Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Misashi Kishimoto
A/N: This story was inspired by the Night World series by L. J. Smith. I've changed a few things here and there.
I have not abandoned my other stories….this plot bunny wouldn't leave me alone so bleh. :P
This story will contain: yaoi, cursing, violence and other slightly dark themes. Note the M rating.
Pairing: Kakashi/Iruka, among others...
Summary: AU. Yaoi. Umino Iruka had an average life. Really he did. Up until the foreboding notes started showing up with messages that threaten his life. Now if only he could figure out why he seems to have written them to himself.
Eternals: Heart's Desire
Chapter 1
The werewolves had shown up at Umino Iruka's first meeting with his newly appointed psychologist
He was there for the typical reason one usually employs a psychologist.
"I think I might be going crazy." He stated flatly before his bottom could even touch the couch he was about to sit on. Might as well break the ice now and maybe the blinking man opposite him would just send him some varied version of the happy pills he had heard of so he could just go home.
"Ah. I see." The hazel eyes blinked. Once. Twice. "And how does that make you feel?"
Iruka deliberated the question. "Insane. Unhappy. Irritated. Slightly homicidal—"
"Woah there!" the man chuckled and ran his hands through his hair before taking off his glasses to clean them with his shirt. "I was trying to lighten the mood! It was a joke. Making fun of myself, ya know? How the psychologist always seems to—"
"Oh." Iruka didn't laugh. He didn't feel like doing anything. He felt like saying what he had to say and then leaving. He scratched his nose. Lately the scar that had been on his face since as far as he could remember had been bothering him. It wasn't a feeling he could explain.
The psychologist looked at him with an odd expression before sighing. "Sorry, you're kinda my first patient…and well, yeah." Iruka said nothing and the man chuckled again. "Umm, let's see. My name is John Tanaka…and ah, I'll be your psychologist."
Iruka had known that. That's why he was here, in this little office building set basically in the middle of nowhere (stupid small towns!).
The man continued, ignoring Iruka's slightly put-out face. "Well, uh, okay then….let's talk." John picked up his notes from the table that separated psychologist and patient. He leafed through it before clearing his throat. "So Iruka Umino….male…nineteen years old…you want to be a teacher huh? Recently moved to the states to start college here….from Japan I see….smart….shy….everyone and their grandmother can't seem to help but fall for your charm—"
"What!" Iruka could feel his face heat up. "How—what! I only gave you my name and age! How did you—"
The man laughed nervously. "I called you. Caller I. D." He laughed nervously. Again. "A man named Minato picked up the phone. Said he was your uncle. He kinda started filling me in on stuff…he was uh, worried about you, ya know?"
Iruka felt his eye twitch even as his indignation died down. "He's a close friend of the family….kinda adopted me after—"
"Your parents died. I know." John's eyes were sympathetic and kind and—
"I. Think. I'm. Going. Crazy." Iruka bit out and then sighed. "Listen…you seem to be a good guy and all but please." Iruka pulled on his ponytail. "I need to….I need….help I guess."
John's demeanor changed and he became serious. Kind. But serious.
"Okay….what's the problem."
Iruka let out a breath and steeled himself. "I keep finding notes in odd places."
John looked puzzled. "Alright?"
Iruka huffed and reached into his coat pocket. He retrieved about five pieces of paper. He gave four of them to John and held onto the fifth one. "This was the first one. I found it in my copy of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The lines 'The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love' were circled too."
John frowned as he read the notes he had out loud. "'He's coming', 'one red, one black', 'break the cycle', and 'remember, remember, remember!'…well…whoever is writing these weird messages to you is certainly a poet." John muttered. "Who is sending them to you? If it's affecting you this much then we havta put a stop to it—"
Iruka bit his lips. "It's my handwriting." He said softly.
John looked confused again. "You're writing these to yourself? Why?"
"I'm not!" Iruka stood up from his seat and began to pace. "I don't know! I find them in odd places where I'm the only one who will certainly come across them! I don't remember writing them though! And I feel….like I'm being watched!"
John looked uneasy. "Alright…what does the note in your hand say?"
Iruka didn't have to look at it to say it. "Dead before twenty."
John winced and took up his notes again. He had a cautious look on his face. "Are you suicidal?"
Iruka stopped his pacing, startled. "No!"
"Oh, well, that's a relief." John's expression didn't look it however. "Wait…before twenty? You're nineteen…when is your—"
"Next week." Iruka groaned and slumped down on the couch again. "I'm going crazy! None of this makes sense!"
