Red Star-Shooting Star; a SasuNaru Fan-fic (Yaoi intended)

Chapter 1: Ima Made Nande Mo: Business as usual

Overview of chapter: Naruto returns to Konoha from a long mission...

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any related people places or things… I just wish I did

AN: This is my very first fan-fic. It's probably a little slow paced, but I have 15 chapters planned. It is a fic where each title is named for a song I have in my MP3 collection from Naruto: Anime, OVA's, and Movies. It's mostly about Naruto and what he goes through…but in the end it will end up with a realization between Naruto and Sasuke. I will try to make characters behave accurately, but can't expect to get it perfect. I am posting this just because I want to, and I hope you enjoy it!

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A crisp wind ruffled the trees circumnavigating the hidden village of the leaf. The air smelled fresh and clear, it was another day as usual in Konohagakure. A group of birds suddenly burst up in a group of twining, writhing their feathered bodies as if startled from their peaceful roosts in the trees below.

In the city stood an impressive building with the Kanji fire above its doors. The Hokage building stood sentinel beneath the carved faces of the five Hokages of Konoha. "You called for me?" a smooth voice sounded from the mask covered mouth of the silver haired Jounin who had softly landed in a humble kneeling position after making his entrance through the open window.

"Have you seen him yet?" ask the woman seated behind the desk, clearly ignoring the insolent entrance of her subordinate. Her usually youthful face was drawn with creases of worry today, and her voice was soft and sounded tired.

The Jounin's head dropped to his chest and he closed his eyes. "No, Tsunade-sama. Not yet." He raised his head and stood striding to stand before the Hokage's desk. He looked at her slumped posture and noted the dejected air she exuded.

"Kakashi…" he barely heard his name as the sound escaped from her lips in a sigh. She opened her eyes and fixed her gaze onto the one eye that wasn't covered by the forehead protector the Ninja wore askew. Her lips were set in a grim line. She spoke again, louder this time, "Kakashi, he should have been here two days ago. I'm worried."

He'd known what she was going to say, but he also knew that it was good for her to get the words out. He feebly tried to offer some comfort and assurance. "I'm sure they merely got delayed on their way home. Suna's a long distance to travel from, and the desert poses many obstacles." He didn't say what was really on his mind. To voice his thoughts was to accept that it was a possibility. He couldn't bring himself to utter the foul name Akatsuki, or entertain the dark notion that their insatiable desire to capture the person they were both so concerned about could be the reason for their delay. The visible eye crinkled in a smile as a thought popped into Kakashi's head pushing aside all other darkness with its bubble of bright hope. "He's with Jiraya again, right?" he asked.

Tsunade looked at him over her folded hands and skewed one eyebrow in a gesture that commanded him to continue.

"Well, you know how Jiraya likes to visit the Hot springs for his 'research?'" At this Kakashi's hand involuntarily touched the orange covered book protruding from his back pocket, almost caressing it absently. "There's a new Hot Springs just opened between here and Suna, right on the border between the Fire and Air Countries. I'm sure that the temptation would be just too much for Jiraya to resist." He continued to grin behind his mask, for he was almost certain he'd just hit upon the reason for the delay in the squad's arrival.

Tsunade 'hmphed' grumpily. "If that's the case then I'll deal with that perverted old man myself for making me worry." The faint crinkle of a smile turning up the corners of her mouth belied her harsh words.

A soft thump bump was heard as the door to the room was shoved open and another ninja clad in Konoha's green flack jacket dropped to his knee before the Hokage, disrupting the strained atmosphere of the room. "Hokage-sama, I have news to report."

"A squad of four ninjas and Jiraya-sama have just entered through the Main Gate." He had spoken with his head bowed reverently to the leader of the village. When his message was greeted with an unexpected silence the Chuunin raised his head questioningly. He fell back onto his butt in surprise because the Hokage was no longer there and he'd never even heard her move. He looked to his left expecting to ask Kakashi when she'd left but was greeted with another empty space. He stood shaking his head in surprise as he noticed that he too had left in silence. He collected himself, glad no one was there to see him in his humiliation. He formed the hand seal and disappeared in a puff of smoke to resume his guard duties.

