Naruto's POV (Team Seven Training Ground - Hidden Leaf Village)
"What, who the hell ca-" Ino started.
"My best friend does it as a warm-up. Every morning." Kakashi countered happily.
"Wonder if he knows Bushy Brows," Naruto said curiously.
"With a name like that, almost certainly," Kakashi answered. Ino stuttered, thinking of any reason to avoid this, but ultimately came up short. Neji and Naruto were much less bothered, each stretching lazily to prepare.
"Oh, one last thing: You all must complete ten laps. Even if you finish first, you'll keep lapping until everyone finishes, "Kakashi said, his jovial tone making it clear he enjoyed this immensely.
"So it's a team thing? Alright, guys, let's do this,"— Naruto began. It was clear to him what Kakashi intended. He recognized the group's tension and gave them a difficult team task to unite them. So, the best approach would be to support the slowest or least durable of the group.
"Neji left already," Ino told the blonde yet again bluntly. Naruto blinked, scanning around to see Neji jogging ten meters before them. "He does realize he'll be stuck doing extra if he finishes first…"
"Really starting to hate that guy," Naruto said; that was twice already. Ino merely nodded, and the two began their jog together. They were far behind Neji due to his headstart, but Naruto didn't mind too much. He had always loved running; it just felt amazing to the blonde. To simply do something as simple and trying as running, he could clear his mind. Due to his unique biology, he could outrun most easily if he went the distance.
However, it seems Ino didn't share the love. Keeping up with him with surprising guts, she showed signs of slowing even on the first lap. Naruto debated upping his pace, but since it wouldn't allow him to rest and would leave Ino to suffer alone, he decided against it and to maintain his speed with Ino. Two more laps passed before Ino started to slow down even more.
"God, I can't decide what pisses me off more!" Ino screamed between pants.
"What do you mean?" Naruto asked. It was hard to blame her for struggling this deeply. It was rare, but Naruto could feel the beginnings of exertion creeping into his body. It must've been torture for her, but she was taking it shockingly well.
"This insane run, our weirdo sensei, or our walking dick of a teammate," Naruto asked with a roll of his eyes. "Swear, his attitude rubs me the wrong way; he barely knows us but writes us off."
"Maybe it's just a hot guy thing," Ino replied with a weak shrug.
"Just have to call him hot, huh?" Naruto asked blandly.
"Oh, calm down. The truth is the truth. You wouldn't be so bad if you didn't come across like a hot mess." Ino replied with a roll of her eyes.
"A hot mess?"
"Poor fashion, kinda obnoxious, and oblivious to women." Ino taunted.
"First off, orange is the BEST color." Naruto ranted.
"No. No, it is not; that would be purple."
"I have no counter to being obnoxious."
"Obviously."
"And women are confusing!" Naruto ended.
"Spoken like a true man," Ino said, rolling her eyes.
"Well, it's not like you're good with men!" Naruto said sourly.
"I'm not?" Ino said, grabbing Naruto's arm and smiling prettily at him.
Naruto blushed slightly. It was rare for a woman to touch him like this, and even the knowledge she was teasing him made him react. It was clear Ino caught such a popping smirk and jogged a little faster, having made her point. Naruto growled and increased his speed to catch up. They were now on lap four.
"Well, it's not like you've dated a guy," Naruto said spitefully. Once, he did catch up to the now heavy-breathing Ino.
"Maybe that's true, but it's not my fault all the good ones have bad attitudes," Ino said morosely.
"Then what makes Sasuke so good anyway?" Naruto inquired.
"Dark hair, icy expression, from an infamous clan, dark past, full of mystery. Need I go on?" Ino asked with a smile.
"What does that make me then? A bad one with a good attitude?" Naruto asked.
"We usually call your type the nice guy. They are nice, funny, and solid guys, but we young women want more. Something different and exciting." Ino said.
"So Neji then?" Naruto retorted.
"No, he's too much. If a guy is too stuck up, a girl gets scared off. No one wants to be stuck with a permanent party pooper."
"Pretty much does the same things Sasuke does. Don't really see the difference," Naruto pointed out, confused.
"What similarities do they share?" Ino asked with an annoyed glare.
"Both geniuses have dark pasts, with poor attitudes, and stick up their asses." Naruto listed off automatically.
"Huh, go- good point," Ino panted, having slowed down considerably.
Naruto slowed down with her, but she merely shook her head and waved him on. Naruto felt something was wrong but decided to heed Ino's order. Naruto completed the fifth, sixth, and seventh laps with relative peace. Having guiltily left Ino behind. Only when he next saw Ino on the next lap did he realize she looked considerably worse off. Naruto pondered what to do. She wasn't that close to being done but was gassing out. Naruto knew she would likely react poorly to him carrying her, but he had no other ideas. He stopped before her and stooped down to offer her the chance to climb into his hands.
X-X
Ino's POV
A complex well of emotions flared from Naruto's sudden offer. It had been a long couple of days; the Academy Finals had been brutal and left her sore. And now her new Sensei had ignored them and had them run to death. The exhaustion flowed through her in waves; her legs and feet ached with deep pain; one Ino was unsure she could endure to complete the lap, let alone three more.
