A.N. Yay! Naruto’s chapter! I love writing Naruto. ^-^ Now hopefully I can keep up the pace and be able to post regularly. We shall see right? Now I realized that I forgot to mention the Author for “Going Down” and who rightfully owns the term: ‘Cock-gobbling douche bag’ and that is Zrina. All hail her amazing-ness! Anyway, read the story its great, and I will let you all start reading.
Kyuubi the Bitch Naruto
Chapter Three: Confusing Feelings, Fear, and Hope
Naruto knew what was coming before Itachi even drew in his breath. He’d seen the dark bastard do it before, and the memory was enough to make him sick. Naruto’s insides cried out in alarm and he’d moved before he even realized what he was doing.
“Sasuke!” The name burned as it escaped with a desperateness he almost hated.
He shoved Sasuke harshly to the side, knocking the boy from his perch and onto the soft dirt. His eyes were still locked on terrifying red and spinning black, and it made him dizzy, disoriented, and nauseous.
The smirk on that mouth let him know Itachi was aware of his every motion and intention, and that he was the one allowing Naruto to interfere. It was the first time Naruto had felt this kind of fear since their first team mission outside of Konoha.
It was the same as it was when he’d first met this man.
He easily crushed Sasuke last time… with that… that genjutsu or whatever it was. I can’t let him do it again, I won’t let him do that to Sasuke again. Naruto glowered at the smirking man and rolled himself atop of his friend.
Sasuke was warm, tense, and alive. For some reason that was direly important to him, and he smiled softly as his hands pressed over startled black eyes.
Sasuke looked so small in that instant, like he had in wave country as he’d placed his life’s mission before Naruto, begging him to live, and at the same time, asking him to kill Itachi for him. He’d failed Sasuke then, he wouldn’t fail him this time.
Itachi can’t kill me yet, he has to extract Kyuubi first. So this is the best choice I have… I will save you this time Sasuke. Naruto felt the shadow that fell over him and looked over his shoulder, already knowing what awaited him. Perhaps he should have avoided it, but if he moved to attack, it would open up Sasuke’s eyes and that would be all Itachi needed. But if he allowed the jutsu to hit him then his chakra would spike, Kyuubi—already pissed off due to her cycle—would react to the mental invasion and that would bring help.
It was his best choice.
“Smart boy.” Itachi whispered, and Naruto smirked as those eyes spun and his mind was twisted harshly. “Tsukiyomi.”
Blood. Sasuke’s screams. Needles. Ice. Fire. Tears. Fog. Hate. ~You couldn’t even protect your mate…~ Naruto screamed as the body turned lax, and heavy, thick crimson spilled from pale lips. His tears wouldn’t stop, and the raven wouldn’t open his eyes no matter how hard he gripped him, nor how hard he screamed his name. The only person who understood him, who was like him, was dead. And it was his fault. Demon. Monster. Thing. Fox. Kyuubi. Blood.
Why was there so much blood?
-3-
Agony. It was cold, and dark, and filled with blood. No matter where he turned there was unrelenting silence and mud caked its way up his tiny legs and festered in his open wounds. He had been chased off again, his landlord drunk and not aware of his actions. The pain from the blows still throbbed with his heartbeat and he walked with a limp, favoring his twisted ankle. He’d stopped crying hours ago when he realized that no matter how long or hard he screamed no one was going to come and save him from the hell that was his life. The eight-year-old knew far too well the reality that was life. As soon as he was old enough to understand and read words, the Hokage had placed him in the academy. The youngest child there, at the age of six he’d been ostracized, but he was already used to that. He was placed in a small one-room apartment under the order and protection of the Hokage himself, and had quickly learned that the village did not like him. It made buying food difficult when the clerks pretended not to even see him. He never received change. Ramen was becoming his main source of nutrition. It was cheap, a staple food, packed with carbohydrates that kept him going, and came in many flavors that delighted him. Yes. He was far too used to this treatment to cry anymore, though inside he was screaming. The place smelled bad, he realized the deeper he slunk down the street. He knew that he was close to the police station, and that meant he was close to the Fan Clan—he could never remember the family names, but knew that the law enforcers bore the crest of a wooden festival fan—and wondered why it smelled so heavily of copper. His nose wrinkled in distaste, and then he heard the scream. The cry made his hair stand on end, and his every nerve sing with tension. He knew that sound, that painful distressing plea for help, and it made his stomach knot up to hear it and not taste it. He turned in the direction it came from, noticing the darkness that hung there, where not even the pale moonlight seemed to wander. The smell was thicker down that way, and some internal feeling told him not to go. It made his knees quake and buckle. He didn’t want to go down there, but he had no place to go to escape, and he couldn’t leave that voice alone, not when he knew the consequences of not being saved. His motions were hesitant but gained confidence the more he traveled. People were laying down on the ground, and he tried not to think of what that meant, choosing to believe they had all just passed out from excessive drinking. It was close to his birthday after all, which meant the Kyuubi Festival was just around the corner. Another year, another party, another class, another year with Iruka-sensei. Naruto tried to think of those things when he came to a large house. Something about it seemed darker than even the night-shadowed streets, and the endless silence that surrounded the place. The scream had come from here, he was certain, but now he didn’t know if he could go inside or not. He didn’t know how long he stood there staring before he finally walked inside, but the tang of rust, a smell he knew well to be blood nearly choked him when he slid the shoji door open and placed a single muddied foot upon a slick floor. The walls were streaked, splattered with filth and the child worried that perhaps a wild animal, or maybe a demon had torn through the home. Would he find it feasting on a corpse? There was someone in the next room, the shoji