The Light Of Konoha

Haunted Tomatoes

Aki's P.O.V.

After the day's work I was exhausted, longing for a good night's sleep,
but I just couldn't resist the urge to talk to Gaara again.

So after 'drugging' my summoning by lulling him to sleep once more, I sat on the same rooftop, shining like a beacon later that night.

I almost expected him to not show, but I guess there isn't really anything better for him to do whilst the rest of the world is sleeping.

So once again I spent the night talking to Gaara with my stomach doing flips due to his intense gaze.

And once again I talked until I passed out and woke with the usual aches.

And once again he said a quiet mumbled 'thank you'.

"Anytime..."

It was a free morning until we had to report to the classroom at 4:00pm, so I was wandering the village with half-lidded eyes and periodic sleepy yawns.

I seemed to zombie walk down the streets, barely managing to walk straight.

I know I shouldn't be skipping sleep, but he can't sleep at all... So I really can't complain about a little tiredness.

I walked into the markets to do my usual groceries shop, and for some reason I emerged with a bag load of tomatoes instead...

'I'm so tired I can't even shop right... *sigh*'

"You gonna eat all those?" Came a cool and calm familiar voice.

I looked dubiously at the huge bag of fruit, then looked at him, still with half-lidded eyes.
"What do you think, Mr Uchiha?" I said sarcastically but finishing with a yawn.

As I brought up my hand to stifle my yawn, I seemed to forget I was holding a butt-load of tomatoes and dropped them all over the floor.

"Oops."

I didn't bother picking them up.

Stalker-kun sighed then started the tedious job himself.
"You gonna help?" He said exasperatedly.

I rose a brow at him but bent down to pick one up anyway.

As I went to stand back up straight, I was too exhausted and ended up falling onto my face.

"Oops," I said tiredly into the dirt.

Sasuke finished picking up the tomatoes and sighed.
"You need to go home and sleep until this afternoon.
You're in no state to enter the exam and I won't have you tarnishing Konoha's name.
Come on, let's go."

He pulled me off the floor and set me on my feet and I followed him blindly, not even processing what he said.
I merely followed cause he had my tomatoes...

When Sasuke turned a corner ahead of me, before I could reach it a rain ninja appeared before me, weapons drawn with obvious malicious intentions.

Not even bothering to get into fighting stance, I narrowed my eyes at him.

He prepared to throw several needles at me but I held my hand out in front of me, palm facing forward.

He braced himself for an attack, hesitating and glancing nervously at my outstretched hand.

I took a deep breath.

"Go home Iruka, you're drunk."

He anime fell and made choking sounds but I merely walked past him to try and catch up with my tomatoes.