What Must Never Be Lost
Abby Ebon
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Note; this started with a challenge from KingofLoosePages; then it grew horns and a tail and freakin' danced the waltz when I happened upon a story by DarkCrimsonFlame3 and the story "A Treasure" where, in a chapter, the author tempted with a bunny then left it to imagination. I'm hoping that writing this will appease the plot-demon who has my "Song of the Caged Blackbird" and "In The Corner Of Your Eye" bunnies enraptured like the drooling tots who followed the Piper.
Note to self, Abby m'girl – do not deny the plot-demons! Noted.
Warnings; mentions of child abuse (neglect, manipulation of children) and the killing of "random" people by teenagers (and children) – mature audience preferred; eventual slash – which, by the way – is male on male romance. Also, ages of current main characters... Itachi – (thirteen) 13; Naruto – (eight) 8. So, it's the usual for me, my doves.
Beta; Kuro Ookami Hatake, (as of 10/29/09) who really did a great job working with this chapter.
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Where Sky Eyes Touched Flame
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"You four are such troublemakers!" Iruka exclaimed, his expression clearly frustrated – his hands were clenched into fists which hung at his sides. His voice was not quite yelling – yet – but still loud enough to catch their attention and hold it. Naruto couldn't help it – he giggled, Iruka's flower-white face twisted into a scowl.
"That's it – Naruto, I know you had something to do with this last prank, so come with me!" Iruka demanded in a tone that could not be mistaken for anything else but what it was – an order. Naruto opened his mouth to protest, but Iruka shot him a warning glare, and for once, he shut his mouth and came forward to stand at Iruka's side. The older man laid a hand on his shoulder, his grip impossible to escape and began to lead Naruto out of the classroom.
Behind him, before the door shut – he heard Kiba exclaim something, and Chouji's agreement, Shikamaru – Naruto knew – watched and studied everything silently. He was a lot smarter then he acted.
"W- what," Naruto's voice cracked embarrassingly and he paused to gather his words and put them forward, "what are you going to do, Iruka?"
"I've half a mind to throw you out of the Academy," Iruka hissed the words out threateningly, and Naruto felt himself go cold – his dream, he could never accomplish it if he was thrown out of the ninja school, "instead, I'm giving you over to a tutor – your grades are suffering, so you are more then eligible. Hopefully, he will also mentor you – there is hope for you if he does."
"W-who?" Naruto asked softly, mind scrambling to remember who he had seen around school that was not a teacher or student who he knew.
"Itachi Uchiha. You'd better hope he'll tutor you, or I just don't know what I'm going to do with you." Iruka stated, and Naruto swallowed, his chest aching at the thought of not having a place in the village.
Finally after a walk that seemed to go on forever, they came to a door that seemed to look both imposing and impossible. Iruka opened it easily, silently urging Naruto to follow – the blond did, and when he entered and looked up his eyes caught the red ones glaring at him from across the room. Naruto froze, but Iruka did not seem to notice.
"Itachi-sama," Iruka bowed to the youth, for he could not be more then five years older then Naruto – a kid, Iruka was bowing to a kid, Naruto felt his world tilt, "I know you are busy as the Captain of the ANBU, so I thank you for taking the time to come to the Academy and volunteer to mentor one of my students."
"It's nothing." The empty voice seemed to echo, and Naruto watched wide-eyed as the intimidating teenager stood.
"Is this the boy?" Itachi asked, his attention drawn to Naruto once more, when Iruka spoke, Itachi did not turn away. Naruto stood, rooted to the floor – it was like he was trapped by the red gaze that dared him to move. This, Naruto thought his hands feeling acutely sweaty, must be how a mouse feels before the snake strikes.
"Yes." Itachi tilted his head, and Naruto knew he was being measured – dryly, the blond swallowed and wondered what Itachi thought.
"What do you think? Is there any hope for him?" Iruka asked – it was likely meant to sound joking, but Itachi seemed to take him all too seriously. Naruto knew his future – his dream – rested upon this person finding him worthy to teach. He had intended to charm and impress him – but how could he do any of that when he could not so much as speak?
