The mission board mocked us again.
"Retrieve lost cat."
"Pull weeds."
"Paint fence."
"Escort elderly man to grocery store and back."
Naruto screamed into the void.
"I'M GONNA LOSE MY MIND."
I patted his shoulder. "You never had it."
Sasuke: "Both of you shut up."
Iruka, with the deadest eyes imaginable, handed us a scroll. "Cat. Again."
---
We found Tora the Menace stuck in a tree, staring down at us like a furry dictator.
Naruto climbed. The cat scratched his face. Sasuke tried genjutsu. It hissed and exploded a nearby squirrel nest.
I just brought out a pouch of dried tuna I'd made for this exact reason.
The cat leapt into my arms like I was a Disney princess.
Naruto: "You bribed it?!"
Me: "I incentivized cooperation."
---
That night, Naruto invited us to a sleepover.
He called it "Team Bonding."
Kakashi approved. Probably because he didn't want to supervise us for a day.
Sasuke rolled his eyes but came anyway. I brought protein bars and a portable kettle for green tea.
Naruto's apartment was small, messy, but… homey. Blankets on the floor. Cup ramen stacked like a proud tower. A weird frog lamp.
We played ninja charades.
Naruto acted out "pervy jutsu."
Sasuke acted out "brooding trauma."
I acted out "leg day."
It got dumb. It got loud.
We laughed until our stomachs hurt.
---
Later, we sat on the roof, watching the stars.
"You ever wonder," Naruto said softly, "why people don't like us?"
Sasuke didn't answer. I did.
"They're afraid of things they don't understand."
Naruto was quiet for a moment.
Then: "I'm gonna be Hokage. So they have to understand me."
It was naive.
It was bold.
It was so Naruto.
I smiled.
"I'll vote for you."
Sasuke: "Tch. You'd be the worst advisor."
Naruto grinned. "You'd be on my security squad."
Me: "I'll handle PR. I'm very charming under pressure."
They both laughed.
It felt… right.
Like we weren't just teammates.
We were becoming brothers.
---
At some point, we all fell asleep under the stars.
Sasuke with his arms folded. Naruto snoring. Me hugging the cat, who never left.
And for one night—
There were no missions.
No systems.
No secrets.
Just warmth.
And peace.