door was ajar and a slice of darkness gaped out at him. He stared at it just waiting for a monster to jump out and devour his soul, but when only the soft sounds of crying were heard, he approached. His eyes adjusted quickly, easily seeing in the deep blackness and the blood and lifeless bodies in the room were the first things he noticed. Stumbling, he wondered if he should run back for help, but at the same time, he knew it would be useless. Everyone was sleeping here. And no one would ever wake up. A small thing moved on the floor, and that was when he caught sight of the boy. The dark hair nearly hid him from sight along with his clothes, and when he let out a pitiful sob, Naruto found himself flying across the room to the other’s side. “Hey, hey, are you okay?” Naruto asked, voice quieter than usual in case the monster responsible for the carnage came back. The boy didn’t answer but he clung tightly to Naruto’s hands when he touched him. “Mom… dad…a… Ani…aniki…” The words were a broken whisper and it didn’t take a genius to guess who the bodies in the room were. Naruto felt his chest tighten with sad understanding. He was just like him. “C’mon, we need to get out of here before whatever did this comes back.” Naruto shifted closer, wrapping his small arms around the quivering form. Pale fingers curled and lost themselves in his shirtfront, smearing dark liquid upon the white and turning the orange swirl into an unidentifiable mess. Pushing to his feet, he stumbled, legs shaking from the added weight, and he grappled trying to find a better hold on the boy. He was slipping from Naruto’s grip when a figure suddenly loomed above him, large hands reaching down to pull the boy up. Naruto let out a startled cry and wrapped himself more securely about the child, burying his face in the dark hair. “No! He’s mine, let go!” Naruto started fighting, kicking and biting as the hands tried to pull him from the one he’d found. He would save this boy, he had decided that the moment he’d seen him move. They were going to be friends, they would understand each other and be their new family, together. He didn’t care if this monster, enemy Nin, or demon wanted to eat them, he would kick its butt and save this little family he had, even if it was just in his own mind. “I’ll kill you! Don’t touch him!” Naruto was still screaming angrily when the hands slowly lowered both him and his friend to the floor. A little stunned he quieted, his grip pressing the pale face into his neck and shoulder, his fingers securely tangled in the dark shirt with the red and white crest embossed on the back. Blinking down at the unharmed child, Naruto glanced up and behind him. There was a Ninja, from the hitai-ate it was obvious the long, dark-haired shinobi—Anbu from the look of it—was from Konoha, and therefore not a threat, though his insides said otherwise at the glow from red eyes with three black spots; empty voids in blood. He bit his lip, glancing away and saw the way the scene must look to an outsider. The entire clan—a respected and loved clan—slaughtered save one small boy and the evil child no one liked, grabbing him and calling him his. Naruto gasped and looked up frightened into red eyes. “This isn’t… you have to help, someone… something…” Naruto looked around the room for emphasis before returning. “Please, help me save him.” Naruto pleaded with the man who should have been masked but was not, cold, calculating eyes ripping him apart in silence. Naruto was used to being ignored, and was used to being shunned and hated, his desperate requests denied, but he tried anyway. Silence followed for sometime before the dangerous Anbu with the red eyes stepped forward and lifted the pale boy into his arms. He stood staring at Naruto for several moments before lifting an eyebrow in question. Naruto broke into a wide grin, a warm feeling spreading in his chest. “Thank you so much!” Naruto cried, leaping to his feet and grabbing a hold of the Anbu’s hand, the one cradling the other boy’s shoulder, and lead him back to his small apartment, the only safe place he knew of. He would never see the Anbu again. He would never know it was the monster who had caused his first friend such misery that was the first person to ever help him. All Naruto knew at that time was that the red-eyed man had helped him save the one person who might understand him. And in the three days before the Hokage found him and took his precious Sasuke from him, he was grateful to that quiet man. When he quieted Sasuke’s crying with a clumsy kiss to his forehead, and when he was there to calm him and ask his name when dark eyes opened for that first time, Naruto thanked the man over and over again in his mind. He had no way of knowing that in a short four years he would meet that same man and curse his existence. But he hardly remembered those days anymore. They were but a dream now. A sad, lonely, dream. “…Sasuke…”
-3-
“Sleep Dobe, I’m here.” The deep voice was covered in a haze of foggy sleep, and Naruto struggled through the layers of it, desperate to see that face. He could clearly see it in his mind from where it slept angst the shoulder of another Anbu as he screamed and sobbed, pulling on the old man Hokage’s robes, begging him not to take Sasuke away from him.
There was a cool hand on his forehead, soothing and nice and it tried to lull him back into sleep, but Naruto wouldn’t have it. “S…. sa…s’ke…” He choked out of a dry throat. The hand stopped its motion and Naruto managed to force his eyes open.
The world was blurry, but he could still make out the dark eyes above him framed by a pale face.
Sasuke… my… family. He’s safe… safe… Naruto felt his eyes water, and the tears leaked out from the corners of his eyes to run cold down along his temple. He could see those eyes widen under the silver light that the moon provided and tried to give him a smile.
Vaguely, he recalled that he had wronged his friend. He didn’t know why he’d done it. He’d just been watching him sleep and trying to figure out why he’d been so angry at Sakura for climbing all over Sasuke, and before he knew it he was thinking about the Kyuubi and then about Sakura’s comment on marking people and then…
“’m s’ry s’ke.” Naruto slurred, trying to apologize and watched as that blurred face took on a pained expression, the hand rubbing his forehead softly.
“… sorry… for…mad… I…”
“Shut up, usaratonkatchi.” Sasuke’s voice was soft, kind and full of emotions Naruto had never heard in his voice before. “Just, sleep, everything will be better in the morning.”