Ino had always known she would be a shinobi, but in truth, she had never trained as hard as the others. She had a sharp mind and access to a good teacher at home, and her clan's style favored a more supportive role anyway. So, she had always taken it easy in her conditioning. It complimented her gentle, fair maiden vibe!
But now she cursed it. Ino swore she would double her training after this. Naruto's offer to carry her was kind, if not a bit awkward. She was mature enough not to care about the contact, even if Ino was certain Naruto would love it. No, the issue was even she had some pride.
Ino refused to be some damsel in distress. "I'm… I'm fine." She lied.
"Come on, don't make it weird." Naruto attempted to reason. "You're burnt out; I'll carry you the rest."
"You're gonna carry me for several laps around the village," Ino said disbelievingly. "You'd gas out too."
"No way," Naruto replied simply.
"What, are you superhuman or something? Besides, we all have to finish our laps; doing that would just make it worse, Ino pointed out.
But Naruto merely shrugged, maintaining his low stance. "I won't gas out, and I'm not gonna leave you here to crawl the rest of the way. Either way, I'll keep going till you finish."
Ino growled at his simplistic logic. Her exhaustion and the earnest belief Kakashi wouldn't let them leave until finishing made the decision for her. She stopped over, snaking her legs through the loops of Naruto's arms and laying against his back.
She had been sure he could carry her but was shocked at how easily he stood. How firm and hard his back was, and yet how gentle his touch could be. Ino gulped; this might've been a mistake…
"Are you comfortable?" Naruto asked. Ino was surprised by this more serious and caring side. First, he was matching her pace to keep her company; now, he was carrying her for a marathon run, and his first concern was her comfort.
"Yes," Ino answered, an unfamiliar meekness filling her. She felt smaller like this, much more aware of how formidable Naruto was. Has he always been so strong and friendly? Didn't Shikamaru say he was some kind of loner beside them? If Ino didn't know better, she would assume Naruto was making some smooth play here.
The next lap passed with relative silence, and circumstances made things awkward. Ino grew more impressed as they ran on; even with her on his back, Naruto ran at the same speed and moved as if she was barely a burden. Ino debated using some teasing to break the quiet tension, but this was stopped by the sign of Neji barely walking forward, still having another lap left. Ino inwardly was impressed; even a genius like Neji was gassed out, and Naruto still looked relatively fresh.
Ino and Naruto shared a quiet chuckle at the exhausted Hyuga. Having Neji see this here was less than ideal. It would serve the Hyuga right to struggle to finish these last two laps as they flew by.
"Hmm, should I help him as well?" Naruto wondered out loud.
"Help the guy who just openly called us trash?" Ino asked sarcastically. "Let him finish the laps alone; he deserves it for being such a haughty little jerk."
"He's barely moving…" Naruto pointed out. Jerk or not, he's our teammate…" The blonde raised his hands in a single-hand sign. Ino tensed as she felt the chakra within him surge. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He called, and two clones appeared next to them.
Ino watched, confused, as the four of them caught up to the Hyuga, and he stumbled forward. Neji locked eyes with the real Naruto and her and glared at the two of them.
"Surprising, I suppose even trash has to have its good qualities…" Neji spoke, his voice dry and hoarse as he panted for air. "And what a shameful sight relying on him like that, Ino, I expected better."
"And I expected our "better" to not be doing worse with someone he called trash," Ino shot back. Besides, Blondie here wants to help you; it looks like you could use it, too."
"I am beyond needing the aid of you fools." Neji spat.
"No, you're not Neji," Naruto replied with a smile. "Just take my help. You got another lap after this. Do you really wanna drag yourself around the village like this?"
"For the sake of my pride, yes," Neji replied snappishly, stumbling forward due to the outburst and nearly falling. "Fuc-"
Naruto didn't let him finish. Ino was surprised he dealt with it as long as he did. The blonde nodded to his clones, and Ino giggled as they suddenly surrounded the slowly fading Neji. The proud Hyuga attempted to shove them off but was much too exhausted. But lifted like a child by his legs and shoulders. Ino was impressed with the number of curses Neji offered in response. But the two of them spent the last lap teasing the Hyuga.
The three Genin of Team Seven soon arrived at the finish line of their marathon. Neji finally managed to destroy the clones as Naruto and Ino collapsed into a pile, even Naruto feeling somewhat winded from the exercise. As the two blondes moaned from the ground, a furious Neji raised a finger to the both of them as if to tell them off before falling face first flatly.
Ino and Naruto watched as Kakashi suddenly appeared with balloons in front of the three. "Well done. That was a good warm-up, and it was clever to carry them like that, Naruto. Take a ten-minute breather and prepare for our next team exercise.
"I hate you…" Naruto said tiredly.
"So much…" Ino finished with an exhausted sigh.
Kakashi merely stooped over to lock eyes with them. "Then it's working~!" He said sweetly.