." I say, looking at them weirdly. "You've learnt how to manipulate blood?" Kakashi sensei asks, looking at me jut as surprised as the other two. I shake my head at him. "No not really, I can just. . . Turn things into crystal, blood included." I explain.
Kakashi nods "Yuudai sensei was able to do the same, it's a good thing you've learned Haru." Kakashi sensei compliments, myself nodding in response.
We continue running at our original speed after the minor revelation and I quickly realize that Naruto is running way too fast, so much that it causes a strain in the group's pace.
"Naruto we know you're in a hurry but remember don't disrupt the unit." Sakura says noticing Naruto pacing much faster than the rest of us.
"But, But!"
"Don't loose your cool, remember what master Jiraiya told to not do that." Kakashi sensei orders, I look at him from the side of my eye and frown slightly.
"I'm sure he's just worried for Gaara, don't worry Naru we'll get there in time and help." I say pushing myself a bit so I can run next to him.
Naruto looks at me, almost startled by my presence and choice of words. He then smiles widely to which I arch a brow. "Hey you called me Naru!"
My eyes widen slightly and I awkwardly look away "What? What's so surprising about that?" I ask narrowing my eyes slightly. Naruto smiles cheekily but looks away from my defensive self. "There's nothing wrong! I just missed having you call me that!"
My jaw drops slightly and look away stubbornly with tinted cheeks "s-shut up!" I then sigh and think yet again about my blonde teammate, poor Naruto. He probably feels closer to Gaara since they're both jinchuriki, this must be eating Naruto alive.
Sakura then runs up next to me and furrows her eyebrows. "Eh? Is that temari?" My eyes narrow and I look down to where Sakura's attention is. "Temari!" She exclaims before jumping down from the tree's, myself and the rest of the team following shortly after.
Said blonde turns around, rather surprised by our appearance. "Haru is that you?" She asks, eyes widening at the sight of myself. I cross my arms over my chest and mumble a quiet "Yeah"
"We have no time! Temari, Gaara and the rest of Suna are in big trouble!" Naruto exclaims. Temari turns to Naruto with wide eyes "What?!"
••Flashback••
"The third hokage want's you to be hokage, three out of five hokage are related to you, you're practically made for the job." Shinji boredly says as he sits next to me in our clan's barren compound. I make intricate mazes made out of crystal on the lake and he watches with narrowed eyes.
That's a technique he taught me not long ago, trap your opponents and have fun while they attempt getting out. It's much worse than it sounds.
I quietly continue making these mazes, ones that would be impossible to get out of for any future opponents. "Where's your smart mouthed answer?" Shinji asks nudging my shoulder and breaking my concentration. I abruptly stop what I was doing and sigh, only thinking about the question gives me a headache.
"Do you think Tsunade knows?"
"Know what?" Shinji asks, looking at me with an confused expression.
"Know about him?" I ask, my voice unwavering and icy. Shinji stares at me for a moment "Well, I don't think she does? How would I know what that old woman does and doesn't know? Why are you asking me this?" Shinji asks, looking even more confused.
I give him a look and sit down on the floor in a heap of worry and stress.
"I don't know Shinji, the Akatsuki seems awfully persistent on having me join, and having myself be shunned from my village gives you guys the perfect platform." I say, nearly cringing at the sight of his stone cold face.
"What? You're accusing me of exposing you? Listen here when I say having you be in the Akatsuki is the last thing I want." He says, shutting me down easily. Still, the worry lingers in the back of my mind. "And if you're so paranoid why are you with him?" He continues.
I don't answer and only slump my shoulders a bit, "This is so stressful." I murmur, leaning into my brother's shoulder when he wraps his arm around me comfortingly.
"Oh c'mon you return to the village next month aren't you happy about that?" Shinji asks to which I quickly shake my head. "I don't know if I'm happy about it." I start. "I can't be hokage." I say bluntly. Shinji seems taken aback but I continue. "I'm literally dating someone who betrayed the village and is hell bent on killing his brother." I say, eyes widening at my own words.
"Haru I doubt they'll ever find out about him." Shinji reasons, looking at me calmly. "How can you be so sure?! What happens when I return to the village and go on a mission where I see him? They'll know somethings up, my acting skills aren't that great." I say, making up a whole valley of scenarios in my head where this will go extremely wrong.
Shinji clicks his tongue and playfully punches my shoulder "You're worrying too much! Just talk to lover boy about it he'll understand. . .I think"
I shake my head "He really won't, he's bad at being sympathetic." I say earning a roll of the eyes from my sibling.
"Haru trust me, this whole you and Sasuke thing is simply a rumor, and not a popular one. This will never even reach the ears of the villagers." Shinji reassures, ruffling the top of my white hair to which I slap his hand away.
"Are you sure?" I ask, looking down at the lake and narrowing my eyes at the bottom. Shinji chuckles and abruptly stands up "Of course I'm not sure! But we can hope for the best!"
••Flashback ends••
"Haru pay attention." Sakura whispers nudging my shoulder. I look at her, startled, realizing what the hell is going on I look forwards to see Naruto still quite ahead of us. "Huh what happened?" I whisper back earning a sweat drop from Sakura.
"Wow, you really haven't changed that much have you?" She asks herself, looking at me with an 'are you serious' expression.
I shrug at her and continue looking forwards. "I dunno Sakura, have I changed?" I ask now earning an irk mark.
"You just missed Naruto's entire mini speech!" She whisper yells now pointing to the back of our teammate. My stoic face morphs into one with a smirk "Hm seems I haven't changed at all then!"
"Ugh Haru!"
••••••••••
"Only two can keep a secret if one of them is dead"
••••••••••
Hello lovely readers!
Your opinions on this chapter and Haru's flashback? Your thoughts on the book so far?
I consider this to be a transition chapter, Gaara and Haru's reunion will be coming soon!
Comment and let me know what you think so far!
Expect an update very soon, and I'll see you all next chap!