Naruto smiled, finding it odd that Sasuke would tell him that. It seemed so very at odds with how Sasuke usually acted that Naruto was inclined to tease him for it, but never got the chance as Sasuke leaned over quite suddenly and pressed a kiss to the center of his forehead.
His chest felt tight, and it ached from the action. It was something he’d always wanted, something he’d always acquainted to family, and that small thing filled Naruto with a warmth he couldn’t describe.
“Sleep Naruto. I’m here.” The words weren’t spoken so much as they were mouthed against his skin, and Naruto tried to snuggle into the contact, releasing a sigh of contentment.
I’m dreaming… this is a good dream. Naruto thought, ignoring the annoyed, angry rumble from his mind as an aggrieved Kyuubi paced the length of her cage. He was too happy to care, or to worry about the chill that passed over him as Sasuke’s chakra moved away, nor to ponder the way the bed sheets where the other had sat were damp and smelled like rainwater and mud. No, Naruto simply enjoyed the dream and pushed all other concerns far from his mind.
He didn’t even notice when Sakura ran by following the wet trail Sasuke had left in his wake.
Naruto slept.
-3-
“Naruto!” The weak cry had him jumping up in bed with a snort. He’d been harshly yanked from a deep sleep and was only half conscious as he turned and pulled the wild-eyed boy beside him into his arms, fingers carding through tangled black as he whispered to him. These were all things he’d seen mother’s do, and the actions came easily to him when dealing with the last surviving Fan Clan member. “Shh, I’m here Sasuke, it was a dream, you’re safe. Shh, it’s okay.” Naruto wasn’t even sure what he was saying anymore, the panic and adrenaline from his abrupt awakening was fading quickly and it left him drowsy. God, what time was it? The sun wasn’t up yet, so it was not yet five, and Naruto let out a sigh, he could guess what time it was. Sasuke seemed to be creating a habit of waking up at three in the morning sweating, screaming, and crying. Naruto couldn’t blame him, assuming the boy had seen the horrendous slaughter that Naruto had had a glimpse of, but this habit was murder on his mind. “All of them! He—he… why? Aniki… why… mother… father… and… and… why?!” Sasuke clung to his shirtfront, incoherently babbling and crying. Naruto knew from experience that Sasuke wouldn’t remember this when he woke again in the morning—sometimes Naruto wondered if the raven would remember any of this when he’d finally fully recovered, he acted like a zombie during most of the day. If it weren’t for these times when he screamed his name, Naruto would have been certain the other didn’t even know who he was—and tried not to think too hard on the boy’s words. If Sasuke wanted to tell him his terrors, he’d tell him later when he was fully aware. Until then, Naruto would just remain by his side, like he’d always wanted someone to be for him. “Shh, its okay now, it’s not happening now, you’re not alone. Sleep, I’ll protect you, okay? Sleep.” The soothing glide of his fingers through dark hair seemed to do the trick as the sobs quieted and the grip on him loosened. Deep, tormented eyes closed in exhaustion. Naruto smiled gently and continued the gentle motions until he too fell back to sleep. He awoke next to three Anbu and the Hokage.
-3-
~Kit, wake up. You’re mate is being stupid like the rest of your pathetic race.~ Naruto tried to ignore the prodding, incessant voice in his mind, and tried to return to the warm bed with the soft body held close against him.
~
Kit, not that I care, but I really do not feel like putting up with your emotional bullshit. Get up, breed with him, have his pups and be done with it.~ God, that sound was annoying and it seemed the deeper into the darkness he tried to hide, the louder it became. Deciding he would try a new tactic, Naruto moved the other way, and the voice became quieter, but in its place came muffled arguments and crying.
Sasuke! Still trapped by his dreams, Naruto turned, reaching out for the small boy so broken and hurt, and nearly fell off the bed. Eye’s flying wide he jerked back keeping himself stabilized on the edge and was met with a world of white.
What the hell? Where… ~You truly are the stupidest being in existence aren’t you?~ Kyuubi’s annoyed drawl was like a bucket of ice water—not to mention the sudden bombardment of memories the bitch decided to regale him with. Seemed she was tired of speaking to him and just wanted him to get moving. He couldn’t much blame her—and Naruto sat up looking around the sterile room.
“…and then he was gone! He just left me there on the bench and… and…” Sakura’s voice was heavy with guilt and despair, and drew his attention to her. She was just outside his room, he could see half of her profile. She had some mud on her face, and in her hair. Her shoulders were hunched and shook with sobs as she wiped angrily at her cheeks.
Naruto couldn’t see who she was talking to, but the chakra signal told him it was Kakashi.
What’s going on? ~Check for your mate kit, that should tell you a lot.~ You’re in a chipper mood this morning aren’t you? Kyuubi shut up, the prospect of a conversation killing her urge to snap back, and Naruto smiled to himself pleased that his presence could cause such disdain to the beast.
She deserved it for all the hell she put him through.
“Please, Sensei, you have to stop Sasuke! He’s going to get himself killed!”
Naruto turned cold, his chest turning tight at Sakura’s words, and finally did as the fox had been yelling. Stretching out his senses, and using just a bit of Kyuubi’s power, he quickly scanned the village.
His action startled Kakashi and brought him into the room, which in turn made Sakura start, and her wet green eyes locked on Naruto before she ran at him, throwing her arms around him.
“Naruto! Oh, thank god you’re okay!”
“He… he’s gone.” Naruto whispered, his voice somehow unable to raise any further than it was. He was in shock, and the numb feeling was spreading quickly.
He’d been abandoned.
Sasuke had left him.
He was unwanted, completely, even by his own family.
~Just slit your wrists and be done with it, you unwanted spawn of an ill begotten rut.~ Painful anger rushed through him, stinging the numbness and forcing it back harshly.
