Here's the next chapter!

Once more, I've changed everything to make this shit seem more enjoyable! I hope it was good enough! I can't write fluff nor can I write happy scenes without some form of fighting Dx but at least I'm trying lol

Oh on another note: HOLY EFFING SHIT! 12 reviews 37 favs 48 followers in about 24 hours?! That's freaking awesome! Come on you guys! Tell your buddies, your naruto fanclubs and tell everyone to read this shit! That is like the best I've ever recieved! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! So as a reward for being so amazing here's your gift!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Chapter 2: Life

Naruto stared at the redheaded girl waiting for a response. Karin fixed her glasses and gave Naruto a nervous look and sighed before being led from the building and onto one of the giant leaves that surrounded the ever twilight bathed land of Mount Myoboku. Karin sighed, not one to really think of her life, let alone spill her story to people, but maybe, she thought; maybe, Naruto could be the one to take the pain off of her chest and listen.

With Taka, or Hebi, or whatever crazy name Sasuke had come up with at the time, Karin felt that none of them would give a rat's ass about her wellbeing, as shown on the great bridge. Her chest started to pulse in pain from the quick flash of what had happened just a few days ago. Then she realized it.

"THAT BASTARD FUCKING STABBED ME!" Karin roared.

Naruto's eyes went wide and he quickly jumped back behind the two toads. His face was dark with fear and his body was shaking. The amount of malicious intent radiating off of the irate redhead was too much for the blond to handle. He stared at her back side as she went off on a rant of how much she hates Sasuke and how much she felt that he was scum. But it was during this, Naruto realized how great of a butt she had, and not only that, she was more curvaceous that Sakura could ever be.

Naruto stopped himself before he could continue with those thoughts. A bright, crimson blush formed on his cheeks. Darting his eyes to different directions; Naruto couldn't help but continue to stare at the great curves that Kami had blessed his protectorate with. The blond suddenly had this strange feeling, almost as if Jiraiya was trying to give him applause. Naruto shook his head and started walking ahead once Karin had calmed down and walked by her side.

Karin felt the burst of calm chakra coming from behind and looked over to Naruto. She gave him a small smile but looked away as he led her towards a bench and sat her down. Naruto plopped next to her and gazed off into the horizon of the homeland of the Toads.

"It's so beautiful y'know." Karin said.

'Verbal tick like Kaa-chan.' Naruto mentally noted.

"It reminds me of my homeland…" Karin sighed and felt the calming chakra of the toads lying on their leaves and the chakra radiating off of Naruto. "The Land of Grass…that's where I'm from."

"Land of Grass?" Naruto asked. "Jiraiya of the Sannin; my sensei and I, traveled for three years, and never had I heard of a Land of Grass…"

"Well that's what I've always called it. Our country never really had a name." Karin replied. "But it was a land filled with wondrous fields of green and oceans of soft, waving blades of grass. The earth was fertile for farming, and the wind was always cool. I bet if you ever went, you'd want to lie down in the grass and just let the wind take you."

"Oh, and how can even forget the people." Karin's face suddenly broke into a smile. "They were some of the kindest I've ever known. They were sincere and genuine in what they meant y'know?"

"Much better than what most of Konoha is…or at least was." Naruto replied. "It seems you've had a better life than I did. So if you don't mind me asking…how in the world did you know of Sasuke?"

"Well…it happened almost four years ago." Karin replied. "It was during the Chunin exams here."

"What?" Naruto's eyes were wide with surprise. He did not see this one coming.

"Well, this is what happened…"

Flashback…

"Damn idiot teammates." Karin groaned. "Leaving me alone to find food for our encampment! The nerve!"

Karin had a back full of berries and sticks for firewood, and in her hand that the girl was dragging, was a rope that led to a tied up deer that she had caught and killed. She looked around and fixed her fogged glasses and looked around and began to try and sense where everything was, only to get barraged by the hundreds of thousands of different chakra signatures that filled the forest. The signatures ranged from animal to human, to animal once more, only to go to some strange creatures that Karin had never even sensed before.

Suddenly. There was a deep guttural growl coming from just head. The ground shook slightly, causing Karin to yelp in fear once the source of the growl was seen. It was a massive bear with teeth just as large. Karin jumped back and hit the ground and began to try and slide away, but the bear raised one of its massive paws and brought it down, forcing Karin off the ground.

