Dark Reminiscence

I am naught but a leaf cast astray,

Listless and pawned.

As I follow where the wind commands,

And die bit by bit.

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Chapter 2: Bartering

Naruto sat stiffly in an ornamental armchair, hands tracing and scratching at the designs that were so carefully sewn.

Blank blue eyes tried to focus on the garish vermillion chair, on the bright crimson color as red as his blood…

This wasn't happening.

It could be happening!

Oji-san would never betray him like that, would never be so uncaring…

He'd never-

"Naruto!" yelled the Sandaime annoyed, "Will you stop squeezing the arm rest? You're breaking it."

Naruto looked up at Sarutobi, startled, then lowered his head with a mumbled, "Sorry," and stilled his hand.

Smiling thinly the Sandaime glanced at Iruka relieved that he hadn't changed his mind, "Now you do realize that after you sign those papers Naruto will be your responsibility and that you can't take him back, right?"

"That's fine Hokage-sama," Iruka assured the Hokage blithely while devouring Naruto with his eyes, the delicious peachy skin, the long golden eyelashes, the round and smooth bottom…

"I see." The Hokage stated, while his calculating eyes took in the scene before him. Iruka would completely remove Naruto and all the paper work he brought with him, it might not have been a very altruistic reason but at least Naruto would only have to deal with Iruka. Besides, it was the best he could do. It was for the greater good, for Konoha. And if Naruto got out of hand Iruka would probably eliminate him since his parents were slaughtered by the Kyuubi. Problem solved.

"Well here are the papers, you are doing a great service to Konoha and I will augment your salary so that it is three times more than what you have received as well as give you Naruto's monthly stipend for taking care of him." The Hokage bartered, trying to insure that Iruka did not change his mind or back out for any reason. He had never been able to get rid of Naruto before, no one had wanted to adopt Naruto, not even Danzo wanted him for his army of drones.

"I'm sure Hokage-sama!" Iruka replied, smiling a mile a minute, and with a flourish finished signing the papers.

"Naruto, it's time to go, I'm your new guardian." Iruka said gently, holding out his hand for Naruto to take, holding out his hand as if to mark the beginning of a new journey.

And maybe it was.

Naruto took his hand, because in the end, he really didn't have a choice.

Turning around one last time to look the Hokage in the eye Naruto said simply, "Good bye Hokage-sama."

It was respectful, it was cold, it said a million things and left even more unsaid.

"Bye Naruto-kun," the Sandaime replied kindly, as if he was ignorant of the true meaning of Naruto's formality, a grandfatherly façade firmly on his face.

It was needless since Naruto no longer watched, no longer believed in his supposed kindness.

He had been disillusioned, and it was then that Naruto's last hope in humanity died, that his heart grew cold and implacable.

He would no longer believe.

Outside the villagers milled about, the wives bustled with their baby carriages, shopping for groceries, ninjas leapt from roofs, and genins squabbled about corny missions as they passed by the road.

But for Naruto the world had stopped and he was lost in a dark endless abyss. He didn't want to think, to feel.

He wanted to pretend that everything was fine, that nothing was going to happen to him, that everything was going to be okay.

"Naruto-kun," Iruka called joyously, a malicious smile stretched on his ugly plain face, the hideous scar highlighted prominently.

"H-Hai?" Naruto asked softly, his voice laden and weary.

"Come inside…" Iruka beckoned, eyes shining with lust and barely hidden desire.

Naruto acquiesced, and for some reason, he felt he had it better before when he was homeless.

The door closed with marked finality.