Shut up! You don’t know… just, shut up! ~Oh, you poor little human, your mate left you, why not just sit there and waste away. Please, I have better things to do than play on your pitiful emotions. Drag your mate back and show him who owns him. Or are you too male to even understand that?~ Naruto clenched his teeth against the continued insults and tried not to think too hard on Kyuubi’s last statement.
I am male, damn it! You’re the parasite that’s making me a royal fuck up! ~Oh don’t be so humble, you did that all on your own, you were born a fuck up.~ Your trapped in said fuck up ~Which is why I curse my existence daily.~ “Naruto…” Sakura’s sad voice brought him from his inner argument. Turning he found that the pinkette had averted her eyes, and her hands that lay over his arm trembled. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t stop him… he… he said…”
“He supposedly can’t wait any longer and can’t grow stronger here.” Kakashi stated coldly when it became apparent Sakura wasn’t going to finish her statement.
“… Can’t get…” Naruto glared, a deep hatred growing in his gut. He knew it shouldn’t be so strong a feeling, but he couldn’t stop the building emotion that tore at his heart. It seemed every little thing had a huge effect on him at the moment, as though his emotions had become hyper sensitive, and at the moment he
needed to beat the Uchiha into the ground.
Can’t get stronger my ass! He’s just running away again! ~Yes, he is, so glad you finally caught up~ Shut it, bitch. ~How original. Now, are you going to stop being a whiny, simpering male and act the part you should?~ What? ~You’re a bitch in heat, act like it! Bring your male home and rut him back to his senses. You’re human, tie him down with his kits. He wants them doesn’t he?~ “Oh dear god!” Naruto cried aloud, grabbing his head in horror at the words that escaped the demon’s mouth, it was nearly effective enough to kill the budding rage inside him. “You filthy, monster, why would you even
say that?”
“Excuse me?” Kakashi sounded amused, and slightly disturbed by the outburst, and Naruto colored in embarrassment and murderous intent filled him at Kyuubi’s pleased rumble.
She truly lived to piss him off.
“…N—nothing.” Naruto grumbled looking down at his hands fisted in the white sheets. “We have to stop him.” Naruto said with conviction, his insides twisting harshly in rebellion. He wouldn’t let Sasuke leave him like this, not without a single explanation, reason, or word of goodbye.
“Well, that is the consensus.”
Naruto jerked around. How could Kakashi remain so damned calm, why was he even here while his student was running off to god knows where? “What the hell, lets get going then.” Naruto snapped, throwing the bed sheets back and attempting to stand from the bed.
“Naruto, wait, you just woke up—“
“I’m fine Sakura, lets get going before that bastard decides to do something really stupid, like sell his soul or something.”
The silence was deafening.
“… you can’t be serious.”
“Sadly, brat, it is true.” Tsunade’s voice came from the doorway as she entered the room, following her were Shikamaru, Chouji, Neji, and Kiba. The Dog nin kept his eyes averted, his posture showing shame. “Seems that he has decided to accept Orochimaru’s offer, and we have very little time before he slips through our fingers.”
“Then we have no time to waste!” Naruto cried, again trying to leave the bed, but was stopped by Kakashi’s hand on his shoulder.
“We don’t, and we’re already working on it, so calm down.” Tsunade replied, her voice sounding warm and soothing. Naruto despised the sound in that moment.
“If you’re here then how exactly is it being solved, huh? And why the fuck are you stopping me Kakashi?!” Naruto jerked from the grip and was promptly thrown back on his bed. “The hell?”
“Look brat you’ve been out for nearly twelve hours, your little problem is also affecting your judgment, and you are mentally exhausted.” The Hokage listed off boredly, as though these things were common knowledge. “You will remain here…“
“But—“
“…and Shikamaru’s team will head off after Sasuke.”
Naruto pouted, looking over those assembled behind her. That must be the team mentioned. Neji he knew stood a chance, and Shikamaru put even Sasuke to shame in the brain department, but Kiba had just been defeated by him, and Chouji…
“Baa-chan, I don’t think—“
The blond woman smiled sadly down on him, placing a loving hand upon his head and rubbing. Naruto shivered at the feel, and found that he recognized it, and smiled realizing that she must have been watching over him as he slept. “We’ll bring him back to you brat. That’s a promise.”
Naruto looked up at her and held her golden eyes with his own. She had yet to lie to him, and he knew that she would move mountains—quiet literally—to see that he was happy, and gave her a steady nod.
He trusted her.
Kyuubi snorted derisively in his mind, but Naruto chose to ignore her altogether. “Okay, I’ll wait here.”
“Good. Well then, what are we all waiting for, we have a stupid Genin to bring home.”
The chorus of ‘yes’s’ was baffling to the blonde, and just like that he felt like crying. How long ago had it been when he’d had nothing? Nothing but the small delusional hope he saw in a broken child he’d been unable to keep by his side? Sasuke didn’t even seem to remember that time he’d spent with Naruto, and if he did, he said nothing about it. Naruto had been alone so long, but now, now he seemed to have more people that cared for him than he’d ever hoped to dream for.
The burn of tears was really starting to annoy him.
“Naruto?” Sakura asked, a gentle hand going to his back, and he jerked, blinking suddenly and let several tears fall quickly over his cheeks. He was startled to feel them and lifted a hand to feel the moisture himself. “Are you okay?”
A hush had fallen over the room, and he could feel everyone’s stares burning holes into his body. He felt his face heat uncomfortably and scrubbed at his eyes in annoyance, but the emotional upheaval only made more tears fall, and that absurd itchy feeling in his nose to intensify.
