Spartan Ninjas (Abandoned WIP)

Disclaimer: We do not own or gain any profit from Naruto.
Reviews are welcome.

Author's Note: for further reference here is a key to help you follow the story:
::this:: is a character's own personal thoughts

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Spartan Ninjas
~ Chapter Two ~
By: Cecilia Tsukineko & Kirei Kitsue

---------------Friday Afternoon-----------------
Sasuke stared around him as if he had better things to do. The tents for Party at the Aud were far too crowded for his liking, meaning every girl within reach was "bumping" into him at every possible chance. Kiba and Naruto chattered back and forth eagerly as they looked over the presentation booths for each and every club and extra-curricular activity or sport available. Sasuke had already grabbed information on the Kendo Club and Rodeo Club. The only thing left for him was the Anime Club that he had heard about from one of the very few people that he'd talked to while in high school. His gaze lifted to scan the tops of the presentation poster-boards for each club. Still no luck yet. Sighing a little and about fed up with the pawing hands that were trying and falling to be subtle Sasuke looked behind him at Naruto and Kiba.

"Okay, that's a row to avoid," Naruto said, pointing at the row of booths that had all the fraternities. He was not into the idea of having parties and getting drunk every night, even if it was a great way to meet girls (and guys). "Wanna try that one?"

"Sure. Maybe that one has the Anime Club." Both Kiba and Naruto had signed up for the Judo Club and Naruto had joined Sasuke in joining up for Kendo.

The next row did have the Anime Club and all three boys signed up immediately. As they walked away Naruto looked over that semester's lineup. There was Tenshi na Konamaiki (Cheeky Angel), Tales of Eternia, Full Metal Alchemist (Hagane no Renkinjutsushi), Scrapped Princess, and Wolf's Rain. "Hey Sasuke, have you heard of any of these?"

"Tales of Eternia is based on an RPG for Playstation... Scrapped Princess is really good. Wolf's Rain is good until the end... then it's a matter of personal opinion. Hagane no Renkinjutsushi... I can't begin to describe how good it is. Tenshi na Konamaiki is hilarious," Sasuke answered smoothly and looked over his shoulder again. He was glad that it was almost time to leave. He wanted some peace and quiet and space after all that!

"So good stuff all around. Wonderful," Kiba said cheerfully, tucking the Animosity (the name of the MSU anime club) flier in his pocket. "Where to next?"

"Sports teams!" Naruto declared and started leading the way to where all the sports teams had booths. It wasn't long before he had signed up for wrestling team tryouts. "Anybody wanna check anything else out?"

Kiba shook his head. "Not me."

Sasuke shook his head, watching the cheerleaders warily. He really wanted out of there before someone in that little cluster of flakey women convinced someone else to come up to him or something. "Are we done now?" he asked sounding like he really wanted out of there.

Chuckling Naruto looped an arm around Sasuke's shoulders and pulled him away from the horde of brainless girls. "C'mon, you big baby," he teased, ignoring Kiba as he rolled his eyes at them.

---------The following Monday--------
Naruto slammed his alarm off at seven that morning, giving it a murderous glare. "Why does chem have to be at 8-in-the-frickin'-morning," he grumbled, slowly climbing out of bed and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Only half awake he grabbed a couple cups of instant ramen from his crate in the entranceway and soon was munching on them, looking very much like a zombie.

Sliding out of bed Sasuke headed to the bathroom and came out ready to eat his choice of breakfast. Milk and cereal bars. When he had finished prepping for class by shoving his notebooks and other such items into his bookbag he turned to Naruto and tilted his head. "You have twenty minutes to get ready if we're going to make it to out lectures on time. We're both heading to the Chem Building... we might as well walk together..." Not that he was complaining. More like stating a fact and urging Naruto to move his ass so they wouldn't be late. "We should post our schedules..." he said while waiting with his bag slung over one shoulder. "So that we know where we each are in case there's a need to get in touch with each other for some reason."

Naruto just grunted in what could have been agreement and stood up, walking over to the closet to pull clothes on. Yawning he ran a hand through his hair, making it even messier, and grabbed a notebook and pencil. He had enough time between his classes that he could go back to their room and take a nap. Which he definitely was going to need, especially with his first class being university chemistry. All the sciences bored him to death, but he had to take some in order to graduate. Once he was ready he just stood there, looking but not looking at Sasuke.

