The Restricted Section

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do not own the basis for the story idea “The Restricted Section”.


The Restricted Section
By 11


Chapter 15

He always knew what to do. He was the strong one, not Naruto.

He would know what to do.

Darker hands held the hand identical to his if paler than his own. The sickly color stemmed across his blank sleeping face. The form, same as his own, lying still beside him.

The monitor nearby released consecutive beeps along with the steady in and out breath of the body. Then the beeps would alter, they would shake, cut off, and begin again.

His hands tightened over the still ones against his palm. A gentle murmuring in the heart’s beating, and the tiniest of movement beneath closed lids. The dark of the two breathed and close his eyes, imagining behind the other’s eyes.

Could his brother hear him?

He released his hands to drape his arms across the body he used to think of of as his own. Slipping into the uneasy silence of a world that was once theirs, and world he had left when the other began to sleep.

Deep within empty fields he lay sleeping just the same as he was now. But he was still the same as then too. His arms had not atrophied, he was still so scrawny but also strong.

The strong one, he had all the answers. If he had listened to him then this would never have happened also. But in the end Kyuubi had agreed with Naruto, and he had led the way.

He always knew, and he was so strong. Naruto felt his twin heart beat and flutter before the steady beat began again, before the monitor alerted the irregularity.

A small smile drew across his face and he imagined that the same smiled was reflected in his brother’s calm sleeping face.

He would know what to do.

Soon he would wake up. Then he wouldn’t be alone anymore, Kyuubi wouldn’t be alone. Then Naruto wouldn’t be confused.

`

“Temari!! I have to talk to you!! Now!!”

Temari stared at her girlfriend outside the movie theater. “Our film starts in five minutes. Couldn’t we talk later?”

“No!”

“You’re breaking up with me?”

“NO!!” Hinata cried horrified.

“Then can’t it wait?” Temari wondered, checking her watch again.

“No! I know what it was that I couldn’t tell before!” Hinata burst, and plowed onward not giving her girlfriend the chance to stop her.

“NARUTO TREATS SAKURA LIKE HIS MOTHER!!”

And for the slightest moment all other motion ceased and people turned to stare. But, of course, it was a movie theater and people were more interested in snacks and each other than to pay attention to two strange girls talking about nonsense.

“Huh?” Temari shook her head, and headed for the movie theater whether Hinata liked it or not.

“No Temari listen!!”

“If you want to miss the movie you can, but I’d really like to see this film.” The blond insisted, “And I’m tired of our conversations circling around Naruto and Sasuke and nothing else.”

“We talk about other things!”

“Oh right, Sakura too.” Temari assented, “but that’s only recently, and neither of us are dating Sakura, so can’t we just ignore problems and issues that aren’t our own?”

“But he treats her like his mother!”

“So it’s true that all stupid play-boys have a mother complex deep down, so what?” Temari grumbled.

“What? Really?” Hinata wondered, “you think it has to do with his flirtation issues too?”

Temari sighed, looked at the tickets and then at – in her very secret opinion – her slightly nosy girlfriend. It was already pretty clear how this ‘date’ was going to end: a non-date.

So a few minutes later in a coffee shop, here they were discussing their friends to spend time together and not in any way just goofing off together. Maybe afterward Temari could coax the paler girl to do something fun…

“It’s just something I read in psych class,” Temari sighed. “Obsessive flirtation in males with females is usually rooted to a complex concerning ‘mothering’ in one form or another.”

“But then what about Tsunade?” Hinata wondered. “She was his acting mother, right?”

“Does he treat her like a mom or some kind of distant aunt or sister?” Temari asked.

She continued, practically reading from the text-book. “In the diner, there was no overpowering respect that was immediately apparent, they treat each other like best friends, family maybe, but not the kind of mother and young-son relationship you say you witnessed.”

Hinata nodded, “Maybe…”

“Do you honestly think Tsunade acted toward Naruto as a ‘real’ mother?” Temari wondered, “Loving, baking cookies, chipper happy? She used to be alcoholic and dated a lot. Chances are Naruto had a fairly difficult childhood.”

She shrugged and took a few gulps of her coffee. Then profusely wished she had ice cubes to cool the burning. “Naruto was probably also a problematic child I expect.” Hinata mused for herself. “They do treat each other like siblings. Like he’s her little brother rather than son.”

“Yeah I guess they did…” Temari said not really paying attention as she really couldn’t care less about psychology or how people treated each other. As far as she was concerned Hinata’s discovery still meant nothing in the way of events.