"Yes. I accept him as my student." Itachi stated softly, seeming to dare Iruka to disagree. The young teacher only smiled and shook his head – he knew Itachi liked a challenge, but he did not think the young ANBU Captain knew what he was in for.
"Then, I leave him in your hands." Iruka said, patting Naruto on his head – the blond looked up at him with pleading blue eyes, but Iruka ignored Naruto's silent pleas. This was a lesson that would be good for the boy; or, Iruka thought as he took one last glance behind him to the frozen blond and the wary Itachi, it may kill him.
Iruka shook the thought away and walked back to his classroom.
"What is your name?" Itachi asked very slowly, as if he thought Naruto an idiot. It sparked the young blondes anger, and frowning now – he flashed his teeth in a grin that showed his teeth in a not friendly way.
"Naruto Uzumaki, yours?" He asked in turn, Itachi's lips twitched into a smirk.
"Captain Itachi Uchiha of the ANBU." Itachi replied in kind, though he did not smile.
"What are you doing here mentoring at the Academy when you could be out there?" Naruto asked abruptly, unable to stand the thought of falling into awkward silence with the older youth. For a moment, Naruto thought he would not answer – but he did.
"My father thought it would be good for me, the Hokage, unfortunately, agrees." Naruto nodded as if he understood, but he did not – he had never had parents, and the Hokage while the only grownup who made an attempt to be pleasant to him – was a old man who had the whole of the Village of the Leaves to care for.
"Sucks to be you." Naruto muttered, Itachi could have almost smiled with the next lip twitch smirk thing, but Naruto doubted it.
"Agreed, now, I have some lessons in mind that will take place off school grounds – so I will need to meet your parents and have them sign these papers." Itachi told him while reaching into a vest pocket, pulling the folded forms from it and flicking them open with a smooth movement to show to Naruto. He squinted at them – they had red checks were there were supposed to be signatures.
"Come back tomorrow with them signed – or do not come back to the Academy at all – are we clear?" Itachi asked him, red eyes glared into his own, and Naruto swallowed nervously reaching out with his grubby hand for the papers tucked between Itachi's thumb and forefinger.
"I-it has to be a parent?" Naruto asked softly, the papers now in his hands. Maybe, he thought as he glanced down at them and to the floor beyond, I can forge my parent's signature…
How, after all, would Itachi Uchiha know the difference? There were a lot of people in the village and the ANBU Captain couldn't know all of them…
"Or your guardian," Itachi allowed seeing the boy's hesitance, "are we clear, Naruto Uzumaki?"
"I-I…I don't have either…I'm a…an orphan." Naruto blurted out, not daring to look Itachi in the eye.
"Is that all? Well, get the orphanage's director to sign it." Naruto knew he was in trouble now – Itachi knew the Hokage, and the old man would at least know which orphanage he had placed Naruto in. The thing was – Naruto had run away from the orphanage. The director was cruel to him, only allowing Naruto to eat last – encouraging the other orphans to tease and mock him – paying the least attention to Naruto when it had come to learning numbers and words.
"A-alright." Naruto agreed shakily, turning to leave. All at once, he was pressed to Itachi's front – one of Itach's hands was around Naruto's neck – the other kept him in place. Naruto felt the strength in those arms, and shook – feeling as if he were a newborn kitten. Weak –defenseless, helpless – all of those, and incredibly stupid, his breath caught in his throat – Naruto waited for Itachi to speak.
"Are we clear on the papers, Naruto?" Itachi hissed into his ear, and Naruto shuddered, nodded, and hoped that was enough for Itachi because he did not think he could speak. It felt as if something was stuck in his throat.
"Good boy." Itachi's tone had changed – it was almost as if he was pleased, purring the words out, all of a sudden Naruto found he was free – and Itachi was no where in sight.
Shakily, Naruto left – and didn't bother to tell Iruka good-bye, he felt betrayed by him. Why had his teacher left him in the clutches of that monster, after all, teachers were supposed to guild him – not throw him to the wolf when he became too unruly. He did not bother to wait until the students were released as he left, only then did it occur to him that Itachi hadn't told him where to meet him the next day?