Tsunade reached the main street a mere second before Kakashi, who landed in the exact same spot where she had hit the ground. She stopped short as the tall lanky figure clad in bright orange turned to see who was behind him. "Baa-chan!!" the blonde called out in greeting.

The white haired man with whom the boy had been conversing before Tsunade and Kakashi's arrival grinned and said, "Tsunade, you look as beautiful as ever." His long bushy mane was blowing in the breeze. He nodded at the other and added, "Kakashi." with a nod.

The bubble-gum pink haired young woman grinned and greeted them enthusiastically, "Tsunade-sama, Kakashi-sensei!!" The other two men in the group looked on in silence. Their greeting was to smile, one sincere, one fake. The beautiful boy with jet black hair and insincere expression said nothing. The final companion looked on at the scene before him.

Tsunade had stalked in front of the blonde and was yelling at the top of her lungs trying to discover the reason for their tardiness. Finally Jiraya stepped between the two who were trying to out shout the other. "Tsunade, come on lets go get some saki and talk." The tone of his voice caught her attention, and she looked him directly in the eyes before reluctantly agreeing. As she turned to go she sent a last message to the boy, "Naruto…I expect you in my office first thing in the morning." Her eyes were kind and the boy could see the concern there. He stood with his mouth open ready to retort, but he had nothing more to say after that.

Tsunade and Jiraya walked off, leaving the rest of the group to try to decide what to do now. Yamato broke the silence by offering to walk Sakura, Sai and Naruto home. Kakashi offered to go with them much to everyone's surprise.

As soon as Sai and Sakura had been delivered safely to their house, Naruto turned to look from his silver haired sensei to his more recent black haired one. Kakashi and Yamato both looked at each other and then at Naruto. The blonde leaned his head back onto his hand and grinned. "So are you going to tell me about it?" Kakashi ask in his no nonsense tone.

"Kakashi-sensei, you know how it is." Naruto, as usual, was trying to make light of the situation. It was with effort that he even spoke, and Kakashi could see the bruising around his eyes. He grinned with that enigmatic smile of his, causing Kakashi to return the gesture automatically.

"Naruto."

Yamato spoke only one word, but it was all Kakashi needed to hear. Itachi. It was just as he had feared; Akatsuki had yet again located the boy; for that is how Kakashi still saw him, the boy who would always smile. The boy who brought a curious brightness with him everywhere he went. The boy who possessed the curious power to cause change in the midst of resistance. Kakashi had watched him grow, and had trained him as a young Genin. "Come on lets get Ramen, my treat." Kakashi offered suddenly.

If there was any other factor needed to convince anyone why Kakashi saw the blonde in front of him as still a boy it was this reaction to such a simple offer that convinced him.

Naruto jumped into the air and shouted, "Alright, Yay!! Ramen!! Come on slowpokes!" as he took off down the street to Ichiraki's Ramen stand. "I want Miso, and Pork, and chicken…and"

But whatever else he wanted was lost as he rushed off towards his destination. The two Jounin followed at a more respectable pace. "Yamato, what happened?" Kakashi ask clearly concerned.

"They ambushed us outside the new Hot Springs." Yamato stated matter of factly, "I'm glad Jiraya was there, but I've never seen Naruto so worked up before. He nearly took them out on his own." Yamato spoke, his voice showing how he was more in the memory of the fight than walking down the street in Konoha. "You would have been proud of him." He said finally, looking at Kakashi as they reached the ramen stand where Naruto was loudly pointing out what he wanted. Ichiraki was smiling and giving him a hard time about being gone so long, and how he had grown poor without his favorite customer.

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I think I'll stop there, that's a good place for the next chapter to begin. Yay my first chapter of my first fan-fic!! I intended to show how some things in Konoha had changed, but I am learning how the story takes a life of its own as you write it!! I'm sure it will develop as the story goes.

-Kneise