The Month Between

                                    

                                          
-Akari-
                          
The preliminaries were a week over, and things were slowing down before the finals started. The only one from team eight who was moving on to the finals was Shino. Naruto and Sasuke were both advancing too. 
I was excited to learn that Naruto was going up against Neji, but also terrified knowing that Neji was ruthless. Naruto and I might not be in a good place right now, but I didn't want him to die. I hadn't seen much of Naruto, apparently he was off training with the help of someone. 
I hadn't seen or talked to Sasuke since the second exam. The constant anxiety of not knowing where he was, or how he was doing, well it was eating away at me to say the least. Kurenai assured me he would be coming to see me soon, she was so sure of it. 
For right now though, I was going to visit everyone who was in the hospital after the preliminaries. 
                          
I pushed open the door to Hinata's room and found her sitting up right in her bed. She was finally okay, all she had to do was take it easy for a bit. I walked into her room and set down the sweet buns I had brought for us to eat today, to celebrate her not dying. 
                          
"Oh, hello Akari, I told you that you didn't have to come today, you've been here every other day." Hinata smiled at me and I just rolled my eyes at her.
                          
"Stop it, I get to see you, and I go with Tenten when she sees how Lee is doing." I sat on the end of her bed facing her with my legs crossed. I stared at my teammate, I could tell she was thinking long and hard about something. We had both been thinking a lot these past few days. I was still trying to process having a monster sealed inside me, and trying to find a way to become stronger. Kiba offered for me to train with him, but he doesn't hit hard and treats me like I am delicate. 
                          
"Akari, will you train with me?" Hinata blurted out and I looked at her, so that's what she was thinking about. 
                          
"Yes." I smiled at Hinata and she let out a sigh of relief, "We aren't going slow and or easy though." 
                          
"Okay, deal." Hinata nodded firmly.
                          
I got up to grab the buns so we could eat. When I crawled back onto her bed there was a knock on the door, so I called out a muffled come in. I was expecting Kiba to be the one who walked through, but instead I was met with a beautiful boy with dark eyes. I instantly went red in the face staring at Sasuke with a mouthful. 
                          
"Akari, can we talk outside?" Sasuke spoke, he looked like he was trying to not laugh at me. I am sure my cheeks were probably puffed out considering I had bitten off at least half of it in my first bite. I looked at Nikita who smiled and waved me on. 
                          
I climbed off the bed and walked out into the hallway. When I turned around to look at Sasuke he was smirking at me slightly. Next thing I knew he was using his thumb to wipe the corner of my mouth a little bit. I knew I was the shade of a tomato now. 
                          
"Akari, you, you're a distraction." Sasuke sighed, and I just gave him a confused face trying to figure out what he meant by the comment.
                          
"I'm sorry?" It came out as more of a question than a statement, I was a distraction how? 
                          
"Don't apologize it's my fault, I am going to be busy for awhile, I was selected to go up against Gaara in the second round," Sasuke smirked a little bit, "But, after this is all over, after I am a chūnin, would you want to spend a day with me?"
                          
Was he asking me on a date? Was Sasuke actually asking me on a date?
                          
"Yes I am asking you on a date I guess you could say, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you Akari, and this is rare for me." Well I guess I had said the thing about a date out loud.
                          
"I haven't really been able to stop thinking about you either, but I won't go on a date with you." I crossed my arms and he looked at me in shock.
                          
"Wait, what?"
                          
"Let me finish, I want to get stronger I can't be worrying about a boy constantly, but I'll make you a deal." Sasuke kind of raised an eyebrow at me and I just smiled at him 
                          
"A deal? Alright I am listening." He sighed.
                          
"Beat Gaara in a month, prove to me your strong, strong enough for me to train with, and as long as we train at some point during that day, I will be more than happy to spend a day with you." I looked at him, and his face lit up a little but he still tried his hardest to keep his stern look. 
                          
"Alright, I will add onto that deal, we train together that morning and if you can not get one punch in, well then I retract my invitation." Sasuke smirked, and all I could do was stick out my hand for him to shake on it. I gladly took it and smiled at him, before turning on my heals and walking back into the room with Hinata.