Anger kindled within him – did the Uchiha think he was a quitter? That he wouldn't show up with signed papers? Naruto would prove him wrong. He'd get those papers signed – signed by the Hokage himself! Then Itachi would have to think better of him.
After much pleading and begging on Naruto's part, he had managed to get the Hokage to sign the papers. So it was with a lighter heart that Naruto went to the Academy, papers in his pocket and full of renewed determination to face Itachi and come away with the elder boys respect.
But Itachi was no where in sight, and slightly depressed, Naruto went to the swing. It was the only thing he could claim as "his" in the school, because he was the only one to use it – and the other kids were wary of him because of their parents.
Naruto thought it might have something to do with him being an orphan. Or maybe even who his parents were – he only knew that they must have died around the time he was born. Around the time of the Kyuubi attack, for he had no memories of them whatsoever.
Because of whatever it was that made his peers parents wary of him – Naruto had never really had any friends. Sure, there were Kiba, Chouji, and Shikamaru – but they only played pranks with him, they never wanted to talk to him out of school.
That was why, he supposed, he was taking Itachi's abandonment so hard – he had really worked hard to get the Hokage to sign those papers – and Itachi had just walked away from him without giving him a chance…
"There you are." Naruto tensed when he heard Itachi's voice, but other then that he showed no sign of having heard the older boy.
Naruto wasn't sure how he felt – pleased that at last someone was giving him a chance of proving himself – and maybe befriending him, or terrified that Itachi of all people were giving him this chance.
"What are you doing out here all alone?" Itachi asked then, having come up from behind him to stand beside the swing on which Naruto sat upon.
"No one really cares what happens to me," Naruto answered with a shrug unaware of the ruby eyes that had widened in surprise, "so I get away with a lot." Naruto finished, hand digging in his pocket for the papers – they were gone!
His eyes widened in panic, heart beating frantically in his chest. What would Itachi do to him if he showed up at the Academy without the papers at all – what could Naruto possibly tell him to excuse his papers gone missing?
"The Hokage apparently cares very much for you – he did sign these, after all." Itachi spoke, and Naruto felt cold – he'd done it on purpose – Naruto was sure. He glanced up at the teenager, who indeed held the papers, their eyes met, and Naruto glared.
"Stop that." Naruto demanded with narrowed eyes, Itachi looked honestly puzzled for a moment before his expression slipped back into the natural mask.
"Stop what?" Itachi questioned him, slipping the signed papers into his vest pocket.
"Stop freaking me out!" Naruto ordered shortly, as his skin began to feel as if it was crawling.
"I do not understand." Itachi said, and to Naruto – it sounded as if he was being sincere. Naruto chewed on his bottom lip as he thought about how to explain to Itachi what, exactly; it was about him that was "freaking him out".
"I get it – your skin crawling scary and bad ass powerful, but that doesn't mean you have do be so damned serious and threatening all the time! Your human too you know!" Naruto exclaimed, feeling as if he had hit the hammer with the nail.
"I shall keep that in mind." Itachi murmured softly, eyes distant. Naruto shifted his feet in the dirt – now he felt guilty.
"Sorry, it's not as bad as all that...I guess it just takes some getting used to." Naruto apologized with a sigh, Itachi's lips twitched in amusement or annoyance.
"I suppose it would – like following directions." Itachi stated, looking down at Naruto in a way that made it impossible for the blond to ignore him.
"What do you mean?" Naruto demanded, boldly looking up to glare into Itachi's red gaze.
"I asked you to have the papers signed by your parent – guardian – or the orphanage dictator. The Hokage is neither of those things." Itachi in such a way that Naruto knew he could not argue with him.
"Next time I ask you to do a thing one way – you will do it that way – voice any objections or harebrained ideas you may have when I ask you to do it – not after." Itachi continued in soft dangerous tones, red eyes gleaming as they narrowed.
"Understood, Naruto?" Itachi finished a little louder, and Naruto, his cheeks flushed in embarrassment at being lectured, looked aside.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever Itachi." The blond grumbled, looking as if he was pouting.