The girl grabbed onto a branch of a tree, leaving her food and resources on the ground below. After making a quick calculation of her position relative to the best kill spot to the bear, and not taking into account the abilities of such a large bear, she dropped down onto the creature and reached for the knife in her glasses, but just as she was about to get the bear, the bear rose, and slapped the redheaded girl away, smashing her into a tree.

The bear glared at Karin and looked like it was about to eat her. It began to walk forward with a small pace and growled menacingly at the redhead. Karin shut her eyes waiting for the inevitable, but there was a small bang, it was followed by a shout. Karin's eyes sprang open to see a black haired boy with a blue shirt, drop kicking the bear in the head. After another series of the same powerful kicks delivered, the boy stood tall with his back to the redhead, showing off his clan crest.

"W-What's your name?" Karin asked out. Her voice meek from the near prospect of getting eaten.

"Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke." Once those words left his mouth, the black haired boy took off into the forest, leaving Karin behind to her own devices.

Flashback over…

"That's interesting…" Naruto said. "What happened to you after the exam?"

"I ended up becoming Orochimaru's top scientist, and I'm only sixteen!" Karin laughed. "But the things I had to do…"

"Don't go into detail…" Naruto made a quick reply. "I don't want to hear about how Orochimaru likes to gush over children."

Karin suddenly shut quiet. Naruto looked around thinking that he had just said something stupid. He started to feel slightly awkward, but then, Karin started shivering. Naruto was about to place a hand on her shoulder, but she shot her head up and burst into hysterical laughter. Naruto's eyes were wide with fear, and the boy started to slide away.

"Wait! That's…that's just the funniest thing I've heard in a while!" Karin laughed. She began to laugh so hard that tears began to fall from her face. The redhead began to cry harder than she laughed. Soon enough, Naruto realized that she was actually sobbing. The blond quickly grabbed her and held her tightly and began to whisper softly, in hopes of that being able to calm her down.

Her body trembled as she wept into his shirt. Naruto, under different circumstances, would have bolted off towards Kami knows where, and would have left the girl here, but he had a good understanding of who she was and what she's been through. Though not as smart as he would have wanted, but not as dumb as everyone thinks, Naruto understood her. For a girl that's been doing experiments on people for a long time and working alongside some of the scummiest people on the planet, and even joining up with the Akatsuki, Karin was probably on the verge of breakdown.

The catalyst was Sasuke stabbing her through the chest with his chidori spear.

"I've t-tried so hard to be good at something…" Karin continued to weep. "But whatever I was good at…it was either morally wrong or it was just for my body!"

"Wait…" Naruto sat Karin up and stared into her crimson eyes. "What do you mean…?"

"Sasuke…" Karin started, but quickly stopped herself and looked away as tears began to sting in her eyes once more.

"That fucking teme." Naruto growled and gripped the bench.

"No! I wanted it though…" Karin quickly replied. "I…I was naïve and I was just so stupid all this time…"

"…Doesn't mean that I'll accept it." Naruto replied. "After hearing this…you are definitely going to stay with me for a while."

"What?" Karin asked with a tilted head.

"I don't want anything to happen to you, at least anything bad." Naruto replied with a heartwarming smile. "I can tell that you've been through a lot of shit…its ok though…it's because well…I have too."

"What do you mean?" Karin asked while resting a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Wasn't your father the Fourth Hokage?"

"I'm a jinchuriki." Naruto replied. "For the longest time, I was hated, despised, ostracized, insulted…everything that you can think of. I didn't even know who my parents were. No one knew who my parents were except for the Old Man Third Hokage."

"Why didn't he tell you?!" Karin asked with a deep glare marring her face. "I swear the-"

"He did it to protect me." Naruto interrupted. "My father, as I'm pretty damn sure that everyone knows, was a powerful man, with powerful enemies. To tell you the truth, I understand what the Third was thinking when he didn't tell people or me of my heritage."

"But…still…he could have at least put you in an orphanage or in foster care-"

"Tried. Didn't work." Naruto frowned. "They kicked me from the orphanage. No one would take in the 'demon' as their foster child either. So I lived alone in a stinky, rotten, rundown apartment. My room only looks good because I constantly cleaned it to make sure it didn't remind me of the situation I was thrust into. The pain of loneliness and the heartache of having no family…it's only made me and molded me into who I am today, so I wouldn't change that for anything."

