A Scrap of Humanity

A Scrap of Humanity

Part IV

To Fall for Him


Sasuke POV


Every mission we go on draws me closer to Naruto. He has a natural charisma that breaks through the toughest of walls. We're getting ready for the Chuunin exams now so Naruto is training even harder. A few nights I see him at the training grounds even after we've sparred pummeling his body into oblivion. I don't understand how he isn't sore in the mornings when we go on missions. He's been like that for the longest time. Even way back when we were in the academy. There's something in him that drives him, more so than that ridiculous goal of being Hokage. It makes me wonder how powerful he really is. He's managed to defeat enemies that I couldn't. There's an intensity there that none of us understand, but I want to. It could help me on the way to reaching my goal. Naruto's a hurdle and if I can't overcome him, how could I defeat my brother.


As I look down from the tree I'm sitting on, I notice him walk off toward the training grounds. It's already late and we had two strenuous missions today. Stupid Kakashi.... Naruto has a swager in his step from falling today. The current was too quick and it knocked him backwards causing him to twist his leg oddly against some rocks. I remember the look of pain on his face, but yet no sound. He never has cried, even when he stabbed his own hand, he never voices his pain. I need to see for myself how he plans to train all banged up like that. That and make sure he doesn't hurt himself or meet some one secretly. It's this kind of stuff that makes me weak.


Naruto creates a fast and steady rhythm on the training logs. His kicks and punches are calming. The movement is quick and unrefined, but suited just to him, maybe like how some wild animal would tear into something. His eyes glow with a determined light against the moon. The sound of his flesh on the wood is interrupted by his pants. God even when he's just training those sounds are very sensual. He catches his breath and then goes right back to pummeling his fists until they're bloody and raw. I have to stifle a gasp as I get a good look at his fists. You can almost see the bone. Does he do this every night? He looks down at his fists and turns to lean on the splintered and bloodied logs. I watched him sit there letting the wounds fester.


Suddenly he stood up and wrapped his arms around himself. He gazed up at the stars in some sort of sad wonder. Beautiful Naruto.....I could hear his voice soft and low as he stood staring at the stars, questioning.


"Where are you....? Why can't I remember.....? Why won't you let me?"

I closed my eyes upon hearing these questions and thought back to the walk from our previous mission. My chest hurt. Some one had been in contact with him. Some one had kissed him breathless and I was sure if we weren't there would have done much more. When I opened my eyes again I saw that same figure. He was kneeling down and holding Naruto close. My mind raced with thoughts of who he could be. I watched as Naruto lowered himself to the ground so that he could engage in a heated kiss with the dark figure. I could see his hands tightening into fists in the other person's jacket. I felt hurt and jealousy building inside me as the ice I'd surrounded myself in started to crack a little more. I tried to harden my heart against it, but what that person was doing, with Naruto, that was what I wanted. I wanted to to kiss him like that and maybe more. I wanted to be the one making him sigh breathlessly.


Currently, Naruto's secret love was kissing along his neck and making him sigh and moan softly. "Ita............."


Before Naruto could finish whatever he was incoherently mumbling, his lips were covered again. He moaned again, a sound that caused my situation to become slightly uncomfortable. They pulled apart for a moment. He was saying something, and then Naruto's smile changed to a frown. He yanked on the other's coat pulling him into a hug and burrying his head into the other's shoulder.


"It isn't fair! You can't go away again."

He pushed Naruto away and then stood. His figure loomed over Naruto's and suddenly I felt intimidated. Tears ran down Naruto's cheek silently as his face was stroked gently. Naruto stood as well while clutching the hand with his own bloodied one. He kissed Naruto's hand right on the wound and then left.


Naruto turned and looked at the tree I was sitting on. My breath caught in my throat. I moved my head slightly pretending to be asleep in case Naruto knew I was there. I heard him move closer to the tree I sat in. His body fell to the ground beneath it.


"I know you wanted me to wait for you, but why can't I go now?" I listened as he spoke to the night. "I'm so in love with you, at least I think that's what love feels like, but then I can feel another pull." He stopped again, and I sat perfectly still. "Sasuke? What are you doing there?" I fought the urge to move as I heard his movements up the tree. "Were you.... oh..." I heard him chuckle, "Why are you sleeping here?"


I could feel his body heat so close to me and his eyes scanning over me. His hand touched my face and I couldn't stop my eyes from fluttering open. I gazed at him for a moment. Sad blue eyes pierced mine.


"Naruto, your hands...." I trailed off while focusing on the deep wounds.


"Aa.....I"ll clean them when I get home....." He grinned softly and then turned to jump from the tree.


