Genkaku (Naruto fanfic)

Chapter 11: Teamwork does not make the dream work

Shizuka wiped the sweat from her brow as she dipped her paint roller into a can of crisp white paint. It was sweltering hot today and even more so in the cramped attic she was currently repainting with her two teammates by her side as her sensei casually leaned against the door, book in hand with his eyes occasionally flitting up to check on their progress.

The radio in the corner droned a variety of the latest pop songs that she didn't really know but tapped along to regardless as she painted around the window sill, careful not to paint the wooden frame. The shinobi life wasn't all that exciting so far.

That's right. After Kakashi had deemed them all utterly unfit of ever becoming shinobi, he had given them a second chance and eventually passed them when Sasuke had force fed Naruto some rice, primarily to shut the boy up but that was a minor detail really.

Today was the official start of their genin career and the team had started the morning off with some basic sparring so Kakashi could see what he was working with before announcing they had their first mission lined up. Hence the painting.

It was blissfully silent in the room, bar the radio playing, as all three genin focused on their job. Shizuka had strategically chosen the wall directly opposite the door, leaving the the two adjacent walls to her teammates so they would have their backs turned to each other in the hopes of deterring any arguments from starting up. So far it had worked but like all good things, this moment of peace didn't last forever.

"My wall is done." Sasuke spoke from her right with a hint of smugness in his voice.

She glanced over and saw that his wall was painted evenly in a glistening pristine white coat. 

"Why don't you go over and help Naruto. He still has a way to go." Kakashi drawled lazily.

Shizuka shot him an incredulous look at that. Surely the man knew that riling Naruto, who was already glaring at Sasuke, up like that was a bad idea.

Sending a silent prayer to whatever god that would listen, she traded her roller for a smaller brush and stepped up the small ladder to paint around the window frame more precisely.

"You're in my way." 

"You're in my way, bastard!"

She sighed despondently as she glanced over at her teammates. Both of them were pushing against each other, shoulder to shoulder, to reach the last section of the wall that was still bare. 

A fuming Naruto rammed his elbow into an unfazed Sasuke's side, who retaliated by roughly knocking his own arm into the boy's side, sending him careening to the side so hard that he knocked into the ladder. 

She let out a small yelp as the impact caused her to teeter precariously, needing to put a hand up against the still wet wall to stop herself from slamming face first into it. Shizuka frowned in disgust as she peeled her hand off the wall, showing the hand print left on the wall. She would have to paint over it again.

Her eyes glared daggers at the two boys who, by the way, hadn't even apologized for nearly knocking her off of a ladder.

~~~

The sun was beating down on Shizuka's head in full force as she took a desperate gulp of the lukewarm water from her flask. She used her underarm to wipe away beads of sweat, moving back down to the small garden path that she was removing weeds from.

If people thought it was too hot for them outside to do it themselves, why would they force children to do it?

She shot a badly concealed glare towards where their client was lounging in the shade as she quietly conversed with their sensei, who looked mildly uncomfortable to be put in a social situation.