"You guys did well, I'm proud of all three of you. I know it got a bit tense at the end but you all handled it and we completed the mission." Kimo looked down at his students as he spoke. His smile was soft and he tried to ignore the fact that one of them wasn't even looking at him.

"Well, although it was pretty intense, I think it was a great experience! I wouldn't mind if we took another." Ikebashi started but Kimo shook his head quickly.

"Eh sorry guys, I kinda requested Squad 14 take a few days off from missions, and when we come back we'll probably just be getting D-rank missions again until the Hokage decides to give us another C-rank." Kimo said while scratching his head and all 3 of them just stared at him.

"Well then what are we supposed to do?" Amika asked and Kimo grinned.

"For the first day off, I want us all to rest! I'm tired of having you kids follow me around all the time, I need a nap." He groaned which of course made Ikebashi mad, while the two girls just sighed.

"You act like a tired old man when you're only a few years older than us! You wanted to be a squad leader so stop acting so lazy!" He yelled and Kimo glared at him, which made him take a step back.

"I already requested the days off so I'm gonna do what I want, do you understand?" He stretched out the last part and Ikebashi nodded his head really fast.

"Good, then the 2 days after that we're gonna be training. Then we'll start missions again." Kimo added before turning and walking away leaving his students.

Ikebashi turned to Amika and smiled, "Hey do you wanna get something to eat together?" He asked but she only shook her head.

"I'm taking Kassi and Naruto out remember?"

"Well can I come?"

"Normally I would say yes, but after putting Kassi through that punishment I think it would be unfair to invite you...." She trailed off and Ikebashi looked a little crushed.

"But we can hang out tomorrow! I don't have any plans." She said and immediately the boy perked up again.

"Okay, I'll see you then!" He sounded really excited and then he started to walk off in the opposite direction of Kimo.

Amika turned to her little sister in confusion. "The mission is over, I'm surprised you didn't make fun of him or say anything. You even had a secret conversation with him..." She trailed off and Kassi groaned.

"I'm still not telling you what we talked about. Besides it would be pretty mean to make fun of him for having feelings, and I understand why he would like you, you're.... really nice." As the shorter girl spoke her grip on Amika's hand slightly got tighter. "But sometimes I really do think that I'm holding you back from enjoying other things in life. The world doesn't revolve around me you know." She mumbled but Amika shook her head.

"Maybe it doesn't, but I'm gonna let you in on a little secret, I get just as jealous as you do when people get your attention-"

"No one gets my-"

"Naruto does-"

"But you're inviting him to-"

"I know, I know, but it's because you're starting to be more open. You're gonna start making more friends soon and I'm gonna have to adjust now if I don't wanna freak out later. And I know you doubt it, but you don't even realize how obvious it is to me. You smile and laugh, out loud now, and not the fake one's you would do around people either, but real ones. And you don't care about speaking your opinions anymore, or at least when it comes to Ike you don't."

"Wait, stop for a minute... Is that nickname gonna be a constant thing?" Kassi asked and Amika shrugged.

"Maybe, it just kinda slipped. But you do know you ruined the mood?"

"I don't care, I can't believe you're really gonna call him that nickname now." She said while crossing her arms

"You know I was hoping that you seeing me trying to get along with Naruto despite my jealousy towards him would make you try to get along with Ikebashi."

"Wait, is that what you want?" Kassi asked while slowly lowering her arms making Amika shake her head.

"You're so sensitive, no it's fine. Besides we're on a team and long as you don't knock him out again, I guess that's fine too, now let's just go find Naruto." She suggested while heading in a random direction and the smaller girl nodded before following her.
—————-

It took them awhile to find the hyper blonde haired boy, but once they found him and asked if he wanted to get some ramen he looked surprised at first, but as soon as he heard that Amika was paying he grinned really widely.

"You're treating us to ramen Amika!?" Naruto exclaimed loudly in surprise, but before she could confirm again he had grabbed both of their arms and dragged them all the way to Ichiraku. If it wasn't obvious that this was his favorite place before, it really was obvious now.

"Naruto?" Kassi called gently while they all took their seats on the stools when they got to that shop.

"Hm?"

"Never do that again." She glared at him and he shrunk back a bit before nodding quickly.

"S-Sorry!" He bowed his head apologetically and both girls looked surprised.

"You don't have to bow Naruto, it's fine, I'm just joking anyway." Kassi told him and she didn't even bother to hide her small chuckle.

"Yeah, you can drag us along with you for ramen anytime." Amika added and the blonde boy couldn't help but grin.