Shaking his head Sasuke turned towards the door and let them out then locked it. "You have your key right?" he inquired immediately and waited for an answer. At Naruto's semi-nod of yes, he turned and started out. "Then c'mon, baka..." he muttered, mostly just because it was amusing to taunt his roommate for some strange reason. He didn't really mean it truthfully and for some reason he believed completely that Naruto knew that.

"Jackass," Naruto mumbled back, dragging his feet as he followed Sasuke to the Chem Building sleepily. He almost followed Sasuke right into organic chem when he was supposed to go to general chem. He would have too if Sasuke hadn't looked at his schedule and then dragged him to the room he was supposed to be in. Five minutes later he was being poked in the side by Kiba, who had suddenly appeared in the seat next to him.

"Hey. You awake?" his friend asked, knowing the answer. Naruto had never been a morning person and never would be. All throughout high school he'd always slept through his first hour.

The blond shook his head and lazily waved "hi" to Shikamaru.

Shikamaru settled next to him and rested his elbow on the tabletop and then his chin in his hand. "Hi," was all he said and then he eyed the front of the lecture hall and waited for the professor to show up so he could get the syllabus and go.

A thin, sickly-pale man with stringy black hair walked into the classroom and put his briefcase on the table at the front of the lecture hall. He slowly moved a cold stare over the entire room that amazingly made all of the 200-odd students be quiet in a heartbeat. "This is Chemistry 141," he said softly, the microphone he wore on his collar carrying his chill voice throughout the room. "Many of you think this will be an easy class. A blowoff." He smiled, sending eerie shivers down the spines of all that could see him. "It is not, I assure you." A couple TAs in the front row stood up at his nod and began passing out the syllabus and he waited patiently for everyone to get a copy.

Naruto's eyes just about fell out of his head when he got the syllabus. According to the paper in front of him there would be homework due every class period, a quiz every Friday and in every recitation session, a test at the end of every month, and a five page paper due at the end of the semester. ::What the hell?!:: He absently noted the professor's name at the top of the sheet: Orochimaru.

"This has got to be a joke!" Kiba whined quietly next to him, just as distressed. There went a lot of their free time.

"Tch... what a pain..." Shikamaru said, not caring how loudly he said it or whether or not he was heard in the nearly silent room. He wasn't looking forward to having to put that much effort into attendance. At least it gave dates and everything... and he had Kiba to tell him if those dates were altered in anyway. "Hey, Kiba... You keep me up to date and I'll help you pass the class with a 4.0," he bargained.

"Deal," the dog-boy immediately agreed. He already knew how smart Shikamaru was and he was more than willing to accept any help from him.

"What about me?" Naruto asked, doing his best to look pathetic. There was no way he was going to get a decent grade in this class without help and he knew it.

"You're on your own... Your roommate might be able to help you but dealing with one blockhead is more than enough for me... geez," was Shikamaru's answer through his arms as he'd laid his head down in them where they were folded on the pull out desktop.

"Bastard," Naruto grumbled, turning his glare to the sheet in front of him and wishing it would burst into flames.

Orochimaru waited until the unhappy murmurs quieted a bit before speaking again. "Yes, you did read the syllabus right. You will get your first homework assignment at the end of the class and there will be a quiz this week Friday. And don't think there won't be a quiz next week because of Labor Day." He smirked at the sea of pained faces and continued. "Quizzes will be at the beginning of the class period and will be cumulative – and will include questions about the material I will cover after the quiz. You are expected to do the reading assignments before class. If you don't and get a bad grade, don't come bitching to me. I won't care." He turned around and immediately began an intensive review of what they should have learned in high school chem, not giving anyone time to ask questions. Everybody was too busy writing as fast as they could to ask anything.

A half hour later Naruto, Kiba, and Shikamaru trudged out the class looking like they'd died of shock. ...Well, Naruto and Kiba looked that way. Shikamaru looked as lazy as ever. The blond said goodbye to his friends and walked over to Sasuke's class to see if his had been as much of a trip to Hell.

Eventually Sasuke managed to dodge his way out of the lecture hall and to his surprise found Naruto waiting for him. "Hi... What's up?" he asked and started towards the door. He had another class in twenty minutes and was ready to go right to it.