“I’m… I’m fine. Nothing… nothing to worry over…” Naruto choked on the lump in his throat and let out an aggravated noise as he buried his face in his hands and just gave into the wetness that refused to stay locked inside. ‘D—damn it!” Naruto choked, and felt a weight dip the mattress as a slender arm wrapped around his shoulders.
The soft smell of fire, like the lingering traces of a fresh cooked meal, and something floral and fake; a perfume, jasmine if he remembered correctly, let him know it was Sakura and he tried to get control of himself.
“Its okay, just let it all out. Sasuke will be back before you know it and you can kick his ass into the ground for putting you through this okay?”
Naruto let out a shuddering cry, unbelievably grateful for her understanding when he himself was completely confused by his actions. Sakura patted his back and continued to smile gently, the uncommon, and very surprising support in his moment of chaos and confusion.
“I… I’ve never seen him cry before…” Chouji’s voice was barely discernable, and from the silence that followed his statement it seemed the other’s in the room all shared his thought. Naruto pretended not to hear and hid further in his hands wishing that the others would just leave. He already felt like a looser, and more than a little like a freak because of his simpering, it didn’t help that the issue had just been confirmed by another.
“Kakashi, find Iruka and bring him here. He’s probably going crazy with worry by now, and I’m certain Naruto could use the visit.” Again, that female intuition struck again, and Naruto was both grateful and a little wary of it. Women really were confusing, and terrifying creatures, and he was stuck between them and the safer, easily understood men. Why did his life have to suck so much?
“Yes, Hokage-sama.” Kakashi said, and then vanished in his usual puff of smoke. Naruto had once wondered how lazy the other man was to never seem to walk anywhere, but now he was grateful for the quirk. He really needed to see his old teacher.
Sakura was a much appreciated help, but he needed a male to support his slowly shattering masculine mind, and having a griping and complaining female in his mind telling him he was, ‘a pathetic excuse for a living organism’ while being comforted by another female was helping very little in that department.
“The rest of you, don’t let me down.”
Neji nodded, his pale eyes locking on Naruto’s hunched form with a kind of determination none of them had seen since Naruto had ‘broken’ the bars to his gilded cage. “He’ll come home with us, one way or another.”
It was an oath, and Naruto nodded in response, giving the Hyuuga a smile.
“Troublesome, but it’d be worse if he actually left.” Naruto made a sound that was a little distressing to his masculinity and he rubbed at his eyes to cover it up.
“Well then, go.” Tsunade stated, turning once to Naruto and pushing his bangs back to place a kiss to his forehead, “welcome back, brat.” And then she had turned and left the room, presumably to con her perverted teammate into aiding their search. Naruto knew this, because Tsunade could not leave the village herself, and trusted no one more than the toad-sage she swore she hated.
Jiraya was a pervert, but he too was reliable. Naruto sniffled, willing himself to calm. Everything was alright, better than all right even, and soon he could beat the answers he needed from Sasuke’s face, and redeem his supremely girly display from moments before from the ass-hole’s hide. Then, life could move on.
~How disgusting, leaving the retrieval of your mate to the others in your pack. I think you just sank lower than the sea slug~ Would you just go back to ignoring me? And for the last damn time he isn’t my mate! ~… why is it humans are so stupid?~ Kyuubi lamented in his head, as though posing this question to the gods.
~What is that word… denial? What kind of backward species would ever lower themselves to create such foolish—~ Naruto managed to slam the link between them shut as the fox started it’s—what would be long and vicious and unmercifully circling—monologue and came back to the present to find Kiba standing before him, eyes still locked on his toes, and shoulder’s hunched. The posture reminded Naruto of a puppy waiting to be kicked.
“Kiba?” Naruto questioned, and the boy flinched.
“Look, I know I need to get going and all, but, I…”He paused, and ran a frustrated hand through his hair, knocking his hood back in the process. Naruto had never seen him without his hood. He looked… different.
Naruto turned to give Sakura a questioning look, an action that had become second nature between himself and Sasuke. They often communicated best without words or with their fists. Not the conventional way, but better than nothing he supposed.
Sakura gave him a kind smile that hand on his back continuing its soothing circles. It told him absolutely nothing. Inwardly he sighed, missing Sasuke even more just because Sakura couldn’t speak non-verbal.
Never thought I’d miss that about him… “Look man, about before, when I asked about… well, you know,” Kiba waved a hand as though gesturing to the thing they’d discussed. Naruto figured it was a bright action, considering it was his body they had last talked about, but didn’t mention it.
“Yeah.” Naruto stated, trying not to sound too bitter about it. Honestly he’d forgiven Kiba long ago. After all, he hadn’t meant to be cruel, it was something out of the ordinary and to normal people—hell to Naruto himself—it was a gross change, so he really couldn’t blame Kiba for saying it.
Kiba cringed and finally looked up, remorse in his eyes. “I didn’t mean it the way it came out. I was talking about the whole… well blood thing, and the fact that you, a definite male, had to put up with…” Again his hands waved, “all of
that.”
Naruto smiled, and nodded. “Yeah, I know.”
“You do?” Kiba sounded both relieved and shocked.
“Yeah, I do.”
For a moment, they just stared at each other, silently measuring the other up, and seeing if what they thought had been true. Sakura fidgeted a little, looking between them as though uncertain of how to proceed, but was saved the trouble as Kiba broke into a wide grin.
“Right then, I better go drag the Uchiha-prick back for ya. When I get back though you wanna spar, or maybe catch some ramen?”
Kiba usually wouldn’t ask, he’d just tell him to meet him there, but considering everything that had happened between them, his hesitation made sense.
“You’re buying.” Naruto said with a smirk, and Kiba let out a bark of laughter.
“Yeah, right. See ya, Naruto.” And with a wave, Kiba was gone.