I pulled him back though, pulled him so his back was to my chest and just tightened my hold on him. He stiffened for a moment and then went slack in my arms. I leaned forward with my forehead against his shoulder feeling his shaky breathing. I hated myself for this moment of weakness, but I couldn't help it. The jealousy I felt seeing Naruto, MY rival, MY teamate, in another's arms was too intense. I trapped him so that he couldn't move even if he wanted to. I had to taste him again. The raw scent of fight and blood, the scent that was completely his, it was tempting me, so I kissed along his neck. His breathing quickened and I could feel the tension rippling through him.


"Sasuke....." he whispered so unlike himself, "Please.....please let me go.....I can't let you do that...." I could almost feel his voice cracking as he pushed himself away while turning to face me. "You can't Sasuke......."


Anger was all I could feel at that moment. Anger because I was weak, anger because some one else had gotten to Naruto first. My fist clenched. "Why not?" His eyes widened at my outburst. "Why can't you feel what I think I feel for you?" I had yanked him close by his shirt yelling at him.


"Because it fucking hurts!" he slumped back eyes wide while covering his mouth. "Oh god, I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He curled into himself repeating that same line over and over again before glancing at me and jumping from the tree branch.


Rejection was a bitch.....

Naruto POV


He had said he would come and see me after the Chuunin exams. That was a long time to wait. He had never before told me he was coming to see me. I found it strange and exciting. Maybe then he would be taking me with him. I sighed and slumped against my wall. These new feelings Sasuke was revealing were becoming quite a problem. The fact was, despite our mutual dislike we were drawn together. By competition, by rivalry, by unsated lust, I didn't know, but I did know that if MY hunter hadn't saved me that night, if he hadn't kept up with me, then I knew I would be falling for Sasuke.


I was sure my hunter knew about Sasuke, and knew about the strange feelings I had for him, but never did he raise the issue with me. He always said the same thing before he left: "Naruto, please wait a little longer." He was so gentle with me. His voice was always soft and despite his rough hands, his touches were always caring. Memories of him were starting to come up. I remembered that he was young, maybe 4 years older than me, but I wasn't sure. He also was a genius, had to be because I remember his ANBU mask. No one his age could have been an ANBU without being a genius. Maybe that was why he couldn't stay with me. Maybe he was on an extended mission.


I think my feelings for him grew as he visited me. I was never allowed to se his face, and thinking about it now, if he was an ANBU that probably explained it. I had some good memories of him. Of course the initial ones of him chasing the fear away, but some more recent ones as well. His touches, and kisses, the sound of his voice, and his scent. He always remembered my birthday too, not that I liked rice balls and vegetables all that much, but since they were from him to help me grow strong I enjoyed them with relish.

My most fond of memories was his first present. A while back, when I first started at the academy I had no supplies to start with. Classes went on with me not being able to fully participate because I didn't have any Kunai or Shuriken. Close around my birthday I found a kunai on my table. The blade was sharp as a new one, but the handle was worn as if it had seen many battles. Though I didn't see him, I knew it was from him. My lucky kunai. The Kunai that I used for every mission, and then one that had cleaned the poison from my system. I smiled while clutching it tightly.

I ran my thumb over the area where the tape on it was starting to wear and come off. I started pulling at the tape deciding that I could put some new wrap on it so that the metal wouldn't slide through my fingers. As finished pulling the tape off my thumb ran over a groove in the metal. Flipping the light on I looked at it closely. My reading of caligraphy wasn't the best, but since this was scratched into the metal it was easy to se the strokes. I wasn't kanji, so it had to be a name, because I doubted my hunter would write a sound on his weapons. I-TA-TI. (1)


Bells went off in my head. I recognized the name from somewhere. Was this it? Was this the name that I always knew in my dreams yet could never remember? Was that HIS name?

A/N: Sorry for the shortness. I had to work on final art project and I have finals, but I couldn't just leave you guys hanging. This is just a bit of recap as to certain things that are cause to Naruto's love for Itachi. I promise to have some real stuff in the next chapter.

(1) Naruto is reading the Kana for Itachi's name, the CHI sound appears as TI. Sorry if anyone is clueless.

To the ItaNaru comm: EEEP! sorry for the long wait and the shortness! I'll get another chapter up for Christmas, either that or a page of doujin for it.

To my AFNs: Sorry if there are Typos, they weren't made by me. All of my stories have been getting screwed up and having words squashed or symbols put in. I love you guys. Thanks for the reviews.


To my FFNs: You guys rock my everloving socks off. I don't think I've ever had that many reviews in that short of time. Please stay with me.