"I have the chem prof from Hell... literally..." Naruto grumbled, glaring at the syllabus before shoving it in his notebook and falling in step next to Sasuke. His next class wouldn't start for over another hour so he had plenty of time to walk with Sasuke and then get a nap. "I already have homework. Thirty problems for Wednesday... and forty pages of reading. And a quiz this Friday." He made a face, looking positively miserable.

Sasuke's eyebrows went up to the middle of his forehead. "That's bad... How are you at Chemistry?"

Naruto's face scrunched up even more. "The sciences are the bane of my existence, along with math. But at least math makes sense... most of the time."

"Ask if you need help... I'm good at it," Sasuke said bluntly. It wasn't that he was like that normally but he wanted to try and make friends with Naruto... on some level anyway. After all, Naruto'd had plenty of time to jump him and feel him up and yet he hadn't once taken the opportunity for even the most accidental-seeming grope.

"Sasuke Uchiha, you're my hero!" Naruto said nasally in a really bad imitation of the line from "Ferris Buller", hugging Sasuke's shoulders tightly with a huge grin. "So where you headed next? Home?" he asked curiously, letting Sasuke go. That was certainly the direction Sasuke was leading them in.

"No, I'm heading to Fee hall for my Forensics class... one of them," Sasuke answered, unphased by the hug and the annoying impersonation.

"'Kay. I'm gonna go home and take a nap before my next class." Naruto stretched and put his hands behind his head. "You have time to grab lunch at, say, noon? I have class at 10:20 and 3 and then I'm done."

"Yes, I have time between my 10:20 and 1:50 to grab lunch. I'll meet you back in our room, ne?" he inquired as they reached the part where Sasuke had to turn for Fee Hall.

Naruto nodded and squeezed Sasuke's shoulder briefly. "See you then. Don't die." He crossed over to the other side of the street, headed for Holmes Hall and the couch.

Returning the farewell, Sasuke turned and headed for Fee. He entered his Forensics class and sat in the front row, right dead center. The room filled up quickly enough but Sasuke paid it little mind, already reading ahead of the class in the assigned texts to kill the boring time before class began. Time ticked on and Sasuke was just about to put the book into his bag and leave when their professor walked in... twenty minutes late. Glaring slightly Sasuke settled himself for the beginning of class, not surprised that a lot of the other students had walked out.

"Good morning," the professor said lazily as he hopped up on the table at the front of the small classroom, dropping a small backpack to the floor. He had bushy silver hair despite his young face and an eyepatch over his left eye, a scar running from just above the patch to just below it. "I'm Kakashi Hatake, your teacher. Just call me Kakashi. Call me anything else and I will ignore you. About how many people where in here before they started leaving?" There were only about fifteen students left.

"Twenty-seven," somebody said from the back.

Kakashi nodded. "Alright. At least you lot have patience. Don't be surprised if I'm always late. This class time is way too early for my tastes," he said honestly. "But it was the only open time they offered, so..." He shrugged. "Just like you guys I'd much rather be sleeping." Reaching down he pulled a folder out of his pack, took out a small stack of paper, and sent it around the room. "This is your syllabus. It's really self-explanatory but if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. So... as you know this is Forensics 809. Show of hands, how many of you are seniors?" Four out of the fifteen raised their hands. "Grad students?" Everybody else raised their hand except the dark-haired teenager in the front. Kakashi would have asked him if he was a PhD student if he wasn't clearly so young. "What year are you, kid?"

"Freshman," Sasuke answered evenly, his entire demeanor calm and reserved. He didn't even remove his folded hands from in front of his face as his elbows rested on the desk top.

There was a long, stunned silence before everyone else in the room except for Kakashi went "Excuse me?!?!" The professor just stared at him. "How in hell did you get into an 800 level class as a freshman? You sure you can handle this, kid? I can assure you this is not an easy class... and I'm guessing you haven't even done the prereqs yet."

"I tested out of most of my pre-requisite classes, Kakashi. I have no doubts about being able to handle this class either," he answered. His eyes were serious and he met Kakashi's gaze directly, boldly as if he had all the confidence in the world and yet didn't get cocky (or at least too cocky) over it.