He let the sigh go, and slumped against Sakura slightly.
Having a period—problem, it was called the problem now and forever—was tiring. Emotionally he was shot, and yet he could feel that the slightest thing could send him spiraling off again, physically he felt like shit, and mentally…
Naruto was puzzled. Mentally he was a wreck, and that was to be expected after facing Itachi’s lovely little Jutsu, but the funny thing was, Naruto was certain he’d been the same before Itachi’s attack. So, what did that mean exactly?
“Well, that went well.” Sakura stated with an affectionate hug. Naruto glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She really was a different person when it came to his emotional breakdowns. It was mildly concerning.
Naruto really didn’t want to become anymore feminine.
“Hey, Sakura…” Naruto started, but didn’t have a chance to ask her if his mental state was just another side affect of the cycle thing, as Iruka turned into the room at a fast clip.
Brown eyes searched him out quickly, locking on his blue and assessing the damage with a look, before a small understanding smile spread over his face. “Hey, Naruto, glad to see you among the living.”
The fatherly concern on that face made Naruto’s chest tighten, and just like that the waterworks started again. Like an immature child he extended both arms toward his academy teacher, reaching out, pleading for a hug, and he started bawling loudly when strong arms enclosed him.
The smell of sweat, ink, paper, and the stale scent of the academy itself clung to the scarred man, and it acted like a cocoon for his frazzled nerves. Finally he felt that rare bit of contented safety, and his mouth opened and out came the word vomit.
“Iruka-sensei! Sasuke… he left and… but the Hokage took him from me, and Kyuubi keeps being a little bitch and I can’t stop crying and, there was so much blood! God it smelled so bad, but I couldn’t just leave him there! I couldn’t, and he was mine, and they took him, but everyone is here, and they said that…that they would bring him back…Iruka, they, they’re all here for me… I’m, I’m not alone anymore.” Naruto started dry heaving in his attempt to breathe and he felt the shocked concern in the tension of Iruka’s arms and the large hand that patted is back in an attempt to get him to breath.
Naruto clung to Iruka and gasped for breaths for several moments, no longer certain of what he was saying, but it felt so good just to let it all out, and now that he’d started he just couldn’t seem to stop. He didn’t want to cry in front of him, in fact he doubted Iruka had ever seen him cry like this, actually he was certain he hadn’t because Naruto hadn’t cried as hard as this since the first time his landlord had beaten him in a drunken rage.
But he simply couldn’t stop.
“—and the stupid hag won’t let me go after him. He’s
mine damn it! My family, I saved him, I brought him home, he’s mine! God damn these fucking hormones!”
Iruka laughed at that, practically dragging Naruto into his lap as he rocked him. “Yeah, those are quite the annoyance aren’t they?”
Sakura had remained quiet at his side, most likely concerned with whatever babble had escaped him in his regurgitation of thoughts and emotions far too chaotic to cling too anymore. When he sniffled—rubbing his face off on Iruka’s shoulder, smearing tears and snot into the fabric—and met her eyes she seemed contemplative, and sadly thoughtful.
She forced a smile when she noticed his stare.
“That’s normal in case you were wondering.” She spoke, and a giggle escaped.
“You sure, cause I think I just threw up my brain…”
Her smile turned genuine at that and she pushed her fingers into his bangs. He had been right, the action was very soothing.
“Yep, completely normal. It’s something we girl’s call venting.”
“I thought the technical term was ‘bitching’.”
“Watch it, blondie.” Sakura teased, her green eyes dancing, and Naruto let out a waterlogged chuckle. He was glad Sakura had stayed with him, and grudgingly he thanked Tsunade in his mind. The hag had been right in announcing his condition to his teammate, even if she had blabbed. If Sakura hadn’t known he doubted he’d be as comfortable in his own skin as he was. Yes, he was glad Tsunade had told her, and had kept Sakura’s punishment to a minimal. Though completing fourteen D rank missions on her own seemed almost cruel and unusual to him, but it was a light punishment considering that she had disregarded the Hokage’s direct order of silence.
“Thank you, Sakura.”
His words seemed to startle her and she stared at him in confusion for several moments, fingers stalled in an upsweep in his hair. “For what?”
Naruto shook his head, unsure of how to word it himself. “Just, thank you… for everything. For being born.” Naruto gave a shrug feeling rather stupid for that outburst. Maybe Sasuke was on to something when he called him the ‘moron of morons’.
Sakura flushed prettily and lightly ruffled his hair. “You know, estrogen seems to have done you good, Casanova.”
“Hey, I was being serious!” Naruto cried in mock hurt, though his grin wouldn’t fade from his face.
“So was I. You’re Uzumaki PMS is the cure to all male stupidity.” Sakura proclaimed and received to startled cries of, “Hey!” From himself and Iruka. The girl just laughed.
The worry and itching urge to follow Shikamaru and the others was still prominent, but for the moment he could ignore it.
Tsunade baa-chan promised, and the others will bring him home. I just have to trust them, trust Sasuke. I just have to believe. Believe. There had never been a more difficult word.
-3-
Night had fallen. Iruka and Sakura had left hours before, certain that Naruto would sleep the rest of the night through, but he’d woken and simply couldn’t force his eyes to stay closed any longer.
Worries and concerns kept his mind spinning, and the incessant flow just would not allow sleep to come.
Sasuke… you idiot. Naruto looked out the window at the stars as though they could give him the answers to the questions he had, but they were silent, and remained the distant, cold, glow they always were. Naruto had always felt weird about stars. They were beautiful, but distant, brought hope but not warmth, gave a calming light, but hid more then they showed.
Depressingly, they reminded him of Sasuke.