"You wouldn't give up being an orphan with no family for having a family?!" Karin asked with a raised voice, but Naruto only shook his head.

"I wouldn't." Naruto gave her a look. "I did, you and I…we wouldn't have met, and you would probably be on death row by now. Sad to say this, but I probably wouldn't even have the same will and drive as I do now if I had a family…"

"I…I think I understand you a bit more…" Karin said with a small smile. "So…onto a better note, for how long are we going to be staying here?"

"I don't know." Naruto replied.

"Naruto-chan. Karin-chan." Shima said suddenly. "You two can leave now. We've received the perfect amount of information. We'll reverse summon you two back to Konoha."

In Konoha…

With a pop of smoke the two reappeared in the prison cell with Ibiki rubbing his temples while the two other interrogators were arguing with each other once more. Karin felt a small smile grow on her tear stained cheeks at the interaction between the Konoha shinobi. With a quick peek at their chakra signatures, they felt warm like Naruto's but nowhere near the same level. Ibiki gave the redhead a stern look before he reached behind his belt and brought out some handcuffs.

Naruto saw this and quickly entered sage mode and three clones burst into creation and grabbed Ibiki and his handcuffs while holding down the other two interrogators. Naruto's toad sage eyes stared at Ibiki with a powerful gaze. But before any words could be said, the door opened from behind and in walked Tsunade with Naruto at her side.

"Ibiki, there's no need for cuffs." The woman said with a kind tone. "Naruto has taken the job of keeping her in line."

"Are you sure Tsunade-sama?" Ibiki asked.

"Of course. Now then Karin, Naruto will take you to his temporary home." Tsunade nodded to the people of the prison room and Karin bowed deeply to the woman before hurrying out of the building.

Once on the street, she and Naruto walked side by side with the people staring at them with confused faces. Naruto wasn't surprised, Karin hasn't been seen before, but he was also pretty sure that he would get a mouthful from Sakura, should she find out that Naruto was now caring for Karin. Naruto gave a small laugh receiving a glance from Karin. The redhead simply shook her head and rolled her eyes in response. Karin smiled at the blond and started to walk at a slower pace to stay at his side.

'You know…I think I can start to like this set up.'

With a short, but somehow long and not so boring journey made, the two arrived at Naruto's temporary living quarters. As a sign of thanks from the construction corps of villagers, they made him a great condo and replaced all of his former furniture and belongings with even better products. His sinks and refrigerators were top of the line, his toilet was top of the line; even his damned shower was top of the line. His floorboards were no longer just wood but instead tile. He had beautiful carpets strewn into the floors for a more comfortable walk.

Karin was surprised by the scene and looked to Naruto half hoping that his heartbreaking story of being a pariah in Konoha was fake but Naruto simply shrugged and headed straight for the couch and unzipped his black and orange jumpsuit jacket revealing a black skin-tight shirt that showed off his well-defined muscles and toned body. Karin blushed a mighty storm, and quickly looked away.

"Wait…if you're going to stay on the couch, where am I going to sleep?" Karin asked.

"Why the bed of course." Naruto replied without even looking up.

"I-I can't do that!" Karin looked in awe. "I-It's y-your home I c-can't impose!"

"I don't really care…" Naruto slid out of the couch and walked up to Karin with a playful smirk on his face.

"What are you-AAH!" Karin yelped out with a bright blush growing on her face as Naruto swept her off of her feet and into a bridal style position. Karin's face was soon enough, just as red as her hair. Naruto shook his head and slowly slid his bedroom door open to reveal a large King sized bed and slowly laid Karin onto the mattress.

Karin was surprised with the cleanliness of the bedroom and quickly surmised that Naruto doesn't really spend much time in this room.

"You know…this is actually the first time I've ever even touched this bed." Naruto whispered.

"W-What? Why?" Karin looked at him with an incredulous look. "This thing feels amazing!"

"I'm not really one for material possession's…or even nice things for that manner." Naruto replied and sat on the bed as Karin moved over. "This place is a bit too much for me y'know...I'm just not really used to having so much."