Kakashi just looked at Sasuke for a long moment before shaking his head. His class had just gotten a lot more interesting.

They spent the period just going over the syllabus and getting to know each other. Kakashi's eyebrows went up when Sasuke said he was a forensics/law double major. As everyone filed out of the classroom Kakashi stopped Sasuke. "Hey kid. You have time to talk for a sec?"

Sasuke eyed his new professor warily for a moment but then shrugged a little and nodded. "A little. I have another class in twenty minutes over in Case Hall, but it's just MC 201..." he answered.

"Do you have a bike?" Kakashi asked. "You'll never get to Case in twenty minutes with all the people traffic. That and it's on the other side of campus."

"I have a bike over at Holmes. I have to go and get it," Sasuke answered and folded his arms, his book bag hanging on one shoulder. "What did you need?" He wasn't trying to be rude but it was obvious that he couldn't dally about forever.

Kakashi stood up and walked out of the classroom, motioning Sasuke to follow him. "How about I save you some time and give you a ride? My car's right outside. The only way to get to Case from here in twenty is by car or bus, and the bus already left so..." He shrugged. "The thing I want to talk about is you being in this class as a freshman. I'm guessing the way you got in is you're an Honors student?"

"Yeah." Sasuke followed him obediently, actually thankful for the ride. He hated biking just from the few times he'd already done it on campus while Naruto hadn't yet been there. He'd really hate to see what it would be like now that all the students were out and about.

"How many credits are you taking this semester?" They exited the building and Kakashi led them to his car.

"Somewhere around twenty-five," Sasuke answered. He didn't ask why it mattered since he figured he'd find out in the end anyway. He stopped outside the passenger side of the car and waited patiently.

Kakashi hit his head on his way into the driver's seat. "And you're still in my class?!" he asked, looking a little poleaxed as Sasuke climbed into the passenger's seat and buckled up. This kid was suicidal!

"Yes," Sasuke answered as if it were simply two plus two. "I figured I'd have to take the class anyway and it looked interesting so I signed up." He shrugged. Now he felt it appropriate to ask, "Why?"

Kakashi started the car and made for Case Hall. "Are you absolutely sure you can pull this off, kid? I'm not going to lie to you – my class is hard. In the six years I've been teaching it I've only given ten students a grade above a 3.0. This isn't high school anymore. I would highly advise you to drop my class and save yourself both the headache and money."

"I'm not worried at all," Sasuke said easily. "I know what I'm doing. I've read both of the books for this class already and I'm reading them again now at a slower pace just make sure I learned everything the first time. None of the material seems as hard as you say it is... I'm not saying you're lying, but I've been into Forensics and Law since I was eight years old."

"Alright... but don't say I didn't warn you. And feel free to ask for help at any time. You're going to need it, kid." They pulled up in front of Case and Kakashi stopped the car. "Here it is. See you Wednesday."

Sasuke thought back on his schedule as he stepped out of the car and shook his head. "No, I'll be seeing you again tomorrow for IAH 201," he responded. "Thank you very much for the ride," he added and stepped back shutting the door and looking in through the open window he waved and then turned and headed for the building.

"Yep. Crazy." Kakashi shook his head and drove for the police station. A new case had just come in the day before and he really needed to get started on it.

----------Bessey Hall----------
Naruto waited impatiently for his Ancient History class to start, sitting dead and center in the front row and absentmindedly rubbing away the red lines on his palm. He'd fallen asleep on the couch clutching the dogtags he always carried in his pocket. The class slowly filled and he glared at the door, willing the professor to show up and soon.

The man who walked through the door was certainly an interesting one. He was relatively on time, but didn't seem rushed in the least. He walked down to the front of the lecture hall with an air of seniority that matched his long white ponytail. Taking his time he set up his desk and then turned to face the class. Surveying the crowd of students he took a deep breath and then began. "Hey. I'll be your teacher, just call me Jiraiya. Some of you will find this class easy and others will find it hard, but most of you will find it boring unless your major is history. I'm not going to hand out a syllabus because it's on the internet on ANGEL. Find it. Print it. Study it. Simple as that. Now that I've said that, let's get down to business. How many of you are here because you're filling credits for graduation?" Jiraiya watched as hands went up slowly. A good majority just like usual. "Okay. How many because they have to be?" Most of the rest of the students raised there hands. He smirked as he asked, "Those that are here because the course looked fun?" These were the ones that usually changed their opinion.