“Damn, why can’t I just sleep?” Naruto whined to himself, needing to hear a voice, even if it was his own. “Why can’t you just leave me alone? ”His hands pulled at the golden strands, but the bite of pain couldn’t distract him.
If he wasn’t thinking about how much of an idiot the Uchiha was, he was remembering things about him—some he’d rather remain buried—and that only made him miss the little bastard, which Naruto
didn’t want to do, because Sasuke deserved to be hated, and beaten into the ground, or the Hokage monument, not to be missed and welcomed back with tears and a hug.
Naruto felt his stomach drop to his feet and he broke out into a cold sweat.
If I cry when I see him that’s it… I’m really slitting my wrists… no way will I live that down. Naruto shuddered, face scrunching up in distaste. His poor pride had taken a royal beating today.
From now on I’m claiming to have the plague when my problem starts. No leaving the house for me… no way, no how. The silence of the hospital was unnerving, and it made him uncomfortable when he consciously kept his mind blank. With a sigh Naruto gave up and let the memories invade.
It was pointless little thoughts, like the time he’d convinced both Sakura and Sasuke to join him in tilting his Hitai-ate over their left eye like Kakashi. That had been before their first real mission, and surprisingly hadn’t taken much convincing. In fact, Naruto was certain Sasuke had thought it fun as well, even though he hadn’t smiled.
Then there was the first time they had knowingly worked together against Zabuza. Their constant arguments made reading each other easy, and working together had seemed almost natural because of it.
Naruto smiled, scratching the back of his neck to rid it of an itch.
It’s so damn easy to rile him up. Just make it a competition and Sasuke would do anything. Naruto chuckled aloud when he remembered Sasuke’s face after he’d gone through with Naruto’s dare to read Kakashi’s little book.
He didn’t think the Uchiha would ever regain his natural color as it kept fluctuating between dark red and pale white. Naruto knew he’d never forget the way Sasuke had stuttered either. It was better than his reaction to Naruto’s idea of what Kakashi might be hiding under his mask.
Yep, make it a dare and the Uchiha would do just about anything to prove his superiority.
Hmmm, I wonder what it would take to get him to try the Sexy-jutsu. That would be funny… Naruto snickered, his mood lightened with the utter embarrassment and torture he cold put his best friend through, the jack-ass couldn’t complain much after the degrading performance he’d forced Naruto into with his little hissy fit.
Oh yes, this was going to be so very rewarding.
Naruto was plotting out the details for his persuasion to make Sasuke try his jutsu when the sounds began. There was a multitude of sounds in a hospital, but at night, in the recovery wing, it was quiet enough for creative minds—such as Naruto’s—to believe that death walked the halls waiting for some idiot to make a noise so that he could take their soul from their body. So, the fact that he could hear hurried footsteps, and panicked whispers were odd, and a little distressing. He could have pushed it off as a recovering patient taking a sudden plunge for the worse had he not recognized the chakra signatures, the same ones who should not be here without the one he was waiting to sense.
Blue eyes widened, pupils dilating as a cold sweat broke out over his body. They shouldn’t be back without Sasuke, but he couldn’t feel the raven’s chakra signature, and Neji, Chouji, and Kiba’s signatures seemed way too low to be normal.
They failed. Naruto’s breathing turned shallow and slowed, as if that could somehow stop this nightmare he’d consciously fallen into. Slipping from the bed Naruto moved to the doorway and peered out. The shadowed darkness reminded him of another time when he’d slipped through the night, scared, and helpless and it numbed in to the bone.
They promised… they said that they’d bring him back… His shallow breaths became small pants as his heart picked up speed in denial. He didn’t even notice as he raised himself to the balls of his feet, and bent his knees as he walked to lessen the sound of his footfalls, moving in as though expecting to be attacked.
At the end of the hall there was a lighted room, inside he could sense Tsunade and Shikamaru. The others were elsewhere, presumably in surgery or something just as dangerous and fatal. Naruto was worried, and that translated as anxiety the more he thought of why his friends—people he’d known were there but hadn’t realized just how close they were until yesterday—were in the conditions they were in, and that meant that they had been unable to bring back the Uchiha.
“I underestimated our enemy… they…” Shikamaru broke off. One would assume he was near crying but Naruto knew from hanging out with the boy that he had broken off to think of an easier way to express himself in as few words as needed, but the regret and self incrimination were clear, Shikamaru saw the failed mission as his fault.
“… there was really no way of knowing before heading in.” Tsunade sighed. Seemed this discussion had been going on for a while, she only sighed like that when she desperately needed her alcohol.
No… no… no… Naruto started to repeat the word continuously as though that could stop it from becoming anymore real.
“The Uchiha has passed out of our reach then.”
It wasn’t a question.
Naruto felt as though he’d just swallowed shattered glass. That tone, and the silence that followed were unmistakable. They were giving up, the promise made to him could not be with held. A part of him wanted to be upset, angry, hurt that they were breaking the one thing he ever expected of them, but he simply couldn’t.
He could sense how hard they tried, and that was more than what most had done for him. Sasuke was his responsibility, and so he shouldn’t have expected to just sit back and have someone else deliver Sasuke to him. Kyuubi had been right, it was a pathetic, childish, and honestly a ‘spoiled princess’ kind of move, and he was embarrassed to have made it regardless if he was the one who had been confined to bed rest or not.
Since when had he ever listened to what everyone told him to do? And since when had he been incapable of protecting what he saw as important?
~When you let someone kill your mate.~ Naruto inwardly snarled and turned violently from the door. He didn’t want to admit it, but Kyuubi was right. Naruto was letting everyone else carry his weight, and acting like some weak little girl. He may have female bits but he was a boy! A boy who was cusping on manhood and womanhood all at once. He was unpredictable and dangerous, and he would not wait to have his friend returned to him—or in this case be told it was too late to save him.
