The Coming of the King

Chapter 10 - The Academy

"You'll sit next to Sasuke, Naruto," Iruka confesses with a chuckle.

"WHAT!?" both boys shout, Sasuke rising to his feet.

"Heh, sorry Sasuke, but I can't stand your fangirls always arguing about who sits next to you. This will be permanent, neither of you are allowed to sit anywhere but next to each other. Sorry, boys," Iruka chuckles nervously.

'Making Naru-chan mad on the first day probably wasn't the best plan, but I know that he wants to protect Sasuke, and the best way to do that is to keep your target close.'

Iruka very nearly laughs as he watches Naruto begrudgingly sit down in the seat next to Sasuke. Maybe he did inherit some sadistic traits from "Anko-nee-chan."

Naruto's P.O.V.

Oh, Iruka will definitely pay for this later. Not that I blame him. Probably his idea of helping me out. I guess I'll make use of the opportunity. I should try to amend my first impression to Sasuke. Of course, the first impression that Sasuke knows about.

Flashback no Jutsu

Itachi-nii was off on a mission again. Everyone says that it's only a matter of time until I get accepted into the ANBU too, but I don't like sitting at home doing nothing. I've already finished my regiment for today.

Maybe I could go hang out with someone. No, the only friends I have are on missions, and I don't want to bother Ten-chan when she's sick. Plus, Ayame-nee-chan and Teuchi-san are working. Shikaku-sensei? No, he's with Shikamaru-kun today. Ugh, who?

"Me?" Kurama asks cutely.

'Heh, nice try. I love you Kura-chan, but you are always in my head. I want contact with another human being today, thanks'

"What about Itachi's little brother, Sasgay or something?"

'Sasuke, right. Itachi probably doesn't want us to meet yet, though.'

"So just look after him without him seeing you. That counts as human contact,"

'That it does, that it does. I like the way you think, Kura. You usually leave the human matters to me, so this is rather refreshing.'

"Shut up and leave, kit,"

'Ah, right! Human interaction!'

I quickly rise from my seated position and run out the door. I trace Sasuke's chakra until I find him. The little gaki is in a training area on the Uchiha territory, trying to hit a target with a kunai. He's pretty decent, considering his age and build, but I can't help but flinch slightly as I watch him miss knife after knife.

"Kit, don't help him. Itachi doesn't want you two to meet yet," Kurama instructs.

'I know, I know. But I wanna, y'know?'

From that point on, I decide to ignore Kurama. What I'm doing is definitely not what I should be doing, but whatever. I jump down from the tree I was perched in, causing a bit of a ruckus.

Sasuke looks up at me, panting slightly. "Who are you?" he asks accusingly.

"I can help you." I say quickly, momentarily pushing past my fear of speaking. Only for a moment, as it takes everything in me not to have a panic attack on the spot. My voice sounded a bit air-y, but I doubt that the gaki noticed it.

"Really?" Sasuke asks hopefully. I nod, grinning slightly. "Then please do! I want to impress my nii-san!" he exclaims excitedly.

Flashback no Jutsu End

Where had that adorable kid gone? Oh yeah, he died last night along with his family. Fear moves through me briefly as I remember each and every Uchiha falling around me as I struggled to protect Sasuke.

Flashback no Jutsu

Chaos. Chaos and blood. Screams. Why did this feel familiar? Oh, right. It felt like war. After seeing Kurama's memories, I can safely say that. Uchiha after Uchiha are falling, dropping like flies. It's evening, I had been walking Itachi and Sasuke home to the Uchiha compound, however I was still in my mask.

A meeting had taken place between their parents and Hokage-sama today. These meetings had been going on for nearly a year while we tried to make peace with the Uchiha clan, after all, they were orchestrating a coup d'etat. It had been working too. But then that idiot Danzo had to screw everything up. He sent in ROOT.

The only thought in my head as I sliced mercilessly through the emotionless operatives, save Sasuke, because for some reason, I've grown fond of the Uchiha-gaki over the past year of watching him.

And protect him I did. Erase his memories, did that. Replace his memories with ones of Itachi murdering everyone in a psychotic manner, check. Chase Itachi out of the village and out to his mission of infiltrating the Akatsuki, easy as cake.

Flashback no Jutsu End

Yeah, last night, man. That was fun. I barely managed to chase Itachi out of the village to get here on time-er early, I guess. Guess I got the time wrong. I look over at Sasuke. He probably thinks I'm an obnoxious asshole.

"Listen, Uchiha," I sense him glance at me and feel a foreboding presence. Oh, he must be glaring at me. "I think that we must have gotten off on the wrong foot, y'know? How about we start over?"

"I don't care whether you like me or not, dobe," Sasuke muttered.

'Emo-Uchiha-gaki.' I think dryly.

"Well, I care if you like me, so let's start over, ne?" I retort.

"Fine," Sasuke mutters.

"Yosh!" I whisper-scream to myself. "Hey, I'm Uzumaki Naruto," I introduce, letting my voice drop a few decibels.

I try to keep a care-free aura about me, hoping that it'll put Sasuke at ease. Doesn't seem to work though. Sasuke tenses up a bit.

"Uchiha Sasuke, dobe," he mutters back.

'Again with the dobe?'

"Still gonna call me loser, bastard?" I question darkly.

Sasuke grunts.

"That isn't a real response,"

Another grunt, and I swear that I hear a smirk with this one.

I grin. "Wanna be friends?"

"Why would I be friends with you?" Sasuke questions in surprise.

He definitely hadn't given me any reason to ask that, or even want to be friends with him for that matter. But ever since that fateful first day that I met him, I've held a certain soft spot for him.

"You don't. Actually, you'd only want to be friends with me if you were stupid, which you aren't," I reply. It's true. Anyone who's friends with a jinchuuriki will suffer. "But, I want to be friends with you,"

"Why?" he asks.

"Because I like people who think for themselves. It's more fun when everyone isn't just giving you the same robotic answer, y'know?"

"Fine," he replies begrudgingly.

I feel my face light up against my will. It's good that I typically wear a mask, because I suck at maintaining a neutral facial expression. I guess in this case, my lack of talent is a good thing.

"Yes!" I cheer. Sasuke groans, covers his ears, and puts his head on the desk, his official sign language for, "I hate you."

Edited 12-15-2020