Paper fans and lavenders

Relationships

Naruto stretched his arms as he got ready to have a good game. He was in P.E currently, as Gai sensei announced they would be playing basketball again today.

Naruto grinned when Gai chose him as the captain for team A as usual. He really felt good when he saw how far he had come from the mischievous, attention seeking boy he had been in middle school. Until he had met Sasuke, who seemed so cool and yet so lonely.

Sasuke was one of the people who saw right through Naruto's façade of the happy go lucky kid. Somehow, Naruto had done the same. Being the only one to look right through Sasuke's tough exterior. And that was how they had become friends somehow. Either that or Naruto never left him, sticking like glue throughout the years.

Sakura had become a great friend for him through the years despite being quite bossy and annoying in the beginning. But then again, the bold attitude was the whole reason Naruto had had a crush on her before. Right now, he only felt his affection zoom towards a certain pearl eyed girl who was standing at the back, sighing at the thought of basketball.

Naruto grinned. Oh boy, he was going to choose her on his team before Sasuke bastard this time. He saw Gaara walk to her and say something to which she gave a soft smile.

Naruto was happy and surprised at the same time when Gaara, the stoic redhead, whom it had taken months to befriend (he'd even had to fight him), had become so comfortable with Hinata. But then again, she did give off a comforting aura. Naruto had seen even Sasuke be comfortable around her and that was saying something.

As if feeling his gaze on her, Hinata turned to Naruto and smiled. Naruto felt his heart rate speed up and his grin widened for her. He saw Sasuke gaze at him in his usual bored manner as Gai told him her was captain of team B as usual.

"Sasuke, you get first pick." Said Gai. Naruto was determined to pick Hinata this time before she got snatched away or felt left out. He looked at her as he walked to Sasuke.

Sasuke noticed the way Naruto looked at Hinata with his blue eyes shining brightly. Sasuke smirked. Yeah, Naruto was totally going to pick her first thing on his team. Too bad he was so easy to read. And annoy.

"Hinata." Sasuke told him lazily as he eyed her jump up when her name was spoken. Looks like she had not gotten picked first ever before. She looked around before she believed it really was her being picked the first in basketball.

Sakura and Ino frowned at not being picked by Sasuke first again. "What? Why do you need her? You can't pick her." Naruto asked Sasuke, annoyed. Sasuke smirked.

"I don't see why I can't pick her."

"You knew I wanted to pick her this time." Naruto glared while Sasuke turned away, smirking.

"I did not. Go on make your pick dobe."

Naruto glared as he looked at him and then looked helplessly at Hinata who gave him a nervous smile. He sighed before picking Kiba.

Sasuke was such a bastard, he decided. They picked their respective teams and Naruto growled at Sasuke before the game started.

Naruto was determined not to let Sasuke's team win. Oh how he would enjoy as he, along with his team mates would be scrubbing the lockers after school. Preferably with toothbrushes. He smiled sadistically, which was unusual for him, before he remembered Hinata was in the opposition too. Man that complicated things.

They played for a while and both teams were playing good. Naruto had to admit, everyone was doing okay. Except some of the girls. The score was 17-18. Sasuke's team still needed one basket to balance out the score.