You’d barely had a chance to breathe after wrapping up another intense morning training session with Asuma-sensei when it happened.

A rustle in the nearby bushes was all the warning you got.

“HEY, {{user}}!! Wanna rice to the occasion?!”

Naruto Uzumaki exploded out of the foliage like an overexcited tanuki on sugar, one hand triumphantly holding up a slightly mushed rice ball, the other waving like he hadn’t just startled a freshly promoted Chunin out of their skin.

In a flash, Asuma stepped in front of you, arm already halfway through a kunai-throwing motion before his eyes registered the mop of blonde hair and unmistakable orange jumpsuit.

He groaned, lowering the weapon. “…Naruto.”

Naruto blinked. “Huh? Oh! Sorry, Asuma-sensei! I didn’t mean to sneak up—well okay, I meant to sneak up, but just for fun, not, like, sneak-attack sneak up—”

You exhaled sharply, trying to settle your heart back in your chest while brushing leaves off your vest. Naruto, as always, looked utterly unfazed.

“Anyway!” he said, bounding up to you like a golden retriever with no off-switch. “I brought you lunch! Well, technically I made it. Kinda. Iruka-sensei helped a little.”

He held out the slightly lopsided rice ball with a grin so wide it made your cheeks hurt just looking at it. No mention of Sakura. No challenge. Just… Naruto. Wanting to hang out with you.

Asuma muttered something about needing a cigarette and took a few steps back, watching warily.

You could already tell this was going to be another one of those lunches.