"Man I really wish you 2 were on my team, you're so nice. Sakura's always hitting me in the head and Sasuke is always looking down on me! It's so frustrating." Naruto groaned though both girls were paying attention, Amika decided to order for them (which was probably better than letting Naruto order his own.)

"That does sound pretty harsh." Kassi mumbled as she remembered how different squad 7 really was. She was really lucky she got to be on a team with her sister, but Naruto didn't get to team with someone he's close with. He was stuck with a girl who 'hates' him and an arrogant jerk who's really only good at showing off, at least in her opinion since she didn't know them personally. "I wish I could help Naruto." She sighed and looked over to her sister, making her quickly miss Naruto's deep blush.

"Well maybe-" He was cut off by a sudden loud gasp.

"Wait, Naruto are you here on a date?!" Kassi turned around only to see Sakura gawking at them.

"We're actually just hanging out with Naruto, you're welcome to join if you want." Amika offered, and though Kassi wanted to protest, Amika was the one paying. Sakura seemed to think on the offer for a second before she decided to join them.

A chuckle could be heard from behind the counter as the man set down the already ordered bowls.

"Naruto you've become a bit popular with the ladies huh?"

Each of their faces turned bright red, and each of them simultaneously decided the best course of action would be to just eat the food in front of them without responding, except Sakura who didn't have any noodles yet. She quickly stood up.

'I don't want it to look like I'm on a date with Naruto, I can't risk Sasuke seeing me here like this!'

"Actually you know what, thanks for inviting me but I just remembered I have something else to do, sorry!" She apologized before briskly walking off and although Naruto kind of deflated, the two girls kinda laughed.

"I hoped we could've made another friend."

"Nah, we can't make friends with anyone who hates Naruto."

"Yeah you're right." Both girls shared a look with said boy and smiled, which of course made him turn even more red.

"You guys shouldn't only make friends around me." He mumbled embarrassed but the shorter girl shrugged.

"Well maybe not but that's just how it's gonna be." She grinned at him and Amika placed her hand on her shoulder before giving her a look, making her blush and shake her head.

"But it's not like I would only do this for Naruto! I'd be like this for any friend I have!" She yelled out just as flustered as Naruto now, so the only person who ended up laughing was Amika.
—————-

"I had fun with Naruto today." Amika said as soon as they both sat under their tree. Kassi was laying back on the grass while Amika just leaned against the tree.

"Yeah, me too." The other girl mumbled. Amika stayed quiet for another moment before she sighed.

"Do you wanna talk about the mission?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Amika then waited for Kassi to speak, so she was only waiting a few seconds.

"It was scary..." She couldn't bring herself to look at her sister while saying that.

"Which part?"

"When we came up and Kimo was all tied up. I didn't think we could actually... I thought we were gonna die I guess."

"It's fine if you-" Amika was immediately cut off.

"But then he-! Ikebashi is the one who fought! He just... he was scared too but he, he still fought them while I... didn't do anything until he called me a coward. I can't believe him."

Amika made a slightly confused face. "Are you mad at him or proud? Because I'm getting a lot of mixed signals here."

Kassi groaned, "I dunno, maybe both? I, never thought I'd be jealous of him but here I am, upset that he was better than me."

"It's funny because I bet he's just as upset that you used all those cool Jutsu and amazing fighting skills to show him up after his big moment." Her older sister chuckled and it took Kassi a second but she did as well.

"Well he still has a lot of work to do to be better than someone who's been trained her entire life to be the best." Kassi grinned and Amika laughed this time, happy the to see her smile. Amika then pulled her little sister into a hug.

"He's not that bad okay, I think we could all be good friends if you gave him a chance." She tried but Kassi pulled away and looked annoyed.

"Even if I did, he still doesn't like me, and he keeps trying to steal you from me!"

"I'll talk to him about being nicer as well, but he can never steal me from you okay? I'm always gonna be your big sister, and you'll always be my little sister." She smiled right before she giggled making the shorter girl confused.

"What's so funny?"

"You'll still be my little sister even if you somehow get a few inches taller."

"Shut up! I don't need to be tall anyway!" Amika kept laughing while looking at Kassi's pout but when she finally calm down she looked at her little sister with a more concerned expression.

"Do you wanna talk about anything else?" She asked and Kassi immediately shook her head. Amika sighed before pulling her sister into a hug, and despite the small whine that the other let out, she still hugged back.

"I'm fine, I promise." Kassi swallowed thickly as she held back everything that she could've said. She decided to just bury her face in her sisters shoulder before mumbling out a quiet, "I know."