Naruto's hand shot up, a grin on his face. Ancient history had always been his favorite subject. So much so that he'd taught himself Latin and ancient Greek, and read every single book he could find on Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece. He knew every myth from both cultures backwards and forwards, how their fighting styles had changed over the centuries, and the genealogies of almost every king that there was a record of. Among other things.

Jiraiya shook his head. "You lot are free to leave this class at any time... but give it at least three to four weeks before you do." They were probably all freshman and had no idea that if they dropped the class sooner they would get full refunds. He figured it was their insensibility that got them into the mess and it was his right to keep the money since they were wasting space in his class body and probably a bit of his office hours and free time too.

There was a quiet snort from the front row. As if Naruto was going to drop this class! He gave Jiraiya a look that told him to just start the lecture already.

Snorting himself at the funky looks he was getting Jiraiya turned to the desk behind him and picked up the book. "Chapter a week. Get started. Have the introduction done in the next half-hour." With that he settled in his chair and opened his laptop.

Naruto had already read the entire book the weekend before and just sat there, staring at Jiraiya. He had not come to this class to read. He had come to discuss! He wanted to discuss! But everyone around him was quietly reading so, pouting, he opened his book to his favorite chapter and reread it.

Half an hour later Jiraiya stood up and slammed his hands down on the desktop to get everyone's attention. "Alright. Even if you aren't done we're starting. Comments on the author's intro...?"

"Boring," Naruto said immediately. "He spends forever dancing around his points before finally making them. That and if somebody needs to be told the importance of history then they shouldn't be in a history class." ::At least the intro's the only bad part. The rest of the book was just fine.::

White eyebrows lifted high on Jiraiya's forehead. An interesting guy... Well, this class might prove to be different after all. "Exactly," Jiraiya said and walked around to the front of the desk so he could sit on it. "What's your name?"

"Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki."

"Well then, Naruto... Let's hear about why you think history is important? See if you can do a better job than this loser..."

So Naruto did. And took the rest of the class to tell everyone why history was so important, doing a much better job than the book. Every once in a while someone would interrupt him with a question and that would just set him off even more.

Jiraiya listened quietly and let the discussion take form. They'd continue every discussion they had from this one forward and... Hell, the kid was doing a good enough job that Jiraiya could just sit back and observe for a change. He was impressed to say the least.

"Huh? Where's everybody going?" Naruto asked, blinking in confusion as people started packing up and leaving. He looked at his watch. "Aw damn," he muttered. Class was over and he had to get back home if he wanted to eat lunch with Sasuke. He put his book into his bag and stood up.

"Hey, kid... gotta minute?" Jiraiya asked, not having moved from his seat even once.

"A minute, yeah," he said as he slung the bag over his shoulder. "I have to meet my roommate for food."

"I won't keep you long. I was just wondering if you'd be interested in a paid assistant position...?"

Naruto perked up at that. "Doing what?"

"Helping me... I do a lot of translating and stuff for the university and on the side I'm an archeologist." Jiraiya shrugged a little. "You'd have to pass a test before I'd hire you, but I'm wondering if that would even be a problem for you..."

"Translating stuff? Archeology?" If Naruto wasn't eighteen he would have been bouncing up and down with excitement. He almost did.

"Yep... So if you're interested you need to let me know by the end of the week and I can set some time aside to test you. It's oral..." he grinned. "And spelling counts." ::How quick are you kid...::

Naruto blinked at him and then his eyes scrunched into slits in annoyance. "Not funny, old man. And I'm interested right now. When and where do I have to take the test?"

"During my office hours, but by appointment," Jiraiya answered, his wicked grin looking pretty practiced but lacking some certain, almost familiar characteristic.

"Then let's make the appointment right now." Naruto pulled his schedule out of his pocket and looked at it. "When are your office hours?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "They're on your syllabus. Work it out and then e-mail me. I've got to get going and so do you. See you next class..." Jiraiya answered as he stood and on the way by and out the door briefcase in hand he ruffed up Naruto's hair affectionately. He didn't know the kid but he reminded Jiraiya a lot of himself.

