Why Orange?

Hey everyone! I'm finally updating!(throws confetti) I'm sorry it took so long but I had no comp access. Now where are the guys? They should be-(chokes)

Sai:(walks in wearing a small dripping wet towel)T.W. do you have a first aid kit?

T.W.:(stares) Sai you're covered in hickies, bite marks, and scratches and you have rope burns on your wrists and ankles.

Sai:Itachi got a little over-enthusiastic. First aid kit?

T.W.:Bottom drawer(watches Sai go to get the kit)O.O Ack!(grabs a tissue)Sai! Your towel fell off!

Sai:(glances back over his shoulder) Hmm? Oh sorry(bends down to pick up the towel)

T.W.:Are you trying to kill me. Wait a sec, is that a hickie in the shape of the Uchiha fan?

Itachi:As a matter of fact, yes. Now stop staring at Sai's ass.

T.W.:get ready for spoilers(smirks, watches a half naked Itachi walk over to Sai, and waits for her moment)I'm not the only one who's seen his naked self.

Itachi:(turns slowly to face T.W.)What does that mean?

T.W.:(holds up printout of chapter 347 page 10)

Itachi:WHAT THE HELL!

T.W.:(laughs delightedly)Sexy Jutsu: Double Knockout Guys version.I heard fangirls all over the world scream in joy and I'm sure the bloodbanks are quite depleted now. I love Sai's reaction 'Ah it's me and Sasuke-kun' Aaaaand Sakura had a nose bleed!(snickers) Kishimoto is the KING of manga as far as I'm concerned. Not to mention the rest of the chapter, Suigetsu is kinda cute really and am I the only one who thinks that Sasuke had a soft expression when he saw "The Great Naruto Bridge"? I can't wait to read the next chapter, this is gonna rock!

Itachi:(vein pops)I don't believe what I'm seeing.

T.W.:Believe it gorgeous.

Sai:(stops Itachi from killing T.W.)I think you should get to the fic now.

T.W.:Right well I don't know if I replyed to any of my reviewers for last chapter so I apologize for that but I'm not going to try and do it now because I can't remember which one's I've replyed to or not beyond a couple people. Now on to the fic.

'thoughts'
Kyuubi speech

Chapter 27 Apology
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Sasuke woke up a few hours later and looked down at naruto, who was already awake. he also had dried blood on his neck. Naruto saw Sasuke's eyes widen then fill with guilt.

"What's the matter teme?"

Sasuke raised a hand to the bite mark and began healing it, "I hurt you."

Naruto blinked in surprise then, he registered the acheing aftereffects of their earlier activity. 'Well he did say I'd feel him.' He was about to make a joke along those lines when Kyuubi whacked him mentally with a tail.

Don't crack jokes about that.

'Huh? Why not?'
(sigh)Because brat, he's feeling guilty and making jokes will only make him feel worse.

'Oh, right.'

Now go soothe your mate and don't bug me for a while, I'm busy.

'Doing what?'

When silence met Naruto, he shrugged it off and turned his attention to Sasuke, who had finished healing the marks on Naruto's throat and was working on the briuses and scratches on his hips.

"Sasuke."

"Hn?"

Naruto lightly smacked the avenger on the head.

"What the hell?"

"Quit drowning yourself in guilt teme. Even tied up, I could have stopped you if you'd done anything I didn't want you to."

Sasuke knew that was true but still couldn't squash the guilt, "I should have controled myself but I didn't."

"Good."

Sasuke stared at Naruto, "What?"

"You losing control is a good thing teme; you can't keep everything locked inside or it'll fester and hurt you. Besides you always make me lose control."

"But-"

"No buts Sasuke. I consider it a point of pride that I made you lose some of that icy control of yours so don't ruin it by brooding in useless guilt. You hear me teme?"

The corner of Sasuke's mouth twitched, "Yeah I hear you usuratonkachi."

As Sasuke finished healing Naruto, a loud knock sounded downstairs, followed by, "Sasuke-kun are you home?"

He sighed recognizing Sakura's voice, "Maybe she'll go away if we ignore her?"

Naruto hopped out of bed and went to get some clothes, "It's more likely that she'll pick the lock to check if we're really not home."

Sasuke cursed, got dressed, and stalked downstairs, followed by and amused Naruto, to jerk open the door and snarl, "What do you want Sakura?"

She rolled her eyes at Sasuke's rudeness, "The village's representitives are coming here to talk with Naruto and I thought you'd like a little warning."

With that she turned and walked away indignantly, leaving the Uchiha to swear vilely and slam the door before turning to an unsettled Naruto, who was leaning against the banister.

Sasuke walked over and placed a hand on Naruto's cheek, "It's alright, whatever they want we can deal with it together."

Naruto let Sasuke's reassurance calm him and he reached up to squeeze the brunette's hand, "Yeah."
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When the representitives arrived, Sasuke brought them to the library, where Naruto was reading on a love-seat. He looked up at the three representitives as Sasuke came over, sat beside him, and started playing with his hair while sending the representitives a glare that clearly said 'Hurt him and I'll gut you.' The overall message was a rather obvious 'Mine.' Naruto smiled, amused by Sasuke's possesiveness.

"Sakura-chan said you wanted to talk to me?"

