Naruto: The Beast Within

The sun hangs low in the sky, casting golden streaks across the nearly empty Ninja Academy. The once-bustling halls are now eerily quiet, save for the distant chatter of students heading home.

The sound of footsteps fades, doors creak shut, and soon enough, the only two people left inside are Raimu and Takuma—stuck with the dreaded punishment of cleaning the academy.

Takuma grips the broom tightly, already feeling the exhaustion creeping in. "Alright," he mutters, rolling up his sleeves. "Let's get this over with."

He turns around, expecting to see Raimu at least pretending to help. Instead, he sees something far worse—Raimu, already curled up on the floor in the corner of the room, his blanket wrapped around him snugly like a sleepy caterpillar in a cocoon. His eyes are barely open, his golden irises dull with drowsiness.

Takuma stares, his entire body going stiff. "Raimu."

Raimu blinks slowly, looking up at him with the laziest expression known to mankind. "Huh?"

Takuma's eye twitches. "Get. Up."

Raimu sighs dramatically, shifting slightly as if thinking about it. Then, with absolutely no shame, he nestles deeper into his blanket. "Mmm… no thanks," he murmurs, pulling the fabric over his head like a shield.

Takuma inhales sharply through his nose, trying very hard to control his temper. "We got in trouble together," he reminds him, jabbing the broom in his direction. "So we clean together."

"You clean," Raimu corrects lazily, peeking out just enough for Takuma to see the sleepy smirk on his face. "I supervise."

Takuma's patience shatters. With a loud grunt, he lunges forward, grabbing the edge of Raimu's blanket and yanking it. "Get up!"

Raimu lets out a strangled yelp as he's forcefully rolled out of his comfy cocoon. His blanket flutters through the air like a fallen battle flag before Takuma throws it over his shoulder, holding it hostage.

Raimu sits up slowly, rubbing his eyes like a kid who just woke up from a deep nap. "That was so uncalled for," he grumbles. "I was so comfortable."

Takuma, holding the blanket tightly in one fist, points to the mop nearby. "Pick it up and start cleaning."

Raimu stretches his arms, yawning loudly. "Ugh… cleaning is so lame." He glances at the mop like it personally offended him. "What if I just—didn't?"

"Then we'll never leave," Takuma growls.

Raimu tilts his head. "That's not true. Eventually, we'd starve, collapse, and be forcibly removed. So, really, I just have to outlast you." He shoots him a cheeky grin. "Which is super easy, by the way."

Takuma clenches his fists, the veins in his forehead threatening to pop. "Why are you like this?"

"Like what?" Raimu asks, tilting his head further in fake innocence.

"Infuriating."

Raimu hums. "Hmm. Natural talent, I guess."

Takuma sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Fine. If you won't mop, then sweep." He tosses a broom at Raimu, who barely moves. The broom handle smacks against Raimu's shoulder and clatters onto the floor.

Raimu looks down at it like it's the most boring object in existence. Then, without hesitation, he lies back down.

Takuma's jaw drops. "Raimu!"

"I tried," Raimu says, already curling up again.

"You didn't try at all!"

"You threw a broom at me," Raimu corrects, voice muffled by his blanket. "That's on you, not me."

Takuma runs a hand through his hair, trying to calm down. He takes a deep breath, then another, before turning on his heel and stomping away. "Fine! I'll just do it myself!"

Raimu sighs dramatically. "Finally," he mumbles, voice thick with fake exhaustion. "You're learning."

Takuma starts sweeping furiously, muttering under his breath. He swipes dust into neat little piles, his frustration fueling every movement. "Why do I even bother? Why did I have to get stuck with him? Out of everyone, why him?"

A soft snore interrupts his thoughts.

Takuma whirls around. "Oh, come on!"

Raimu, now completely cocooned once again, is asleep.

His peaceful breathing, the rise and fall of his chest—it all screams deep sleep. As if he doesn't have a care in the world. As if he isn't supposed to be helping.

Takuma sees red.

He storms over, gripping the blanket again, and yanks it with all his strength.

Raimu rolls from the force, tumbling like a ragdoll before stopping on his back, his golden eyes fluttering open in confusion. "Huh?" He blinks sleepily. "Wha—oh hey, you're still here."

Takuma's fingers tighten around the blanket. "I'm still here because you won't help!!"

Raimu yawns, sitting up slowly. "Man, you yell a lot," he murmurs, stretching. "You ever tried not doing that?"

Takuma groans, shoving the broom at him. "Sweep. Now."

Raimu stares at the broom in his hands, then at Takuma, then back at the broom. "…What if I just hold it?"

"Raimu—"

"Like, you know, as a prop?" He twirls it lazily in his fingers. "So it looks like I'm working, but I'm actually not?"

Takuma nearly explodes. "Raimu!"

Raimu chuckles, clearly thriving off of Takuma's frustration. He finally stands up, spinning the broom dramatically like he's wielding a staff. "Alright, alright," he hums. "I'll help. But only because you begged."

Takuma groans, returning to his own cleaning.

For the next twenty minutes, Takuma works diligently while Raimu… kind of helps.

He sweeps in slow, lazy circles, dragging the broom across the floor with absolutely no effort. He stops every few minutes to "rest," leans on the broom like it's a walking stick, and even starts humming to himself.

At one point, he tosses the broom aside and slides across the freshly cleaned floor on his socks. "Whoa," he says in awe. "This is way more fun than sweeping."

Takuma watches as Raimu glides effortlessly, arms out like an airplane, twirling slightly as he picks up speed.

Then—THUMP!

Raimu crashes right into a desk.

Takuma loses it.

"See, that's what you get for not helping!!" He cackles, pointing as Raimu slumps onto the floor in a daze.

Raimu groans, rubbing his forehead. "…I regret nothing," he mumbles.

Takuma sighs, shaking his head. "We're never getting out of here."

Raimu, still on the floor, pulls his blanket back over his shoulders and closes his eyes. "Eh, could be worse," he murmurs. "At least I got a nap in."

Takuma stares at him, utterly done.

They're never going to finish.