"Yeah, see you." Naruto ran for home, a huge grin on his face. He burst into the room and promptly invaded Sasuke's little cave under his bed, hugging the other boy around the neck. "Sasuke! Guess what! I got a job!" He was positively ecstatic.

"Yatta," Sasuke said, his voice droll, but he wasn't trying to pull away from Naruto's enthusiastic hug which was a promising sign. "Are you ready for lunch? I haven't got a whole lot of time..."

"Yes! FOOD!" Suddenly starving Naruto dashed back out of the room as soon as he'd dropped his bag on the couch, making a beeline for the cafeteria. He almost didn't wait for Sasuke, but he made himself stop and bounce impatiently in the stairwell. "Food! Move!"

After locking the door Sasuke followed behind him. They had gotten their food and were sitting down to eat when Sasuke suggested, "We should put up our schedules – including everything – and make arrangements for meals and stuff..." ::The more they are around me the less the girls seem to bug me...:: He wasn't completely admitting that he liked Naruto's company enough to seek it out himself yet.

"Okay." Naruto dug into his lunch with a relish. "What's your next class?" he asked around a mouthful. "Mine is chem lab at three."

"PHM 450 over in the Chem Building... We can walk together if you want..." Sasuke offered, eating his food a little more slowly than Naruto.

Naruto swallowed and asked, "When is it? I was hoping to get another nap and start the homework from Hell before lab."

"My class starts at 1:50... Yours?" Sasuke took a big gulp of Poweraid and leaned back, finished with his meal.

"Three. ...Wait a sec. Did you say 450?!" Classes at the 400 level were usually restricted to seniors! How did Sasuke...?!

Sasuke remained placid. What was everybody's problem with his schedule? It was like they didn't believe he could handle it or something... "PHM 450... It's a chemical toxicology class... Why?"

Naruto just stared at him for a long moment before getting up to get dessert. "Suicidal..." he muttered. "Two chem classes... and one of them a 400 level... I live with a masochist..."

Checking his watch Sasuke stood and stretched. He wanted to get to class early so he could have a fairly decent seat so by the time Naruto returned with his dessert Sasuke had his tray in hand. "I'm going. I'll see you tonight, ne?"

Naruto looked up at the clock on the wall. "You said 1:50 right? It's only 12:40. What's the hurry?"

He looked at the clock and then back to Naruto... It wasn't usually in his nature to be social... it might have been once but that part him seemed sort of lost somewhere. He thought about it for a moment and then very slowly sat back down as if he wasn't sure why he was doing it but was doing it anyway. "What's my reason for staying?" he asked. It felt awkward to choose to stay and be social instead of running off to be a recluse.

The blond shrugged. "No reason. I just don't see the point in running off if you don't have to. Besides, weren't we gonna show each other our schedules?"

A moment of silence and then Sasuke relaxed and settled into his chair more comfortably. He realized then that he had been waiting for Naruto to stammer... and blush and act like he had a good reason to keep Sasuke there only to prove that he didn't and that his only reason was that he wanted Sasuke's attention. When Naruto did none of this he was pleased beyond measure and actually began to feel like he might be able to make a friend for the first time in a very very long time. "Ha~..." he said softly in agreement, leaving off the 'i' in 'hai' because it simply wasn't worth saying.

The rest of Naruto's dessert disappeared and he stood up. "'Kay, let's go." As they left the cafeteria he said with a grin, "Oh yeah... I found a really funny AMV last night that I think you might like. Wanna watch it?"

Sasuke lifted one shoulder, taking another bite of ice cream. Soft serve was a wonderful thing and he savored it with relish, though one might not know that by looking at him with his usual expression. "Sure," he said after swallowing. They made it to their room in no time and Sasuke settled at his computer, ordering it to print out a copy of his schedule immediately. Once it was done he took clear sticky and put it on the wall between his bedpost and the entranceway to the main part of the room.

Naruto sat down at his laptop and printed another copy of his schedule to put up on the tackboard on the wall his desk was against. His schedule was very light since he was only taking five classes: chem, chem lab, history, IAH (introduction to arts and humanities), and math. That done he looked over Sasuke's shoulder as he pinned up his schedule... and nearly had a heart attack. "You have an 800 level?! On top of a 400 level?!"

