Hi Again!
This is the second chapter to Failing to Imagine. Yay I managed to do it. Considering my family are Christmas crazy and spent the last two days cooking Christmas cakes and puddings i did pretty well. XD
I want to thank my first reviewer, Kratos the Divine, many cookies served by Gaara to you!
It ended up started a lot lighter then I thought but it won't always be this way. I'm not sure if the lightness is any good.
Anyway this is the real first chapter, so enjoy and review.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does, if I did Naruto and Gaara would be seeing a lot more of each other.
Chapter 1
Ramen!
Not that instant stuff that he'd had all of his life. This was fresh, homemade ramen and it was emitting the most delicious aromas. This, single bowl had been made especially for him, it was heaven's gift to a good boy named Naruto, or so he thought.
Naruto looked up at the blue sky and smiled. Blue, that colour made him feel at ease. He knew that everything was as it should be, no one dying or starving. Everyone was content like him and this was what he'd waited for.
Hearing the steady beating of his heart also made him smile. He was alive and couldn't be happier about this.
The young teenager was sitting comfortably, cross-legged on the floor. The golden bowl of precious ramen was lying in front of him, teasing Naruto and pleading to be eaten. He was more then happy to comply with the last wish.
Naruto licked his lips, he'd dreamt of this moment for several years. This time though, it was real and he was ready to savor every last slurp, nibble and bite.
A small snap was all it took to split the chopsticks as Naruto prepared himself for his well earned fest. Here we go he thought, time to tuck in.
"Naru…"
"Eh…?" Naruto looked around, had he just heard someone? Oh No! Were they after his Ramen? The very thought made his blood boil and skin crawl. Who would be so evil?
"Na..to" the voice called again.
"That's it!" Naruto gasped. "Where ever you are! Come out and fight me!" Naruto paused for a breath and belted on. "I can take what ever you've got and my ramen's getting cold, so hurry and let me kick your ass!" No reply and Naruto was slightly angry that they would make him wait but he wouldn't give in on protecting his meal.
Minutes passed and there was no further disturbance so Naruto gave in, bent forward and dipped his chopsticks in, pulling out strings of warm noodles.
"Naruto! Wak…p…Damn it!" This time the voice sounded very angry and disgruntled but Naruto wasn't startled
"Whoever you are, I'm going to ignore you now and keep eating." Naruto declared to the non-existence noodle stealing ninja. He moved the noodles to his mouth but was halted as his head started hurting and spinning suddenly.
Dropping his chopsticks he cradled his suddenly sore cheek. "Oww..." Whined the boy. "What was that for?" He yelled to nothing while standing up.
"Naruto, if you don't…… I will keep……until your black and blue." Called the seething voice.
The-ramen-loving-boy was furious now. This THING had made him spill his first bite all over the floor. Not only that but it kept interrupting him and was now beating him as well.
Even though he searched for the noodle stealing, boy beating ninja, Naruto couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. Naruto looked down at his meal to check on it, only to find it had moved a few metres away from him.
"Hey!" He called out to the inanimate object. "Don't run away from me!" Naruto called, not even realizing how crazy he sounded talking to a bowl of food.
"NARUTO! WILL YOU FREAKING OPEN YOUR EYES AND STOP SNORING!"
Everything, including the ramen, started to get hazy. Naruto scrunched up his eyes and concentrated on only his meal. Running forward, his feet slapped noisily on the floor, he was going to reach it before everything broke up. He felt his consciousness stretching past this dream world and he felt fear grip at his heart as the sky slipped from soft blue to scorched brown. Everything was falling apart, including his heart. He honestly felt like crying as he continued to search for his ramen and the blue sky. He needed to at least taste that ramen, he needed to know how good it was. Nooo Naruto silently screamed at himself.
He could no longer see, everything had turned a dull black. He felt like he was drowning and as he saw a thin light in his sight he realized he was going to wake up and hated it.
