Author's Note/Disclaimer: Yo, I'm finally back after like a year long hiatus. This fic was originally written about three years ago and after a shit load of revamping I decided that it was good enough to repost. I have the first three or four chapters written already and I'll post one every week or so, that way I have time to write more so this story doesn't die like all my others. Hooray for fresh starts ya, oh and just in case you didn't know I don't own Naruto. Never have and never will...so yeah on with the story. It bears mentioning that all of my other stories will come back as well, maybe no time soon but they all will I promise.
Chapter One: Kiba's Mission
With one final look in the mirror Kiba determined that his hair was as neat as it was possibly going to get. He hadn't gelled his hair in years, but after so long of defying gravity it stood up on its own, so for tonight's occasion he'd showered and brushed it while it was wet to get it to stay flat. After hours of attempting he managed to get it to his liking and brushed it back to tie up with a rubber band. His pressed black dress shirt clung just perfectly to all the right places; showing off his toned pectorals and chiseled abs. He didn't even know why he was so worried about the way he looked, he was only going because Hinata had asked him to. More like Hinata had threatened to hurt him if he didn't go along with her. He shook his head as he adjusted the collar on his shirt before heading towards the door.
The second he set foot in the living room a gentle growling caught his attention. Smiling he walked over to Akamaru and scratched the large dog behind the ears, "Sorry boy I can't take you along with me this time. Be good and watch the house okay?"
Akamaru growled contently as Kiba scratched him and gave a bark of agreement as his master pulled away and patted him softly.
Straightening his shirt and patting his hair down one more time he twisted the doorknob and stepped out into the bright Konoha sun.
"Took you long enough Kiba," the Inuzuka looked up and sighed at the penetrating glare his best friend was giving him. Hinata stood against the wooden fence behind Kiba's house holding the folds of her silken kimono closed.
The brunette shook his head grinning as he threw his arms around the shorter girl's shoulder, "You look nice Hina-chan."
"Yeah I know I do," the formerly quiet and shy Hinata said without a second thought. The years the two had been with each other had managed to change hem both. Kiba had quieted down a little bit, all in all he was still the same loud obnoxious twelve year old. However at eighteen he was more refined and knew when to keep his mouth shut. Hinata on the other hand had learned to open hers. Gone was the shy quiet girl who blushed every time she tried to speak, some of Kiba's boisterous personality had rubbed off on her and turned her into quite the little firecracker. Along with a new personality came a new look for the lady Hyuuga. She'd grown her hair out and kept it loose and straight. A single purple bang fell in front of her left eye, and even though Kiba couldn't see it he knew that underneath that kimono was a dress that old man Hiashi would not be pleased with.
"Conceited aren't we," despite the somberness of today's occasion Kiba continued grinning as he and Hinata began their walk to the cemetery. "So are you forcing Shino to come along too."
"I would have," Hinata shrugged as she pulled her kimono off to reveal a strapless black dress that stopped at her ankles and flowed freely with a slit that came up her knee, "but he's off on a mission right now."
"Can I ask why you're dragging me off to this thing," Kiba grumbled realizing that he was the only one being subjected to this torture, "it's not like either of us liked the guy."
"True, I'm going as moral support for Sakura and you my dear Kiba are tagging along because I say so," Hinata folded up her kimono and tucked it into the backpack she had hidden by genjutsu.
All Kiba could do was groan as the two of them reached the practically empty cemetery, "Where is everybody," he whispered as Hinata ushered him over to a seat next to Sakura and Ino.
They were another pair that had changed drastically over the years. After Ino had given up on her 'love' for Sasuke and started dating Shikamaru they'd realized that they were much better friends than enemies. For the last four years the two of them had been practically inseparable and even changed their looks at the same time. Sakura had long since stopped dying her hair and let it grow out to her natural black. It was now spine length, pin straight, held up in a high ponytail, with a pink streak running all the way through. Ino on the other hand had chopped hers off up to her shoulders and kept the fringes of her bangs dyed electric blue.
"This is everyone dude," Shikamaru whispered as he sat next to Kiba looking sympathetically over at a crying Sakura and an Ino and Hinata trying their hardest to console her. "No one else is coming..."
Kiba took a look around and noted that only the remaining members of the rookie nine (or now rather rookie eight), Gai's team, and all of the jounin instructors had shown up. Despite the fact that Kiba had severely disliked the guy in his living years he deserved a better memorial than this...everyone did.