Turning his head to look over his shoulder and the flabbergasted blond beside him, Sasuke shrugged his shoulder again. "It's not a big deal. They're only moderately difficult classes." And with that said he turned and headed towards Naruto's desk. "AMV? I'm going to have to get going soon... my class is only in the Chem building but I still want to get there early enough for a good seat."

"'Only moderately difficult classes' my ass... I'm gonna spend tonight planning your funeral..." Naruto muttered as he sat down at his desk and opened the AMV folder on his laptop. The music video he had in mind was a funny one called "The Cat Came Back", all about how Yuki in Gravitation kept trying to get Shuichi to leave him alone but Shuichi just kept stubbornly coming back.

Watching the AMV over Naruto's shoulder Sasuke chuckled softly towards the end and then straightened. "Someone had too much time on their hands..." he muttered and then turned to pull on his sandals and grab up his backpack. "I'll see you tonight. When do you want to grab dinner?"

"Lab goes until 5:50 but it shouldn't last that long today since it's first day." Naruto shrugged, opening a browser to see if AMV.org had anything new and interesting. "I guess whenever I get back, unless you go ahead without me before then."

"No, I'll wait... I might even come and get you and we'll go off campus for dinner..." Sasuke responded hand on the doorknob. "What do you think?"

"I think we'll figure it out later," Naruto said with a smirk. "It doesn't really matter to me where we eat as long as I get a decent meal. Decent meaning large."

With a shrug Sasuke waved, said, "Okay," and left locking, the door behind him.

Naruto waved back and turned back to his computer. His attention wavered and he zoned out a bit, thinking about Sasuke. It surprised him just how easily they were getting along, especially after so short a time. Normally Naruto had to fight for any sort of positive relationship with people his age; the only exception up to this point had been Kiba, and that was because they were both pranksters and had teamed up against the faculty in their high school. And even Kiba was just a casual hang-out buddy. Never in his life had he ever had a true friend... but maybe, just maybe, he could find one in Sasuke.

---------Chem Building class Chem Lab 161--------
Kabuto entered his lab room and looked about with a wicked smirk. His entrance had silenced the students immediately, the air he carried about himself enough to catch every eye. "I know you're all thinking this will be an easy class... but let me remind you that there is a reason that I am Orochimaru's TA. I want you all to realize that I give no leeway... None. It is either right or wrong, no partial credit for anything. If it even looks a little wrong it's wrong. There will be very small windows for mistake in all of the labs, meaning you had better get the results we're looking for. You will have only one retry... for all the labs total.

"Let's begin. I want you take careful inventory according to the sheets you are going to come up here and get from me. On the sheet will be a drawer number. I want you to go stand by that drawer and wait for me to come unlock. Then you will take your inventory. Anyone missing anything or with anything broken in their drawers will report it to me immediately upon completing the entire inventory. Then I will send you up in twos to retrieve replacements. Now, should anything be broken or turn up missing at the end of the semester, there will be the usual fine of $25 and also, should something be broken, the addition of a three page paper about the proper use and care of your lab equipment. Is that clear? Good. That first row there come to me and tell me your name and PID number one at a time."

Naruto had an immense feeling of dread as he walked up to Kabuto when the second row was called up. Why did chem have to be Hell?! Why?! And he just knew he was going to break something! He always did in labs! It wasn't his fault he was clumsy! And as tempting as it was to be an ass right back to that bastard of a TA... Naruto knew better. Four years in a military high school had taught him how to read teachers very well, and he knew that if he put one toe out of line with Kabuto then chem lab would be even more of Hell – and he was sure it was possible. It was always possible. That and Kabuto would probably fail him for being a smartass and then Mika would kill him. Literally. She did NOT tolerate failure in school. ...But he could glare and give evil looks, and that's just what he did as he took the sheet from Kabuto and walked to his assigned drawer, waiting for it to be unlocked.

Kabuto came around and unlocked all the drawers, helped – though that isn't exactly the right word for it – with inventory, and finally, when everyone was done went around and collected the signed release forms and inventory sheets from the students as he locked their drawers again. "Class is done for the day. You're free to go but know that there will be a short quiz on the reading for the first lab, so read it... don't come to me and tell me you couldn't for any reason. I won't hear it. Get out of here."