“But then how would he have imprinted on Sakura as a mother figure?” Hinata sat back crossing her arms, vexed. “I mean she’s a nice girl, she was intelligent too.”

Hinata frowned thinking, “It’s possible that she was one of the few girls in school that treated Naruto kindly?”

Temari nodded, “Yes and if he’s problematic he got in trouble, maybe he got in trouble at some point and she looked out for him so he cared about her, came to love her, but their behavior patterns fell into that of mother-son.”

“Yes so he’d treat her as his mother… and?” Hinata frowned. So Temari decided to BS some more crap into their pseudo-discussion about Naruto.

“So in the absence of a father figure he developed a full-on Oedipus complex on her.” Temari BSed hoping that would be the end of it.

“So he does see her as girlfriend material?” Hinata deflated in disappointment. Temari frowned, realizing that she was looking for something positive to tell Sasuke about it.

“Potentially,” Temari shrugged, “But I’d say his body-language says everything there is as to where that’s going.”

“Nowhere!” Hinata brightened.

Temari shook her head, “But this is all just speculation you know.”

“Of course.” Hinata said still grinning, holding onto that happy thought to tell Sasuke – why she felt she needed to meddle so much Temari couldn’t be sure unless she was still honestly feeling guilty about that thing that happened with that-person a few months back.

“He could also have been kidnapped by aliens and Sakura took care of him until he recovered from the anal probing, and that’s why he treats her that way.” Temari put in.

Hinata turned with an incredulous look, “That’s just silly!” she declared, “but I’d say the former is an educated guess.”

“There’s no evidence.” Temari told her, “and there’s no way to obtain evidence either.”

Hinata frowned slightly.

“Well then I guess we’ll never know the true reasons why.” Temari leaned back, puffing on her coffee until she could sip it without burning herself again. Hinata had very cleverly not yet taken a swig of hers.

“Temari…” the girl whined.

“Hinata,” Temari fixed her in darker eyes, “we don’t need to know. Leave it alone, their relationship is going nowhere. If you want to tell Sasuke that much go ahead. Just let it take its course.”

Hinata nodded.

“Naruto will figure it out sooner or later.” Temari told her. “Then they’ll probably have a mutual split. Chances are Sakura already knows that Naruto doesn’t actually feel the way he thinks he does about her.”

“Then why would she have accepted when Naruto asked her out?” Hinata asked startled.

“Closure.”

“What?”

“Closure with Sasuke I suspect.” Temari nodded sagely, “He’s been ignoring her you know. Maybe she thinks it’s the only way to get him to talk to her.”

“What?!”

Temari scowled, “It’s just a guess. If you’re that curious go ask her.”

“No I don’t think I will.” Hinata shook her head. Looking outside she noted how late it had gotten and almost regretted not going to the movie.

“Then stop bugging me about it,” Temari sighed, “I’m not the god of brains. If I was you’d be kissing me by now.”

Hinata grinned and leaned across the table, catching the side of the blond girl’s face, “Okay!”

The paler girls lips settled over the blonds, and her hand rose to hold the dark-haired one in place.

So maybe she could coax some fun out of her companion tonight…

`

The morning sun found it’s way through the town streets to filter through the dingy windows of the pub area. Three friends lounging around before opening time, just to hang out.

It was also entirely possible that two of the three had crashed upstairs the previous evening but who was to know besides they two and the owner who let them.

“I just can’t believe this!”

“Juugo’s still not out yet?” Sasuke wondered as Karin fumed horribly.

“No, he just doesn’t go out like he used to.” Suigetsu explained.

Karin scowled, “He’s going to that stupid arts class right now.” She scoffed, “can you believe it? I can’t!”

Suigetsu shrugged, he at least didn’t seem too perturbed by their friend’s change in interests, “So how’s that thing doing?”

Ed curled himself the opposite direction trying to find a place out of the filtered light to rest his eyes comfortably.

“Ed?” Sasuke asked.

“Sure… ‘Ed’? Yeah.” Suigetsu shrugged. Sasuke grinned and shook his head. “That bad?”

“Way too infatuated with… insects to even talk to me.” Sasuke explained. Karin glared at them.

“He’s a lizard. Lizards don’t talk at all.” She told them pointedly.

“But you’ve tried?” Suigetsu prompted.

“Of course I have…” Sasuke looked away, agitated. Of course he couldn’t actually try talking to Naruto – he was too into Sakura! Wouldn’t open his mouth around him. He didn’t even say ‘hi’ to him anymore.