The first of the representitives, an old man, stepped forward, "Yes. My name is Hoshitori, I represent Konoha's influential non-shinobi clans. Yukimaru," he gestured towards a middle-aged man, "represents Konoha's businessmen and Akari," a young woman stepped up to stand beside Hoshitori, "represents the non-shinobi medical institutions, schools, orphanages, and the general populace of Konoha."

Naruto studied the three representitives. Hoshitori stood still, dignified and solemn with a slight hint of shame in his eyes. Yukimaru was fidgity and seemed embarassed and Akari was watching Naruto with the kind understanding eyes of a teacher faced with a lonely troublemaking student.

Naruto also noticed that the old man was favoring his left leg, "Please sit down."

A flash of relief shone in Hoshitori's eyes but he waited until Akari was seated before he took his own seat. Yukimaru shook his head, "I prefer to stand but thank you for the offer."

Sasuke pierced the old man with an icy stare, "Why did you want to speak with Naruto?"

Hoshitori shifted, "Earlier today it was brought to our attention that the villagers' sudden respect was making Uzumaki-san uncomfortable because he had been given no warning about their change in opinion nor was he given an apology for the villagers' previous actions."

Yukimaru picked up the thread, "In addition, it has recently been made clear to the shopkeepers that disrespect towards Uzumaki-san will not be tolerated nor do I believe that it should have ever been practiced."

Akari finished with their reason for coming, "We are here to issue an apology on behalf of the entire village, as well as ourselves, for the reprehensible actions of us all towards you Naruto-san."

Naruto's jaw dropped as all three representitives knelt with their heads bowed to him, and even Sasuke was stunned. Naruto felt tears of relief well up but he stifled them and got up to crouch in front of the representitives, "Please get up. I understand why people hated me, you don't need to humble yourselves like this."

They raised their heads and looked at him as his gentle smile turned into a mischievious grin, "Besides Jii-san you shouldn't kneel down with that bad leg of yours."

He hooked a hand under Hoshitori's arm and helped him stand.

The old man murmered his thanks and caught sight of Sasuke from the corner of his eye. The Uchiha's expression made it clear that while Naruto was willing to frogive them so easily, he would not. Hoshitori nodded his understanding, "We will leave you to enjoy your evening now. thank you for hearing us out and for your forgiveness Uzumaki-san."

He walked out of the room followed by the other two.

Naruto flopped back down beside Sasuke on the love seat, "Man that was a relief."

"That apology was a long time in coming."

"Yeah. I think I'll feel more secure in the village now even though I'm sure some people still view me as the Kyuubi brat."

Sasuke studied Naruto's happy expression and relaxed, "Feel like sparring dobe?"

Naruto grinned, "Let's go teme."
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The spar ended quickly for a surprising reason, Naruto exausted his chakra. He'd been trying to make some Shadow Clones for the twelfth time and passed out. Sasuke had caught him, carried him back to their bedromm, and now stood over him with a worried expression.

Naruto was in front of Kyuubi's cage looking at the exasperated fox, "What happened?"

"You passed out from lack of chakra."

"What!"

"Well I forgot to tell you that I'm not going to be providing you any chakra for a while so you need to be careful with how you use your own chakra."

"What are you up to now you stupid fox?"

"Not telling."

"Since whatever you're up to probably has to do with my body I deserve to know!"

"Still not telling."

"Damn in Kyuubi, this is going to drive me nuts!"

"Suffer. Later kit."

Kyuubi disappeared to tend to whatever he was planning and Naruto kicked the bars of the cage, cursing Kyuubi before he decided to wake up.

He opened his eyes to Sasuke's worried expression.

"Naruto are you okay?"

Naruto sat up, "Yeah, I'm fine."

"What happened?"

"Kyuubi said he's doing something so he's not giving me any chakra and I just used up most of mine recklessly. Course it would have been nice if the stupid fox had given me some kind of warning beforehand."

Sasuke's concern increased, "Shouldn't you tell Tsunade about this?"

"Hmm? Nope, Kyu tries to do something everyonce in a while but it almost never works, like the time he tried to make me grow fox ears and a tail. The only success he's had was when he improved my senses and reflexes."

"So whatever he's up to won't hurt you if it does work?"

"Nah, at the worst it might be a little embarassing that's all."

Sasuke's earlier panic drained away.

"Ne teme."

"Hn?"

"You hungry, cause I'm starving!"

Sasuke smiled, "Home or Ichiraku?"

"Ichiraku."

Naruto bounced out of bed, pausing at the door, "You coming teme?"

"How else is the ramen going to get paid for?"

Naruto stuck his tongue out at Sasuke, who just smirked, and they left for the ramen stand.
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T.W.:Feeling less murderous Itachi?

Itachi:Towards you, yes.

T.W.:Good cause I've got a qusetion for you. Why the hell did you Tsukiyomi Kakashi? I just watched the episode where you did that. I know you're sadistic but that was over the top.

Sai:Didn't you read that part in the manga?

T.W.:Yes but it's different watching it in the anime. I mean that was painful just to watch.

Itachi: And yet you're obsessed with me.

T.W.:Despite your sadism and occasional evilness, you're too much of a smexy badass for me NOT to be obsessed with you.(sighs) I have issues. Well hope you liked the new chapter. Please review if you can. Ja ne!