Itachi, for the first time in his life, felt like sighing in exasperation. Itachi had only had dealings with his younger brother who happily complied with whatever Itachi asked of him with as much effort as he could summon. The adults Itachi dealt with respected him for his power, name, and ability – they only questioned him when they had a suggestion, and most of the time Itachi's plan was the better one. He was, after all, a genius.
When it came to Naruto, Itachi wondered if he could cope. He liked a challenge though, and Naruto was assuredly that.
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DarkCrimsonFlame3 Challenge! Itachi/Naruto: Found in "A Treasure" ch. 15
"Itachi?" His father asked one day at breakfast. "I think maybe you should try doing something social." He stated. Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Like what?" He asked. His father squirmed under Itachi's intense stare. "Maybe work with some kids, you know, be a teacher." "Like a privet teacher for kids who need help?" Itachi asked, thinking of all the possibilities if he DID decide to work with some brats. "Well I guess, if that's what you want that is. Why don't you go down to Sasuke's school and ask the teachers?" Itachi stood up and walked out without a word. His father looked over at his wife. "Was that a yes?" He asked, his wife shrugged and went back to eating.
Itachi walked down to his little brothers' school. Kids were outside playing or training. He stopped to watch for a bit. 'Having to work with some of these brats? Would I be able to stand it?' He thought and turned but something on his right caught his attention. There was a little blond boy throwing kunai at a post. 'Interesting.' Itachi smirked and walked into the school. Iruka was just finishing up some marking when he saw Itachi walk in. "Oh hello Itachi-chan, what brings you here?" He asked out of curiosity. "I want to become a tutor." Itachi stated. Iruka almost fell out of his chair in shock. "A what!?" He shouted. Itachi didn't move from his place. "You heard me." "Oh, well I guess, you are a very talented ninja sooo…" "May I see the records of the students who are struggling?" Itachi asked. Iruka sat there, mind blank. "Uhhh, oh! Yes umm…" He shuffled through his desk papers and pulled out four files. "Here are the four boys who are struggling." Itachi took them and started to flip through. "Its not that they are bad or anything they just need some help in concentration." Iruka shook his fist at the memory of their bad moments. Itachi flipped through the last page and came across the same blonde haired boy. "This boy." He said holding up the picture. "How old is he?" He asked. Iruka blinked at the picture. "Oh, Naruto? He's 7." 'Naruto-kun.' Itachi thought. He stood up and placed the files on his desk. "Well I've made my choice, thank you." He bowed and walked out leaving a confuse teacher behind. "Who'd he choose?" He asked and sat back in his chair. "I hope he helps whom ever it is."
Itachi walked outside and headed straight to the blonde. Naruto looked up at the person coming his way and squinted in the sun raise since the shadow of the person was standing in the suns line of view making it hard to see. "Naruto-kun." The person said. Naruto held a hand over his eyes and blocked out the sun and saw a handsome boy standing there, he looked a lot like Sasuke-teme. "Who's asking?" He said rudely. Itachi chuckled and bent down to Naruto's level. "I am your new tutor." Naruto looked confused. "Ehhh?"
Notes: That same year Itachi kills off his family so when he does he takes Naruto with him.
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KingofLoosePage's Challenge (Which Will Come Into Play Later In This Plot)
#1
-Harry Potter/Naruto Crossover
-Harry/Deidara
Harry gets arrested, make up your own reason why, but escapes before he can be sent to Azkaban. Somehow he finds his way to the Hidden Countries and ends up working as a lone Jack of all Trades for hire. He ends up eventually being hired to work with someone from Akatsuki on a mission that needs his specific skills. Meanwhile, in the wizarding world, people are frantically searching for their savior because of the looming threat of a dark lord. The rest is for you to figure out.
-The person from Akatsuki can be Deidara, but it doesn't have to be. Just the pairing.
-Can have an animagus form
-If Voldemort is dead, another dark lord HAS to take his place
-Try not make Harry a weak uke, strive for a strong seme, but if you can't don't make him weak