"Don't worry Naruto. I'm pretty sure you'll get used to it someday…"

A few weeks later…

For the past few weeks, Naruto and Karin were practically inseparable. They live together and Karin had no idea where to go, so it was understandable. But, they didn't just go anywhere; they went to Ichiraku Ramen and to different places that are frequented for couples. Many of the villagers began to get a hunch that Naruto and the redhead of Konoha were starting to fall for each other. Though a bit too soon in their quite fragile friendship to be thinking like that, Karin couldn't help but think that way.

Naruto was kindhearted, smarter than what he let on, and a hell of a lot stronger than what she originally thought. But the thing Karin loved the most, Naruto let her have his bed, while he slept on a couch. Though that sounds mighty selfish, Karin actually, for the first few days of them living together, argued with the blond to let her sleep on the couch rather than on the bed for once, but Naruto simply replied to the effect of saying: you're a guest, I can't do that to you. Karin at the moment she gave up asking, realized that Naruto was probably one of the most hardheaded idiots she's ever met, and to be frank, it aggravated her at times.

His idiocy though, was one of his major flaws that drove the bespectacled girl up the walls. Though he was smarter than what he led on, he was still an idiot. But at least he was a kindhearted idiot. Karin for so many hours put in large arguments and amounts of pain into the blond jinchuriki only for him to continue his idiotic ways.

But returning to the bed, even though the bed was nice and soft, and surprisingly comfortable, Karin struggled to sleep a lot, because of the change of lifestyle and the change of crowd. Normally, she'd be fucked to sleep or not even sleep because she'd be moving around with Taka, or Hebi or whatever Sasuke felt like naming their group. Some of those dreams turned into very vivid nightmares. But Naruto's calming, peaceful and loving chakra always filled her mind and her heavy heart, forcing those dreams away and filling her dreams of him.

The peace of being with Naruto for the past few weeks made Karin rethink her life and now, she was definitely starting to fall for the Hero of Konoha. How could she not? Karin was also becoming friends with a few of the Konoha eleven, while slowly making her way to becoming friends with the more influential ones in Naruto's life, namely; Haruno Sakura and Hyuuga Hinata.

Upon meeting Hinata, Karin could sense the amount of love in her chakra being directed towards Naruto whenever they were seen together. Karin could see how obvious it was that Hinata was in love with Naruto, and from what the redhead had found out, Hinata confessed her emotions for the blond, but Naruto either didn't reciprocate the feelings or just didn't bring up the subject again. Karin though, was surprised by the obliviousness of Naruto when he didn't realize how obvious Hinata's feelings were for him.

But, Karin had to say though, of all of Naruto's friends, she felt that she hated Sakura more than the rest. Sakura upon their first meeting since Sakura healed her at the bridge; the pinkette immediately interrogated the redhead about the reasons for why Naruto was taking care of her. Karin defended herself from the prying pinkette but, Sakura didn't let up, showing Karin that Sakura held the same stubborn will of Naruto. Within minutes of the interrogation, the two of them blew up into a great screaming battle with both releasing their inner personalities.

Karin during their argument showed that she held the same super strength that Sakura did. Sakura got too violent with the argument and punched down on the ground, shooting up a large amount of earth and rocks from the training ground while Naruto was staying away from the volatile redhead and pinkette. He hid in a tree, remembering Sakura's inhumane super strength from training and worried for Karin's health. But just as Sakura rose her fist from the ground Karin rammed her fist into the ground, splitting the training ground in half, launching dirt and boulders high into the sky.

Naruto had nightmares of the event for a few days. The poor boy was launched from his branch of safety and landed on the ground below to face the hailstorm of falling stones and boulders falling from the sky above. Naruto had a quick glance of Karin and shivered at the sight; Karin's face was dark as a malicious smile was spread across her face and her glasses were covered in lens glare.

Oh that day brought smiles to the redheads face every time she thought of it. But now, she was sitting in the hospital getting processed into the hospital corps. Karin sat in silence and read a special copy of Icha Icha Tactics. She had her face buried in the pages in the book, receiving estranged looks from other nurses and med nin's. Karin paid no attention to them seeing as she was completely engrossed in the contents of the smutty novella.