“Why would you ‘try’ to talk to a lizard?” Karin frowned, glaring at Ed. The gecko glared back unhappily – even his lizard-brain could determine that the two males were not actually discussing the greatness of him.

“Have you talked to the insects about leaving Ed alone?”

“No. I don’t want to talk to insects.” Sasuke scowled.

Karin huffed, “You know what, you’re both crazy.”

“And she hasn’t gotten the message?” Suigetsu wondered incredulous.

Sasuke sighed, “Obviously not.”

Suigetsu nodded. Karin huffed angrily, “Okay. Now who are we talking about?”

“Should I do something?” He offered, “Take her out of the picture?”

Sasuke shook his head. Suigetsu nodded, “Yeah, that’s no fun I guess.” Sasuke didn’t respond and Karin was about to yell at the two again for ignoring her when the raven-heads cell phone went off.

“Who is it?” Karin wondered leaning over as Sasuke pulled it out of his pocket to check the ID.

“Sakura.” Sasuke muttered muting the phone, ready to stick it back in his pocket when Suigetsu reached over.

“Hey no! I want to talk to her!” he grabbed for it, and Sasuke tugged it out of reach just before he did.

“No way, you’d just try to threaten her or something. Hey-!!”

Karin snatched the phone away hopping off the table flipping the phone open. “Hello! Sakura!” she called loudly into the phone.

“Karin! Hey!” Sasuke said hopping from the table trying to tackle the redheaded girl, but Suigetsu caught his arms from behind first, stopping him. “Sui?! Karin! Seriously! Give it back! Shut it off!”

“Yeah you, bitch! Stop harassing Sasuke!” Karin snapped at her, before Suigetsu managed to get Sasuke out of the way enough to grab the phone himself, leaving his girlfriend to hold off their angry friend.

“Hey,” he greeted her smoothly, “drop goldilocks or I’ll rip you a new one.”

Sakura grinned over the line, snorting slightly at the familiar voice. “Hand the phone back to Sasuke,” she ordered coolly, “Or I’ll tell Zabuza your new address.”

Suigetsu’s mouth snapped shut and his face paled. He handed the phone to Sasuke. Karin looked confused.

Dark eyes glared hideously at his so-called friends as he snatched the phone back and clicked the off button, and proceeded to turn his phone off entirely.

Ed circled Sasuke’s cranium and huffed. It just wasn’t fair! He’d wanted a chance with the talky block-thing too!

“She’s ‘that’ Sakura? Haruno?” Suigetsu glowered, “From MY high school?”

“Sui? Why are you so upset? What?” Karin wondered huffily, irritated at being left out of two conversations now, “And who is ‘goldilocks’? Is this girl gay?”

Sasuke stared back at Suigetsu, after all he already knew the answer to his question; now he was just upset that they’d tried to steal his phone! Jerks! And they’d answered it!!

“Sui!!”

“She’s the only other one,” Suigetsu explained to his girlfriend, “besides you and Sasuke and Juugo, that know how much my uncle hates me.”

“Oh… is that what she said to you?” Karin wondered, then her face contorted angrily, “Wait this bitch is gonna call Zabuza?!”

“She’s not.” Sasuke told them. Sakura wasn’t like that, at least not for Sui… though it was possible she was doing this thing with Naruto to him on purpose. Karin was right – bitch.

“I had to move away for college and not tell anyone where I was going just to lose that guy!” Suigetsu reminded him, “She better not call him!”

“Isn’t he busy with that adopted kid anyway?” Karin asked, “Haiku or something?”

“Haku, yeah. You’d ‘think’.” Suigetsu grumbled.

Sasuke scowled and headed for the door. “You’re a bunch of jerks.”

“What?” Karin cried, “What did we do?”

“You stole my phone!”

“Just trying to help!” Suigetsu called after before the door slammed shut behind him and Sasuke was already half-way down the street.

In another ten minutes Sui and Karin would be cursing at each other or arguing which would disintegrate into cursing at each other and since it was still early that would eventually devolve into making out.

After a half-hour where Sasuke had managed to wander downtown, feed Ed, and sit contemplating the many shapes kites came in, he contemplated going back to the bar.

Suigetsu and Karin could at least be entertaining most times, and would be more fun to hang out with than no one.

It was about then that he noticed someone he hadn’t seen in well over several months, and said person noticed him as well.