That's when he walked in, the only person other than Sakura who was actually crying. The tears welling up in his eyes made for the most saddening sight Kiba had seen in all his eighteen years. He took a seat in the very front row away from everybody else and sat there staring blankly at the black casket sitting before him. It had been six years since their fight at the chuunin exams and basically six years since they'd last spoken to each other. Yet Kiba still held the utmost respect for the guy and it was weird seeing him in such a fragile state. It was very un-Narutoish, unlike everyone else around him Naruto was probably the only person who hadn't changed over the years. Normally he was still the same hyperactive guy that everyone had grown to love. Now however he had lost that light that he'd once carried, even his eyes seemed a darker shade of blue.
"You...you bastard," suddenly Naruto burst out into a fit of hysterics screaming at the top of his lungs and leaping to his feet pounding on the wooden casket holding his best friend. "You lying son of a bitch, you said I wouldn't ever be alone again. You told me you'd be there for me, well where are you know. Eh Sasuke-teme answer me...where the fuck are you. You're dead and I'm all alone again."
"Wow he's taking this pretty hard," Kiba mumbled underneath his breath shaking his head in sympathy for the blonde, "poor guy."
Ino turned to Kiba her short her bouncing lightly, "Well what do you expect Kiba, he woke up one morning to the sight of the guy he's madly in love with dead. How would you be handling that?"
"Not much better," Kiba watched as Tsunade approached the hysterical boy and lead him back to his seat wrapping him up in a comforting embrace.
The rest of the funeral went on as any funeral should. There was a eulogy,a priest saying things about heaven and the likes, and a procession to the burial site. The only difference was that due to the gruesome nature of Sasuke's death no one was allowed to see the body. The way Kiba saw it was better that way for everyone, especially for Naruto. The kid was having a hard enough time dealing with this, seeing the body of his dead boyfriend again would not be healthy.
Sakura stayed in front of the group with Tsunade and Naruto holding the blonde boy's hands and rubbing his knuckles gently with her thumb, "It's okay Naruto...it's going to be okay, I promise you things are going to be alright."
Without even a glance at Sakura the boy continued walking with his head held down and the tears always threatening to fall from his eyes. Still though Sakura tried her best to keep him calm and from going into another fit of hysterics. "I hate him Sakura..." he finally whispered still not looking up from the ground before him.
"You don't mean that," Sakura replied instantly still stroking his knuckles.
"You have no idea how much I do mean it Sakura," Naruto cried out loudly catching everyone's attention, "he promised me...he promised." He trailed off as he started crying again hugging Sakura tightly and crying into her blouse.
"I really wish he'd stop crying," Shikamaru started off before Ino elbowed him in the gut shutting him up instantly.
"Insensitive much," Kiba grumbled as he pushed past the Nara and approached Naruto and Sakura. "Hey there Naruto...I just wanted to say that I'm sorry..."
"Shut up Kiba," Naruto snapped before Kiba could finish his sentence, "you don't give a damn, so don't come up to me pretending like you do." Not once did the blonde raise his voice above a barely audible whisper and yet there was so much power behind his words that Kiba stepped back instantly.
"Naruto," Sakura hissed under her breath as she watched the Inuzuka withdraw back into the group behind them. "He's trying to be helpful."
"I don't care Sakura; he doesn't really care none of them do," the boy's hair fell in front of his eyes keeping Sakura from seeing the red tinting his sapphire eyes. "No one fucking cares Sakura. Sasuke is dead and no one cares. They're all here either to offer support for me or you. None of them are here for him, not a one. Why the hell should I fucking care if dogboy is trying to be nice?"
"Because he doesn't have to be," it was Sakura's turn to be loud now as she started yelling at Naruto, "he doesn't even have to be here, none of them do and yet here they are for you and me trying their damndest to make us feel better."
"Yeah but Sakura..."
Before the blonde could even make it half way through his sentence Sakura cut him off, "No you don't get to speak anymore. You've had your turn now I get to yell and scream like a crazy person. Do you think this is any easier for me Naruto."
"Well no but..."
"Didn't I say you're done talking, your talking privileges have been revoked Uzumaki so just shut and listen for a change," once again Sakura cut him off before he could finish his sentence. "I'm hurting just as badly as you and yet you don't see me bitching and screaming at the people who are trying to make it easier. No the only person I'm yelling at is you because you refuse to see past your pain and realize that you aren't alone. Sasuke is dead yes, but he's not the only person in the world who cared about you. Everyone here does, so you know what you're going to do. You're going to sit here quietly and when someone offers you their sympathy you stop being a prick and nod and say thank you." By the time she was done screaming her face was bright red and she was panting in an attempt to catch her breath. "Do you think you can handle that?"
"No I can't handle that," the blonde pushed the girl away from him shaking in anger, "you don't get to say shit like that. You are not hurting as badly as I am you were only friends with him I was in love with the guy."