But her mind was on her wonderful roommate and guardian. The blond was at times, she had to admit, a bit of a handful because of his outgoing persona, but she could honestly say; he was a great person to be around. Karin sighed though and looked away remembering what he said at Mount Myoboku. Even though it was so unimportant, it made her heart flutter. He had called her beautiful because of her red hair; the same red hair that she seemed to despise more than anything else in the world. Another smile formed on her lips. She unconsciously slid a hand through her red hair and fixed her brown framed glasses and continued to read.

Little did she know though, Naruto was going out of his way to make sure that she felt accommodated in Konoha. The blond hero was in the Hokage tower having a grand debate with Tsunade to allow Karin some…privileges.

"Baa-chan." Naruto said once again. "If we're going to help me train and tame the Kyuubi, then don't you think having a sensor like Karin with me to make sure nothing wrong happens?"

"I would love to do that Naruto, but I can't just let a prisoner, protectorate of the Hero or not, waltz freely around the world!" Tsunade replied.

"But! Come on!" Naruto quickly replied. "The moment I leave her, who knows what's going to happen to her!"

"You think I haven't thought of that Naruto?" Tsunade reprimanded. "The only choice is to throw her in jail."

"No!" Naruto growled. "I made her a promise that I wouldn't let anything like that happen to her!"

"I know that, but you need to think of this from my perspective!" Tsunade pinched the bridge of her nose. "Let me give you a basic overview of her rap sheet."

"I already know it Baa-chan!" Naruto sighed in exasperation and sat up from his seat. "She told me already."

"Then you should know why I can't just let her leave and come with you!" Tsunade replied with a stern expression. "She could for all we know, could be a spy working for Orochimaru that purposely got herself captured!"

"But I know she isn't!" Naruto replied.

"…Naruto…" Tsunade's eyes were wide. "Are you…falling for her?"

"W-What?! D-Don't be absurd baa-chan!" Naruto replied with a small tint of a blush forming on his cheeks. "S-She's just a friend!"

"Whatever you say Naruto…" Tsunade laughed. "But getting back to our argument; I can't allow Karin to leave the village just because you say that you trust her. She's not even a shinobi aligned to any village-"

"Then make her a shinobi of this one!" Naruto blurted without thinking.

"…You want to run that by me again?" Tsunade asked with a raised eyebrow. 'Goad him into it.'

"I-I was s-saying, make her a shinobi of this village!" Naruto replied with a little less than adequate confidence. "She's a good medic, hell a damn good one, and she's literally one of the best sensors I've ever met! She could tell if someone's lying just by reading their chakra! Those are skills that I've got to say that are priceless!"

"You drive a hard bargain Naruto, but you still haven't convinced me." Tsunade smirked. 'Just a little more.'

"Then put her in a new team of genin that are trying to become chunin! Hell, you could even put me in that team!" Naruto stood from his seat and rested his knuckles on the desk with his head dropped low and his hair covering his eyes in shadow.

"Naruto. She isn't even a genin-"

"Tsunade-sama." The Hokage's eyes went wide, but Naruto went ahead and chose to continue. "I will never call you that ever in your life, but I am now, just to show you the gravity of this situation."

"I'm listening Naruto." Tsunade motioned for the blond to continue.

"I'm not as dumb as most thought I am, well at least not anymore." Naruto whispered. "I know of the war, and don't act so surprised either. I talked to the Great Toad Sage, and remember, he's all seeing and all knowing. I need to control the Kyuubi so we can strike a defining blow against the Akatsuki on the battlefields. With me there in control of the Kyuubi's power, we'd be unbeatable and there wouldn't be any senseless casualties."

"Well Naruto…you're only a genin. No one will listen to you, even if you have the power and the skills-"

"Then let me and Karin go to the chunin exams coming up soon in Sunagakure." Naruto replied without a stutter in his words. "We have the skills we have the abilities. Let Karin get into the shinobi corps, I'll vouch for her! I'll do all I have to do to keep her safe!"

"Why?" Tsunade asked.

"I don't know." Naruto sat back down. "There's something about her…I think that she's a main part of this prophecy that the Great Toad Sage was talking about…she's important, or else the Great Toad Sage would have told her to leave. It's happened before y'know."

"So you're saying…" Tsunade stopped to think back to the beginning of the conversation when he ran the prophecy by her the first time. "Karin…could be the mother of the red-haired clan or the red-eyed clan?"