John's face looked pensive. "Umm…your English is excellent by the way. You know, for living in Japan your whole life and all…and…"
Iruka couldn't help glaring. "Future teacher."
"Right umm….let's see…so you're paranoid…?"
Iruka's retort was cut off as the doorbell to the small house-sized building was rung. John gave a hum before standing up. "Excuse me! Sorry, don't know who that could be…"
"Don't answer that." Iruka said weakly. John was already out the door however and in the hallway.
Well, I guess we've been found. Brace yourself.
Iruka groaned. So he was hearing voices now too! Great, he really was crazy.
"This is a waste of time…" Iruka sighed. He picked up his bag from the side of the couch and stood. He felt bad for doing this to John…but maybe if he ignored all these…happenings, maybe then they'd go away. Hopefully. He walked to the door John recently closed and was about to open it—
CRASH
Iruka turned around quickly and felt horribly sick when his body automatically shifted into some sort of fighting stance. He felt even worse when he realized what had happened.
A wolf had crashed through the window.
A snarling, growling and vicious wolf.
A GIANT black-haired, red-eyed, vicious wolf.
The letter opener on the desk! It's silver! Grab it! Now! MOVE!
The voice in his head sounded so cool and—
"AAAAHHHH!"
Iruka almost felt like crying when his body instinctively dodged the wolf's first attack and delivered a swift kick when it tried to pounce on him again. Somewhere deep inside however, he knew the voice was right. He scrambled to get the letter opener and cursed when the wolf knocked him into the bookcase situated in the room. He grunted as he felt something pierce his skin. A shattered picture frame.
The wolf growled and Iruka noticed something odd…
Could wolves look smug?
"Iruka! What's happening? The door won't open!"
John sounded terrified and Iruka couldn't blame him. He glanced at the door and noticed part of the bookcase had fallen sideways and couldn't help but groan at John's lack of carpentry skills. This was bad. This was very bad.
The wolf pounced.
Iruka used the picture frame as a shield to stop the wolf from tearing out his throat. The wolf seemed to know this and he knocked the frame away with its large head. Iruka gulped as the only (albeit pathetic) barrier between him and the monster who wanted to tear him to pieces was taken away.
Oh, hopefully his Will of Fire would be stronger the next time he was reborn…
CRASH
Iruka closed his eyes. Great…two wolves would have him for dinner tonight.
Iruka was so completely resigned to his fate that he failed to notice that the weight on his chest from the previous wolf had been shoved off. When he did notice, however, he sat up quickly only to come face to face with the new wolf.
This one was a bit smaller than the first and instead of black hair, it had brown hair. This wolf had strange red paint—or was that its real fur? It looked like two triangles under each of its eyes and why did it look like it was grinning?
The black wolf snarled and leapt at them. Iruka watched amazed as the brown haired wolf let out a howl before clashing with the other one. Iruka groaned.
Today….was not his day.
The silver letter opener is within reach! Grab it and help!
Iruka rolled and snatched the letter opener from where it had fallen the last time he tried to grab it. He held it like a dagger and tried to ignore the panic he felt as his eyes searched for an opening to attack the black wolf.
Aim for its heart!
Iruka's eyes narrowed as he crouched down, prepared to leap and help the brown haired wolf—
"DIE!"
Iruka came back to his senses and he dropped the letter opener as John came barreling through the door with…was that a sword?
The psychologist ran at the wolves and with a practiced swing, managed to injure the black haired one who gave a startled whimper. He jumped a foot away as did the brown haired one. Iruka, feeling defenseless, grabbed the latter opener again.
Throw it! Like a kunai!
Iruka barely had time to think before his body moved as the voice suggested and he hurled the letter opener at the black wolf.
It hit the beast's leg.
It let out a horrible, pain filled screech.
With one last snarl thrown Iruka's way, the wolf leapt out the window and disappeared into the trees surrounding the property. The brown haired wolf gave a howl, before seemingly leaping out the window in the same direction as the other one.
The room was deathly silent for a moment.
"Why do you have a sword?" Iruka needed the distraction…if only for a moment.
John's face was sweaty and he was panting. "Oh, this old thing? Family heirloom…I was kinda using it as decoration…never thought it'd come in handy." John sighed and gave Iruka a once over. "What the hell was that?"
Iruka shook his head as he looked down at his arm which was steadily seeping blood. He really had no idea. However…
He will be here soon.
XoxoxoXoxooxoXoxoxoxX
Review?