"Blondie should not have said that," Ino brushed her hair out of her eyes just in time to see Sakura punching Naruto in the stomach using her full strength.
The blow sent the blonde staggering backwards clutching his stomach and falling down on his ass. Before he had the chance to get back up on his feet Sakura had him pinned down to the ground hitting him over and over again. She was in such a state that not even the blood pouring from the blonde boy's nose and coating her knuckles snapped her out of it. It wasn't until strong arms wrapped around her from behind and pulled her up and away.
"Sakura calm down," Kiba held on tightly as the girl still struggled to get to Naruto, "you're going to kill him if you go at him again."
She finally took a look down at her work; Naruto laid on his back blood streaming from his broken nose and pooling on the ground. His right eye was black and swollen shut matching a violent purple bruise on his left cheek. His breathing was shallow and labored as Sakura had broken three or four of his ribs. "Oh shit..."
"Oh shit indeed," Tsunade knelt down beside Naruto and started treating the more superficial wounds. "You could have killed him Sakura...I see we need another lesson in anger management."
Seeing what she had done to one of her best friends had shocked Sakura speechless and all she could do was stare at the damage she'd caused, "Naruto...I'm so sorry. So so sorry."
"Alright everyone I'm pretty sure we're all done here for the day," Tsunade stood up scanning the crowd, "Inuzuka can I get you to help me take Naruto back to my office." Without waiting for Kiba to answer her with a yes or a no the blonde lady started walking off.
Kiba leaned over Naruto and picked him up gently, carrying him off bridal style to the Hokage's tower. "Where do you want me to put him Hokage-sama?"Kiba stepped into the office approaching the large desk with caution to not drop Naruto.
"Just lay him down here on the table," Tsunade motioned to a cleared off portion of her desk. "Careful not to set him down on any important paperwork."
"Yes ma'am," Kiba mumbled as he laid the boy down on the desk and backed away towards the door, before the Hokage caught his sleeve.
"No Inuzuka...I mean Kiba stay here for a second," with Kiba at watching her intently for instructions Tsunade began taking off Naruto's shirt and wrapping up his torso tightly with a roll of gauze.
"Do you...uhm...require my assistance Lady Hokage," Kiba asked nervously as the old woman began cleaning off the blonde's face with a rag.
"Not at the moment," she replied simply without looking up. The previously white rag in her hands was now stained a vivid red with Naruto's blood, "damn it the bleeding won't stop." With sweat matting her blonde hair to her forehead Tsunade continued soaking up the blood still coming out of Naruto's nose and somewhere on his cheek. "I think she fractured his cheek bone and the splint is protruding somewhere."
"Lady Hokage," Kiba asked again nervously afraid that interrupting her would make the woman angry, "may I ask why you're having me stay here?"
"In a moment Kiba," Tsunade hissed as she pulled away another rag away from Naruto's face seemingly satisfied with the now dull pink color, "can't you see I'm busy here?" With most of the blood cleaned up Tsunade could now see that her assessment had been right. Directly underneath the blonde's right eye was a tiny sliver of bone poking out that had punctured the skin causing most of the bleeding.
"Why'd he pull her off," Naruto murmured quietly as Tsunade continued to clean him up, "I wanted her to kill me. I wanted to be dead..."
The woman put a single finger over Naruto's lips signaling for him to be silent. "There's nothing I can do about this until the swelling in his cheek goes down." Tsunade turned and rummaged through her first aid kit and returned with a large square bandage which she applied to Naruto's swollen cheek. "Kiba come help me take of his shirt."
The Inuzuka stepped forward and looked up at the Hokage nervously, "Uhm how am I supposed to do this without hurting him."
"Use those claws of yours to cut it open," Tsunade answered absently as she searched around her office for something to wrap the blonde's bruised and cracked ribs with. "Now where the hell did I put that gauze wrap."
With the claw of his right index finger Kiba popped open the buttons of the blonde's button up shirt and the white t-shirt underneath. Once the shirt was opened up Kiba could see the damage that Sakura had caused. A huge nasty looking bruise covered his entire left oblique and a smaller purplish-green bruise was right above the blonde boy's sternum.
"Aha found it," Tsunade turned around holding the roll of gauze out triumphantly, that's when she saw the state Naruto was in. "Damn it's worse than I thought. Kiba sit him up...I'm going to need help with this."
Kiba watched as Tsunade exited the room and turned back around to Naruto, "This is going to hurt kid." The brunette cupped Naruto's head in his hands and attempted to pull him up into a sitting position. Unfortunately for him the blonde was not cooperating with him and refused to budge. "Naruto with the way your hissing and moaning in pain I imagine that this is more painful then if you were to just help me out here.