Sasuke smiled and waved, the other walking over as Sasuke stood to meet him. It was strange to see the change. He used to dress in leather jackets and carried a chain in his pocket. He used to talk trash and he’d never be outside without either Suigetsu or Karin.

It was strange to see such a change. He was wearing a regular sweater and clean crisp shirt and pants. His hair was combed and not gelled or spiked. Furthermore his eyes weren’t as hard and flinty as he remembered.

“Juugo, been a while.” Sasuke said puzzling over the broader youth’s appearance, he was a good head taller with broader shoulders.

He used to look so tough and menacing, somehow the clean-up and clothes had toned that down. He looked like a regular human being.

“Sasuke, you look well,” he greeted his eyes sizing up Sasuke as well, apparently he was not as Juugo remembered either. “I heard about a few months ago. I guess the rumors are true.”

Sasuke nodded, it seemed strange to hear the familiar voice without any curses or expletives accompanying. “You seem a lot calmer now. You look good.” The harsh lines of his face had seemed to have smoothed out as well.

Juugo smiled in agreement, a genuinely friendly gesture that was sincere and seemingly out-of-place at the same time. “I feel more peaceful now. I thought I didn’t need anger management, but I’m not angry anymore.”

“It’s weird to see you like this, I swear only eight months ago you were leather jackets, chains, motorcycles,” Sasuke looked at his friend again, something so surreal about his appearance, his mannerisms, everything.

“I could say the same about you. What happened to those vinyl pants you used to love?” Juugo laughed, “And no new lover either? I haven’t heard any conquest stories since that med. school chick.”

Sasuke nodded, not commenting on that matter. The stupid girl was back, and he had problems but he was working on getting them sorted out. He was aware it might take more time before the blond would talk to him again though.

“Well things happen I suppose. You can get upset about them, but still happens.” Juugo shrugged, something before he might have starting cursing about, rampaging and getting riled up enough the first outsider to snap a comment at he’d try to clock them.

“It’s amazing how much energy we can waste being angry or upset.” Juugo sighed, “when we could be trying to do something about it.”

“I am.” Sasuke muttered, more to convince himself, “Do people leave you alone now then?”

“No.” Juugo grinned, “I’m a big guy, of course they still talk trash. But it doesn’t hurt me physically. Back then… I guess I just felt I had something to prove.”

“So what really changed?”

Juugo shrugged, “Why should I care what small fry think? Why would I waste my time on morons like that? You can tell who is strong and who is weak,” he nodded to himself a flinty edge entering his eyes, “The weak though, they just bark, they’re not worth it.”

“That’s a good way to think about it.” Sasuke agreed. Naruto was worth it; Sakura was not. So he’d continue ignoring her and keep trying to get Naruto to talk to him. Chances are they could still talk and be ‘friends’… even while those two dated.

It wasn’t like they’d get married or anything. They’d probably break up eventually… yeah, eventually. He just had to keep telling himself that.

“There’s an art exhibit I’m going to.” Juugo stated checking his watch, “My tour’s going to open up soon. Would you like to join me?”

“Not today.” Sasuke said.

“I’ll let you go then. It was good seeing you.”

“You too.”

And as an afterthought as the larger youth walked away Sasuke took out his phone to turn it on. There wasn’t really a reason since no one called him – but then what was the point of having the cell phone?

Sometimes people called, mostly solicitors; and more recently – Sakura. Perhaps he could block her caller number…

Just then the phone rang – it wasn’t her number – it was Hinata. He flipped it open, “Hello?”

“Sasuke! I’ve been trying to get ahold of you! What the heck?!”

“Sorry, Sakura called, Karin stole my phone – I took it back and turned it off.” Sasuke explained briefly, “Didn’t think about it before now.”

“Oh you turned your phone off,” Hinata seemed to pout, before pulling away, some strange noises he couldn’t make out in the background.

“Where are you?”

“Ah? Uh- Temari’s place.” She eventually answered. Well that explained the noises, which he no longer wanted to determine.

“And why are you calling me?”

“Oh-right!!” she said excitedly, something like the sound of annoyed Temari being pushed away, “I just remembered to tell you – and I wanted to tell you before I forgot.”

“Tell me what?”

“Sakura and Naruto aren’t in love – he’s not in love with her!” Hinata explained quickly, “Their relationship – the way he treats her – it’s more like a son to his mother!”

Now that didn’t make any sense. “What about Tsunade?”

“Listen – I’ll try and explain at length later; or ask Temari, she figured it out!”