Naruto didn't need telling twice. He ran out as if there were demons on his heels – it certainly felt like it. Once he got home he dropped onto the couch with a sigh. "I hate chem..." he moaned.

Sasuke looked up from his computer as Naruto came in, locked the door and then died on the couch. He stood up and moved over to sit on the edge and leaned forward, his arms braced on his knees. "Why?"

"Because both my prof and lab TA have horns and a tail... they're just really good at hiding it." Naruto slumped and glared at a random spot on the floor, muttering curses about having to take chemistry in order to graduate.

It wasn't like him... but hadn't he decided at some point that he was going to try and make a friend of Naruto... somehow? "Do you need help?"

"Hell yes. And if you can get it to actually make sense to me, you're a miracle worker." Sighing loudly Naruto ran a hand through his unruly spikes. "If we break something in lab we have to write a three page paper about taking care of lab equipment on top of a fine! The fine I understand, but a paper?!" The only way to describe his look was pained.

"Then don't break anything..." Sasuke stated and then scooted back, leaning against the back of the couch. "And if you need help... just ask. I'll help you."

"Thank you," Naruto said pathetically, leaning his head on Sasuke's shoulder. He then remembered he was supposed to get Jiraiya's syllabus and set up an appointment with him. Standing up he walked over to his computer and did just that.

Watching him quietly Sasuke threw his arms out over the back of the couch and waited. "When you're done with what you're doing... come over here and show me what you're going to be doing in Chem. I'll get you a head start... that's how you do well. If you're ahead of the class you can never be behind... which only makes sense."

"Then I hope you don't have an early class tomorrow 'cause we're gonna be up all night." Naruto finished with his email to Jiraiya and pulled out his chemistry things.

The boys took the reading section by section, Sasuke patiently explaining the concepts while Naruto did his best to wrap his mind around them. They only took a break for a quick dinner in the cafeteria and as soon as they were done with the reading they tackled the problems, stretched out on the floor and scrap paper full of scribbles surrounding them. By midnight they had been at it for almost eight hours and Naruto only had a third of the problems done. He threw his pencil down in frustration and buried his face in his folded arms. "No more... my brain hurts..." he whined.

"No... we're going to finish the last of this problem and then you can be done..." Sasuke said softly and ruffled Naruto's hair. He was more than pleased with his roommate. They'd been sprawled thigh to thigh on the small space on the floor studying hard for Naruto's chemistry and not once had Naruto ever even seemed to think about groping or jumping him.

Grunting Naruto lifted his head and picked up his pencil. "Sadist," he muttered, making a face at Sasuke. But he did finish the problem and promptly stood up, stretching. He was stiff from lying on the floor on his stomach for so long. Coming out of the stretch he looked at the clock and muttered absentmindedly, "Damn. Too late to call her." He had really been hoping to call his grandmother today but she was surely in bed by now. ::Aw well... I can call her tomorrow afternoon. My classes end early.::

Standing himself and stretching Sasuke made for the bathroom and showered before stepping out in a towel to search for some clean boxers. He'd forgotten to bring them in with him. Once found he dropped the towel and quickly pulled on the shorts before turning and heading right for his bunk. "I'll see you in the morning..." he muttered on his way by Naruto.

Fortunately for Sasuke, Naruto had been too busy cleaning up the mess on the floor to see him drop the towel. If Naruto had, Sasuke would have had a heavily drooling blond resisting the urge to tackle him. "Yep, night," Naruto said as he put the last of the papers away and got into the shower himself. It wasn't long before he came back out of the bathroom in a pair of sweatpants. On the way up to his bunk he mussed Sasuke's hair. "Thanks for the help, buddy. You're a lifesaver."

"You're welcome..." Sasuke murmured mostly asleep. In fact almost all asleep it seemed as he muttered something that sounded oddly like 'koi' afterwards.

"Koi...?" Naruto's eyes narrowed to slits in confusion. ::Since when am I a giant goldfish?:: he thought, his brain already shutting down for the night. Deciding it was much too late to worry about it, and Sasuke was mostly asleep anyways so who knew what was going through his head at the moment, Naruto just finished climbing into bed and was soon asleep, his dogtags resting safely beneath his pillow.

TBC...