"Well Kiba," Naruto spat out the other's name with malice in his voice, "if it weren't for you deciding that you wanted to play hero we wouldn't be here right now would we." The entire time he spoke he glared up at the boy who was still trying to help him up.
"Do you honestly think that if I hadn't stopped her someone else wouldn't have," Kiba asked quietly as he tried to pull the blonde up by his wrists, "I just got there first. No one was going to just stand there and watch you die."
The blonde couldn't reply to that and just looked off to the side. A single bird flew past the window in his line of vision evoking a small whimper from the blonde. "Maybe Neji was right all those years ago. Maybe everyone does have a destiny, and maybe mine is to always be alone."
"Gawd no wonder Sakura went all psycho on your ass," Kiba snapped out of nowhere, "you're so busy bitching and whining about how fucking alone you are that you can't even realize that someone's here trying to be there for you. Why the hell am I even wasting my breath you probably aren't hearing a word that I'm saying. Let me just ask you one question Uzumaki; are you really willing to do to all of your friends what Sasuke did to you."
Without a word Naruto grabbed Kiba's shirt and sat himself up. He looked Kiba directly in the eyes and whispered under his breath, "Thanks Inuzuka."
The brunette wondered what Naruto was thanking him for but decided not to ask for now and walked over to the wall and leaned against it, "No worries blondie, it's what friends are for."
Tsunade walked in with Kurenai trailing behind her seconds later, "Wow Kiba you actually managed to get him up, that's a shocker. I expected him to put up a hell of a fight. Well makes my job easier in any case."
Kiba simply shrugged figuring letting Tsunade believe that Naruto just went along was better for the both of them, "Yeah, well uh Hokage-sama may I leave now?"
"No not yet Kiba," Tsunade replied as she pulled off Naruto's torn shirt and checked out the bruises on the blonde's back from the rocks on the ground pressing into his back when Sakura had had him pinned down to the ground. "I have one more thing to ask of you, just wait a few more moments okay?"
"Yes ma'am," Kiba answered as he watched Tsunade and Kurenai begin to work on Naruto. Hmm I wonder what Kurenai-sensai is doing here. Wouldn't Shizune or Sakura be better suited for helping her with medical procedures.
Kiba's question was answered as Kurenai started quickly performing some hand signs, "Wind Style: Illusion Casting Jutsu." Even though the Inuzuka couldn't see the effects at the moment, he'd been victim to Kurenai's illusion genjutsu more than enough times to know what was going on.
While the blonde was distracted by the red eyed femme's jutsu Tsunade began coating his bruises with a salve she had stored in a light green vial and saved for special circumstances. After each bruise was throughly coated she began wrapping his torso with the gauze wrap she'd retrieved earlier.
"Sasuke..." Naruto mumbled as Tsunade began coating the first layer of bandages in the same green paste she'd used on his bruises and wrapping him up in a second layer.
It figures he'd be dreaming about Sasuke... Kiba thought to himself as Tsunade finished bandaging up Naruto's body.
"Okay Kurenai, that's it." Tsunade told the other woman as she moved to catch Naruto as Kurenai let her jutsu drop and Naruto fell limp. "You can leave now if you'd like Kurenai. I have a few things to discuss with your former student."
"Yes Lady Hokage," the younger woman nodded as she headed for the door and ruffled Kiba's hair on the way out.
"Kiba I have a mission for you," Tsunade said as she laid Naruto down on the table, "it's not a standard Jounin leveled mission...it's more like a personal request from me."
"I'll be willing to help in whatever way I can Lady Hokage," the brunette approached the desk relieved that he was finally getting to leave.
"I'm glad to hear that," Tsunade hadn't once taken her eyes off of Naruto's body, "blondie here is like a grandson to me. And honestly he scared the shit out off me today, and I don't ever want to be that scared again. Unfortunately I can't trust his mental state at the moment, I want for you to look after him for awhile, stay with him every waking moment as well as every sleeping one. Make sure he doesn't hurt himself anymore and most of all I want someone to be there for him as a companion."
Kiba stared at Tsunade with an eyebrow raised in confusion, "So basically you want me to live with him and make sure he doesn't try to kill himself again?"
"Yes Kiba that's the gist of the mission," Tsunade replied finally looking up at Kiba, "do you think you'll be able to handle that?"
"Yes ma'am I can handle it," Kiba couldn't help but grinning as he picked Naruto up once again, "in all honesty it's the easiest mission you've ever given me."
The blonde woman returned the boy's grin, "Well good, you start today then."