Fostering Thorns

Chapter 1

"Either order something or leave you demon!" shouted the bartender. "Hmm...just some sake, I guess." replied the gloomy nin. "Just drink it quick and get out of here, your costing me business." As he looked up from his filthy glass his eyes met with dozens of harsh stares. 'Not much has change in three years..." The bar was loud that night, be it the curses and yells towards the alleged demon or the causal rantings of the town drunks. "I wish Ero-sennin would hurry his ass up. I'm not exactly welcome here..." Naruto, muttered to himself, swiftly dodging a glass thrown at him.'Why do I insist on helping these people, the things they have…done to me. I would not wish them upon my worst enemy.'

"I think it's about time you get going, your scaring away customers," exclaimed the barkeep rudely. "Listen, I'm tired. Please just let me sit here until my sensei gets back and ill be out of your hair," replied Naruto, no hint of joy in his voice. "No you listen here! You think you can walk in here and start demanding shit, I need you to... ahh..to..ah...

As he sat there waiting to absorb all the unavoidable hate about to be spewed by this man , he was left in awe as such a thing never came. It was quiet, there was not a creek of a stool, nor the laughs of the inebriated . Looking up to the barkeeps face, he took note that his eyes were not focused on him but something else. As curiosity took hold, he slowly spun around in his chair, eager to see what could silence a bar. It was then his eyes met hers.

It remained quiet as they sat there staring at each other. Hours pass for minutes as all were mesmerized, be it but her sheer beauty or the way she seemed to carry herself. Standing in the door way stood what Naruto could only describe as a goddess. Hair long and dark, skin so fair that even the lightest of touches would blemish it. Yet these features paled in comparison to her eyes. 'lavender…' he thought. As hundreds of questions raced through his mind, only one left his mouth. "Is that Hinata-san?"

Slowly the volume of the bar returned to normal, yet the rapid beating of Naruto's heart did not. As his eyes traced her body he once again found himself looking at her face. This time though, a faint smile could be seen on the hyuga. 'He's checking me,' she thought. 'Kami, he really has grown, what I would do to…' Naruto deciding that staring any longer would be a little weird he sadly returned to his drink. 'Yah right, like I'd have a chance in hell with her'

Starring down at his sour liquor, he blocked out everything. All the distraction, all the problems, all the desires. The fruits of Jiraiya's training were not of sheer power alone but of control as well. It was not seconds later that Naruto felt hot breath on the side of his neck, and the faintest whisper in his ear. "Hello,Naruto-kun."

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"It is good to see you made it back safely," exclaimed the Tsunade. "Hai, I would not say the journey was not without its bumps though," Jiraiya solemnly stated. "So I take it Naruto-san's training was a success?" "Hai…" exclaimed the toad sage. "He is strong, I pushed him as hard as I could and he took it in strides. His rate of growth was inhuman to say the least. The power he has available to him is… troubling."

"You speak as though he's become some kind of monster…" whispered the hokage. "I love Naruto-san as if he were my own grandson but that does not negate the hate that flows through his veins." explained Jiraiya in exasperated breaths. "What do you mean?" Tsunade asked worriedly. "Three years is along time Tsunada-ch… sama. You learn much about someone when it is only you two against the world. You learn their hopes and dreams, their problems and desires. What I learned from Naruto-san was despicable." He angrily stated. "Please explain," asked the slug sennin. "He is scared." "What could he be scared off, the way you spoke of his training. Not many could stop him," stated the hokage. "That… is what he is afraid off. He feels alone in this world, an outcast." This revelation left her without words.

"Do you have any idea the hardships he has went through, living on handouts and the generosity of others. When people despise you, this is not the most ideal lifestyle. The stories of his life will haunt me forever. How vividly he remembers the hate… All I can say is that god help us all if he seeks retribution," finished the sennin coldly.

Flashback

"Still up I see" stated the toad sage. "Hai," replied Naruto as he continued to look into the fire. They had set up camp after another long day of training. "You really have been improving at an exponential rate. By this time next year you will be giving me a run for my money. Hehe," laughed the sennin, trying to lighten the mood. "Hai" replied the mesmerized shinobi.

"What's wrong Naruto-san, your not your cheery self. Come on what's up?" asked Jiraiya. "I'm just tired…" Naruto sighed. "Hehe, nobody would say this training was easy," exclaimed Jiraiya. As Naruto's eyes met his, a deep shiver ran down his spine. His once bright cerulean blue eyes were dark as the blackest oceans. They did not speak of hope and dreams but sorrow and hate. "It's not the training Jiraiya-sama, I get tired of living with this fake life. That everything is alright that I'm…happy."

This news shocked Jiraiya to his very core. 'Who is this man, he is not the Naruto I know.' "Image if you will, a child no older then 5 beaten everyday for hours on end. Spat on and struck without warning, without protection. Imagine going to your filthy home only to find that the very few possessions that you owned were stole. That not even a blanket was left for the cold nights. That no matter what you did people despised you. That no one would love you , that no one could love you."

"Naruto-san, I…" "Didn't know? Not many would and even fewer would care. I searched for recognition, for acceptance, anything to fill this hole. I'm starting to think that it might not be enough anymore. I hide behind this mask for my safety but most of all, for theirs. I shadow my true self because If I had my way, my true way… I'd burn this whole place to the ground"

Flashback End

Jiraiya continued to explain the happenings of their trip. 'I knew his life was bad but I never would have guess he was in so much pain, or how much he resented Konoha.' She thought as tears began to well in her eyes.

"When I asked him why he would even protect the village, after such atrocities were done to him. He stated that not even he knew this." Explained the toad sennin. "He is hanging on by a thread Tsunada-sama, one wrong push and…I don't know what will happen" "Hai, I understand. I'll be sure to…Oh god." It was then that a recent event dawned on her. Quickly looking up to her fellow sennin she exclaimed, "we need to keep Hinata-san away from Naruto-kun."

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"H-h-hinata-chan?" he stuttered as she made her way onto his lap. "W-what are you doing?" "Acting on impulse" she whispered softly into his ear. Such a thing would usually not faze Naruto but to see such an abrupt change from this originally timid girl was surprising. Slowly shifting her weigh she inadvertently roused a moan out of him. "Heh…" she chuckled. "Please Hinata-san… can you get off me," he almost begged. "Why?" she asked once again moving forward. "Don't you like this Naruto-kun?" she purred in an almost sultry voice.

It was weird that for once, Naruto was the one blushing. "You do know this is a public place right?" "Yes, and?" "And that people are starring…" Naruto stated in an anger. "I hate when people stare!"

Once again she push herself closer to him, wrapping her arms around him and placing her head on his shoulder. The comfort he felt at that moment was like nothing he had experience in his life. There was an awkward warmth to it. Finally accepting that neither he nor she wanted to move he let his eye slowly close. 'I am tired after all,' mentally reassured himself. Even though they sat there in a somewhat compromising position, it would seem neither of them cared.

To them all was quiet or at least it was until she slowly raised her lips to his ear and whispered once more in a almost saddened tone. "I know what they did to you…" This simple sentence pulled Naruto from his warmth swiftly, eyes shooting open. A mere instance later he had Hinata by the hand and had vanished into the night.

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Was bored so I just started writing again. For anyone who is wondering this is after the 3 year time-skip. Might be some OOC moments but it should make sense in a chapter or to. This one might get sort of dark… ya... I've started making a plot outline for "Subtleties and Sadness" Next chapter of it will probably follow chapter 2 of "Fostering Thorns"