The first thing the poor boy saw was pink, all of his vision was filled with Barbie's favorite colour. The bright strawberry pink made his eyes hurt so he shut them, trying to plunge himself back into his dream.
"Hey! Now that I've got you awake don't go back to sleep!" Cried the pink blob in desperation.
"Ugh… Sakura please leave me alone. You woke me from a really good dream and you hit me didn't you?" Naruto replied crushing his eyes closed and covering his cheek with one of his hands, desperate to block his intruder and the pain out.
"Listen here!" Sakura started, taking a wicked tone. "I've spent twenty minutes of my life trying to wake you up and now you're saying that you don't want it? I may just have to hit you again" She cried out and Naruto heard her voice's tone spike at "don't" and winced slightly, fearing the slap that never came.
"No, don't hit me Sakura," Naruto whimpered pulling up his arms. "just leave me to sleep a little longer." Came the second moan.
"Well then you're going to miss Tsunade's meeting about the next patrol for water."
"WHAT!" Naruto screamed jumping up. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE!" Naruto continued, pointing his finger in accusation.
"Stupid… I came in here to wake you up didn't I? It's not my fault you're such a deep sleeper." Sakura walked over to the door and turned back. "You better hurry, I heard Tsunade's thinking of leaving you behind again." With that the bubblegum-haired girl left.
Naruto felt his cheeks flush with anger, this was how it always went.
Naruto had been living with this small group of people for several months now. Each month a selection of people went out to find water so that everyone could survive. Naruto was determined to go out on this job because it was the most dangerous. He wanted desperately to prove himself to the people who had kindly taken him in.
Naruto was a Jinchuuriki and therefore hated by a lot of people. He'd been alone for a long time, however he kept trying after he'd met a young man named Iruka. This man was kind to him. Iruka gave hope to the young Jinchuuriki, more so than any other person Naruto had met.
Unfortunately when Iruka's friends found out about Naruto, he was chased out into the wastelands. They were horrified that Iruka had kept such a monster inside his home. Even though Naruto had loved living with that man he left without stirring up any trouble. He loved Iruka like a father and never wanted to give him any hindrance.
The thing that hurt him the most though, was that Iruka had never followed after him. Naruto had hoped that they could've left together and lived together but no such thing happened. It silently tore at him, it made him feel unwanted, unneeded but life continues no matter how much pain you're in. Naruto learnt that.
Still it was Iruka that gave Naruto hope and it was that hope that found Naruto a new home, here at Leaf village. To Naruto's surprise Tsunade had let him stay even though she knew what he was. In fact nearly everyone had felt the same way. This brought tears to Naruto eyes and for once they were of joy.
Naruto pulled himself from his memories and shuffled forward grabbing his dirty orange coat. Slipping it on he left his tiny room and entered a long hall way made of pieces of rusted, corrugated iron sheets.
He rushed forward, his hands running along the iron sheets making small thuds and thumps. Today he wasn't going to let Tsunade leave him behind. No this time he was going to be a hero and beat everyone.
"Hey, Dobe." Naruto spun around and smacked straight into a very solid and very warm body.
"Teme." Naruto ground out dryly as a reply, pushing himself away from the taller teen.
"Hn…" Came the hard reply as the taller teen pushed past Naruto and down the way Naruto had been heading.
"You're pretty late to the meeting Teme." Naruto increased his speed and caught up to Sasuke's long strides.
Naruto looked at the bastard and couldn't help but grunt in annoyance. Sasuke was the pretty boy of their little 'family'. With jet black hair and deep black pools for eyes and cream skin, all the girls swooned over him. Naruto didn't think he was that good looking, he'd seen road kill which was better looking and it had had a better temperament then Sasuke too.
What he thought about the taller teen wasn't always true. In the time Naruto had been here they'd grown pretty close, not best friends exactly, but rivals.
Sasuke was always the leader to go out and search for water and do the dangerous jobs, he was always the hero and this really pissed Naruto off. If given the chance Naruto could be a superior hero to Sasuke. Sasuke was after all, only a bastard.
