Red Is A Pretty Colour

31

Hiko's pov

When Naruto returned to the village news came that he had brought the 5th hokage with him. Lady Tsunade, one of the legendary Sanin and Medical shinobi was set to become the first female hokage, she certainly sounded impressive.

I was sitting around with Choji eating crisps together. We had invited Shikamaru but he had to run errands with his dad.

"I'm glad you do this with me again." Choji said.

"I'm glad too, I'm sorry I wasn't the most available. It was just easier to block people out instead of ask for help." I said as I took another crisp.

"Remember when we used to sit in the gym and eat these after you got in a fight? We'd skip whatever class was next and just eat." Choji said.

"Yeah, we'd eat and cry about what just happened or how unfair it was that we were the  only ones getting picked on." I said. "Everyone hated me back then, I'd beat up anyone that said anything about you or Naruto. At least it improved my taijutsu. Remember when you were the one to get in a fight?"

"Kiba beat me so bad." Choji said with a nervous chuckle.

"I don't know why you thought fighting him was a good idea." I said as I shook my head.

"You were always sticking up for me so I had to look out for you too. He was so mean! You told him you liked him and he spat it right back in your face." Choji said. "I mean who does that!? If a pretty girl told me she had feelings for me I wouldn't call her a rotten tomato."

"That's because you weren't raised in a barn." I said.

"I'm glad you moved away from him. Shikamaru is much nicer." Choji said.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked.

"Oh nothing." Choji said with a knowing grin.

"Don't tell me your brain cells have escaped. I deal with enough stupid at home." I said. "I do agree that Shikamaru has always been nice to me though. Except all those times he woke me up to complain he was tired and I was in his spot."

"At least he didn't pull your hair li-" Choji was cut off by someone shouting my name.

"Hiko! Hiko! It's Sasuke!" Sakura exclaimed as she hurried over to us.

"What about Sasuke? Is he okay?" I asked.

"He's awake!" Sakura cheered.

"I could have told you that, Lady Tsunade is the new hokage, she wouldn't just leave him to suffer. Kakashi~sensei is probably on his feet now too, idiot." I said.

"Don't you want to see him?!" Sakura asked, her excited expression becoming angry.

"Sakura, if Sasuke wanted to see me he'd ask for me. I'm not going to go and annoy him when he's only just woken up. Maybe I'll drop of some Omusubi with tomatoes for him later but I'm not going to hang around." I said.

"You're a terrible teammate! Do you even care at all?!" Sakura yelled.

"Don't yell, you'll cause a scene. I care I just know he won't want anyone around." I said.

"Oh because you know sasuke so well." Sakura huffed. "It's just because you're too lazy to visit!"

"I'm going to go see Shikamaru before I blow a fuse, if brains were taxed hers would be refunded." I said to Choji before leaving.

Sakura was the only one that could push me to the breaking point without trying. Even Ino had to really put in the work to get me to go off on one. It really annoyed me how easily I'd snap at her.

Time skip

It wasn't until dinner time that I went to see Sasuke. I brought him food just like I said I would and surpassingly enough Sakura wasn't there.

"Hey." Sasuke greeted.

"Hey, I made your favourite, thought you'd need to recover some brain cells." I said as I approached his bedside.

"Thanks." Sasuke said taking the lunch box from me.

"So, where's Sakura? Searching for her brain cells?" I asked backing Sasuke stifle a laugh.

"She went home in a bad mood." Sasuke said and I pointed to myself with a raised eyebrow. "Yeah."

"I don't even try to fight with her we just click in all the wrong ways." I said with a sigh. "Every time it looks like we could be friends one of us looses our temper."

"She's been in a bad mood all day." Sasuke said.

"How come?" I asked.

"I asked Naruto if he had spoken to you yet when I woke up." Sasuke replied.

"Ah, she's not happy that you asked about me." I said.

"What did you do?" Sasuke asked.

"I told her I wasn't going to spend my day visiting you." I replied.

Sasuke nodded in understanding, the two of us were friends to an extent. We got along well and would chat or get food together if we ran into each other while we were out, we certainly worked well together now that we were teammates. We knew a bit about each other's lives, I told sasuke more than most people and yet we didn't feel the need to talk often or spend much time together. We understood that the other had their own life to get on with and preferred to be left to do their own thing. It was a nice friendship.

"Well, I'll see you on our next mission." Sasuke said.

"Yeah, enjoy the food." I said. "Get we'll soon or Sakura and I will tear each other to shreds."