Temari snorted in the background, and said loudly, “I just rationalized it!”

“Listen!” Hinata said shortly, “chances are, if you leave them alone, Naruto will figure it out on his own and they’ll mutually decide to end it – chances are that Sakura already knows how Naruto really feels towards her.”

So she was dating him knowing that neither of them felt that way? Oh shoot! What if Sakura like him?! No that was impossible, she was calling him and saying she still loved him, so…? “So why is she still dating him?!”

More strange noises and Hinata pulled away, a strange groaning sound. Sasuke grimaced and seriously considered hanging up – “SO WHY IS SHE DATING HIM?!!”

“Maybe you could talk to her?!”

“WHAT?!”

“You’ve been ignoring her calls,” Hinata explained, “if you just talked it out with her, it might speed things up.”

“But it’s HER!” Sasuke whined, “Naruto loves HER!”

“AS A MOTHER!” Hinata yelled at him frustrated. “She’s like a--! A safety blanket to him! Naruto couldn’t even kiss her!”

“What?! He TRIED?!” Sasuke felt a strange lurch in his stomach at the concept.

“Look I have to go! This is all I know right now,” Hinata told him quickly, “Whatever you want to believe and do. I got to go!”

And the line died.

Sasuke was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that Naruto tried to kiss Sakura – Naruto almost kissed Sakura – but he DIDN’T!!

That had to count for something. He could still hardly believe his ears – or the dead line phone. He’d seen the way Naruto adored that stupid girl… was that seriously the way a normal child adored a maternal object?

His phone rang again. And he grimaced at the caller ID – Sakura.

`

“Still sleeping?”

“Yeah. He’ll wake up soon though.”

Kiba shook his head, “I don’t know the guy. I still think it’s kind of creepy how much you look alike.” He sighed, agitated since Akamaru wasn’t with them, busy getting washed and clipped at the house with his mother and sisters.

“If you weren’t in the same room with us,” Kiba shrugged, “seems more like it’s you lying there.”

“Don’t worry, when he wakes up, you’ll see,” Naruto grinned shaking his head. “We’re really very different.”

“How’d you do on the exams?” Kiba turned to Neji. The three of them making their way across town to the hospital. Bills would be coming up again in another couple weeks for the next month – but Naruto wasn’t worrying about that just yet.

“I estimate an 87% in government, 77% in colloquial biographies, 88.5% in advanced calculus, and 83% in physics.” Neji said belatedly. “I meant to study more for colloquial, but physics kept me busy.”

“Dude… your estimated scores are usually 10 below what you actually got… damn what I’d give for those grades.” Kiba moaned in despair.

“Should have studied more then, instead of forgetting about a study date and canceling.” Neji stated without sympathy.

“Are you still mad about that! It wasn’t my fault!” Kiba defended himself, “My mom and sister’s sprung it on me as something they’d had planned since January!”

“Neji, still planning to go abroad for Junior year?” Naruto asked, grinning at Kiba’s melodramatic performance.

“Germany.” The brunette confirmed.

“Cool.” The blond whistled, “Bring me back one of those awesome cuckoo clocks, will you?”

“Of course.” Neji nodded, “and chocolate for Kiba’s dog.”

“Hey! No!” Kiba frowned, “Chocolate is poison for dogs.”

“Chocolate is poison no matter what” Naruto stated, “but it still tastes good.”

“So how is your brother?”

“Better probably, I told you how he’ll probably wake up soon, right?”

“Is Tsunade lending you money next month too?” Kiba wondered. “If not I know an insurance office that’s taking people on for the summer – it’s a boring desk job, but it pays well.”

Naruto shrugged, “Don’t know yet. If I’m careful I can probably do it without her depending. Still have to add up the numbers. If he wakes up next week though, there won’t be a next month to pay though.”

Just another block, he could already see the cross and snakes emblem associated with hospitals. Just then Naruto’s cell rang. “Hello?”

It was the hospital. The three bolted for the hospital – three more minutes and the doctor was waiting for them at the lobby.

A tall thin man somewhere in his late forties, thick brown hair just beginning to gray. A hesitant face, “I’m sorry. It happened just a moment ago.”

“What happened?!”

Naruto didn’t wait for him to answer Neji’s question. He went straight for the stairs rushing up to the room he’d gone to many times before – his brother, his twin, his sleeping self.

He stopped in the doorway, heartbeat stopped for a full second before it began to beat again at double the rate it had.

“Kyuubi?!”

---

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