If they wouldn’t bring him back, Naruto would just have to break every bone in Sasuke’s stupid body and drag the ass-hole home himself.
~It’s sad that it took you this long to realize that, kit.~ Shut it. I don’t have time to argue with you, stupid fox. Naruto turned from the room, uncaring of what else might be said. He was worried about the others, but if he heard anything of their condition he knew he would be unable to focus on what needed to be done: saving Sasuke, and as quietly as he’d come he slipped away, as unnoticed as another shadow in the dark night.
-3-
He really wasn’t certain how he managed to get outside undetected with how chaotic his thoughts were, and he was certain he hadn’t bothered to try and mask his chakra, but didn’t want to tempt fate by asking.
The night air was cool still, not yet summer, but just passed the chilled bite of early spring. All the rain previously had made it damp and it was slightly unpleasant, but luckily he’d had the sense at some point in his escape to retrieve his clothes. If asked he would be unable to explain how he’d managed to do it at all, or even when he’d dressed, but that was all unimportant blither in the long run. All that was really important was that he was outside, dressed, and ready to leave at that moment.
Only problem now was finding Sasuke.
Naruto blinked.
He really hadn’t thought that far ahead.
Shit, where would he be? Naruto thought frantically, eyes scanning the forest surrounding Konoha and mentally mapping what direction lead where. There would be several ways to make it to Sound, but only one fast way. The only question was if Sasuke had taken that route or not.
~Waiting will only grater the distance.~ Kyuubi was being amazingly helpful, in an annoying way, and something about that unsettled Naruto. Something about the demon fox helping him in any manner just seemed fundamentally wrong, but he didn’t have time to worry or ponder over the demon’s reasons. He’d worry later, when he best friend was safe—as safe as a severely beaten person could be—in the walls of the hidden village, for now…
“Sasuke.”
Naruto’s breath colored the night with the name and in a flurry of motion, and a slight shift in the air, Naruto was gone from Konoha, and only the rustling leaves knew of his presence or cared of his passing.
He had until morning.
Tsunade would know then that he was gone, that was a certainty, he only hoped that she waited that long, for there was no guaranteed way to find the Uchiha fast. He only wished he’d had some form of beacon or honing signal for the bastard, but that would have been just a bit too convenient—
A coo.
The sound of the bane of his existence.
Naruto grinned at the irony that suddenly his saving grace would take the form of that damn animal stalking him. The idea that flittered through his mind was pure brilliance, and his hope flared to life in his chest.
“Fox, you fucking owe me.”
~…According to what foolishness did you derive that from?~ “You changed my gender, he’s made life hell. It’s a fare trade, now do your wacky animal thing and tell him something to make him hunt down Sasuke.”
~Do not order me around human. I can still kill you.~ “Us, fleabag, you can kill
us.”
~Your mother should have been killed at birth.~ Naruto rolled his eyes. He would have been offended if he knew who his mother was, but as far as he knew Kyuubi may as well have been his mother. He certainly hoped that wasn’t the case, because that would be the perfect topping for his shit-filled cake.
“At least my mother wasn’t an oversized gopher, now talk to it before it pisses on us and knocks your stupid ass into a coma.” To emphasis his point, Naruto took a step back as the fluffy bastard stepped up to him, red tail flicking from side to side as though attempting to show off.
Naruto really hated foxes.
Kyuubi growled menacingly in his mind, but Naruto ignored her and after a minute where he became aware of the peculiar buzzing sensation in his mind—a feeling that usually told him Kyuubi was extending her powers, not unlike a full body stretch—the fox before him suddenly bristled, tale fluffing out like feather duster.
It let out a low growl that sounded rather pathetic in comparison to Kyuubi’s rumble, and then it simply turned, scented the air and took off like red blur.
“Holy fuck! What you say to it?” Naruto asked, running swiftly in attempt to keep up. The damn thing was
fast.
~I feel it is better for your weak mind and fragile morals that I don’t tell you.~ In other words, it had to do with the ‘mate’ comment again.
“Right…” Naruto rolled his eyes skyward tracking the time by the moon’s progression before refocusing on the fluffy beast that would take him straight to his goal.
Sasuke… Sasuke… Sasuke… He could not fail.
Naruto narrowed blue eyes, and put on a burst of speed, the burn of his conviction warming his skin on his stomach and coaxing a large purr from his parasite. This time, Naruto would save that small boy, and he would keep him by his side, the rest of the world be damned.
-3-
There was a clearing.
A waterfall.
Two carved figures standing before each other in a standstill.
The Valley of the End.
Blue eyes narrowed, and he didn’t bother to mask his chakra as he stepped forward. The sun was rising, and it brought color to the thick clouds already rolling in to cover the sky.
The unhealthy feeling of warning was back.
“Naruto.” Sasuke’s voice was off, and the black marks that ran over his skin were mildly concerning. He thought he remembered something about the marks, but it escaped his memory at the time.
Something was wrong.
Something was ending.
“Sasuke!” Naruto stepped out.
Naruto’s world collapsed.
Why? Why is there so much blood? A.N. Woot, go Naruto and his simple chapters. *Grabs blond and snuggles him* you make writing a joy boy! Anyway, sorry there wasn’t much explanation, but like a said, Naruto spends less time in his own mind and more on the present. Sadly we are back to Sasuke’s POV in the next chapter, it will now be flip-flopped for the rest of the story. Thank you for your reviews, they make me smile and I had forgotten how much I missed your comments. Please leave more, and Sasuke’s chapte will be out shortly. Luckily there isn’t much to cover in the next chapter… but then again with Sasuke one can never be certain. Review.