"Not really. I'm just saying that Karin is important to it all." Naruto replied. "The first step to all of the strife is by doing something that could change the course of the entire prophecy, and I intend to do this as the first step. Karin is strong Baa-chan, she just needs the right push to bring it out; I saw her potential first hand when she sparred with Sakura."

"Alright Naruto, you've convinced me." Tsunade threw her hands up in defeat and sighed. "You've won me over."

"R-Really?" Naruto looked up with a hopeful expression. "You sure gave up pretty soon-"

"Nah. I was just enjoying our argument." Tsunade gave him a small smile. Naruto face faulted but straightened up and rubbed the back of his head. "Now get the hell out of here Gaki. I have some blasted paperwork to do."

"You got it Baa-chan!"

Outside…

Naruto walked down the street with a smile beaming off of his face. After spending the last few weeks in the company of the irate redhead known as Karin, Naruto couldn't help but feel his heart flutter while being in her presence. Maybe the old hag was right. So what if he did have feelings for Karin? It's not like it mattered anyway. At least that's what Naruto told himself.

After the nights when Karin would have those vivid nightmares of hers and he'd have to calm her down using his chakra, the blond felt inclined to keep her happy and keep her safe. Besides, she was living with him for crying out loud. But the last nightmare she had was of Sasuke and what he had done to her. Her screams and her gasps for air were embedded into his mind. The genuine fear and pain being released from her voice was palpable.

When Naruto woke the redhead from her slumber, her once crimson eyes were pale in comparison to what they normally were. The memory of her pain was a sore spot in his mind. Her tears spilled onto his clothing and her cries were deafening. But the real problem though, was making sure that her glasses stayed safe and unblemished. Without them, Karin was as good as blind. Knowing first hand of how bad it was Karin reacted; Naruto never again wanted her to experience that fear.

He shook his head of those depressing thoughts and began to sift through his memories for more appropriate images. Especially that one time when he and Karin went for a walk in one of the newly formed parks. The green grass waving softly and tickling their arms and legs, and the soft winds blowing through their hair…Naruto smiled at the serine image but shook it off, knowing that if he continued on those thoughts, he might bump into someone.

"Where could she be…?" Naruto thought to himself. "Hm…she is a medical person so…the hospital is a good place to check!"

At the hospital…

"Thank you for your time Karin-san. I hope we'll see you again." The nurse bowed to the redhead with a smile spread on her face.

"Thank you too." Karin replied with a curt bow and walked out through the glass doors only to smash face first with Naruto.

"H-Holy shit!" Karin screamed out.

Naruto looked up to see Karin with eyes as wide as plates and her glasses just a few feet away on the sidewalk. Karin frantically felt around the sidewalk looking for her glasses, but with no luck. The blond saw this and held her still just before she began to hyperventilate. Naruto reached over and grabbed the glasses from off the ground and slowly slid them onto her face.

Once the glasses were slipped on, Karin's world became clear and filled her irides with the most beautiful scene she's ever laid eyes upon. Naruto was sitting in a golden light, with clouds floating above them and the sun glimmering on his tanned skin. His hair waved over his hitai-ate less forehead and flittered over his right eye from the wind blowing through their faces. A bright, face-splitting smile was spread on his face.

Karin couldn't help but feel a blush forming on her cheeks but quickly pushed the blond away in an attempt to keep her dignity. Naruto was confused but stood up and pulled Karin to her feet. The redhead quickly ran a hand through her unkempt half of hair and made a failed attempt to comb it straight. The two coughed awkwardly and looked away from each other only to make a powerful link of eye contact.

"S-So…" Karin drawled. "What are you doing here…?"

"Looking for you of course!" Naruto smiled once more and put his hands behind his head. "I've convinced the Hokage to make you a genin of Konohagakure no Sato!"

Karin's eyes went wide. She was frozen in place with her mind flying and spinning in all directions without much thought in her red head. Her brain was painfully fried with little cognitive ability. Her head tilted slightly with her mouth parting slowly only to close like a gaping fish, almost as if the information had stolen her ability of speech.

"What?"

What did y'all think of their somewhat growing relationship? Too fast? :/ I think I made it a bit too fast, but I guess it could work out?

Anyway! Next chapter they get some training in and Karin gets a new makeover!

Ja ne!

gottahavekyuubi