"I could say the same thing Dobe," Sasuke stopped and turned to smirk at Naruto "but from you I don't expect anything else." That said he began walking again, leaving a very red and irate Naruto to yell profanities at the dark haired teen.
After a few minutes of letting off steam and kicking all of the nearest things, Naruto had finally calmed down and continued toward Tsunade's office.
Another minute and he left the iron hallway and traveled out into the sunlight and harsh climate. Looking around he noticed the mild sandstorm that was starting and the wreckage of the old town that was now long gone. There were no plants nearby and the harsh sun bet down on the teen's covered shoulders. Even though he was covered up with several layers he hardly felt hot, the temperature was too erratic these days. One moment it's boiling and the next it's freezing. It was early morning so the temperature was still cool but by noon Naruto would be sweating and shedding as may layer and the girls allowed.
Heading across the small clearing, Naruto lifted up a hatch and descended down into the earth via some badly constructed steps. The further down he traveled the more he pulled his coat around his thin frame. It got quite cold down here, which was great in the noon, not that anyone except Tsunade was allowed down here at noon.
Hitting level floor Naruto walked into a small area with a little wooden door and knocked on the door a few times.
"WHAT NOW!" Was the response, followed by a rather loud and vulgar, "FUCKING HELL!" The last scream sounding something like: "WHY IS EVERYONE FUCKING INTERUPTING ME TODAY?" Naruto cringed, god Tsunade was frightening.
The door swung open rather angrily, making a loud slam, but the thing standing on the other side was much worse.
Tsunade was red in the face and incredible furious, for a few seconds Naruto wondered if this was the end but luckily it wasn't.
"IT'S ABOUT TIME YOU GOT HERE YA BRAT!" Tsunade stormed before pulling Naruto in forcefully and slamming the door closed, barely missing Naruto's head.
Naruto was pushed to the floor rather roughly and found himself seated between a blushing Hinata and a sniggering Kiba.
"Hi-ii…" Hinata managed to get out without killing to many brain cells, instead turning a deep cherry colour. Naruto grinned at the girl, scratching his head sheepishly, a little embarrassed at what just happened.
"Hey." He managed to get out before he was smacked over the head by Tsunade.
"JUST SHUT UP," she shouted in his face, "you can chat up ladies later, Naruto." She finished loud enough for everyone to hear. Laughter erupted from everyone except a stuttering, half unconscious Hinata and Naruto who was trying his hardest to deny such things.
"It's NOT like that you hag!" Naruto huffed, crossing his arms over his chest, a light blush forming from the embarrassment.
"Sure it isn't." She laughed out, patting the frustrated boy lightly on the head. She then turned and headed to the front of the small crowd. Naruto noticed that everyone was now here, including Sakura and Sasuke. In total there was about fifteen, give or take one or two. Everyone was crammed into the small earthy office, either sitting on the floor or standing. These meeting weren't mandatory but everyone came out of respect for Tsunade.
"Now," Tsunade started, "We all now why we're here, Right?" Everyone nodded. From what Naruto had seen, this happened every month, kind of like a tradition.
"Well… we've come to that time again, so I'm going to have to send some of you off to collect water. You all know that the trip is about two days depending on whether or not you meet any Demons along the way." Naruto felt Hinata shiver and heard the small gasps that came from people around him at the last line. Everyone dreaded such a situation, they'd lost two friends on the last trip and it had caused quite an uproar.
"The trip is quite hard, I don't expect any of you to go voluntarily but we do need a…" Tsunade finished here, sighing very heavily and then continuing with a hard look in her eyes, "few to go and I'm very sorry to ask this of you." She finish very quickly hiding her eyes. Naruto could tell she hated to send her friends out, risking their lives while she stayed behind, safe at camp.
"I'll go." Came a proud announcement from the crowd, Naruto didn't need to turn to know who it was.
"Well if Teme is going I'm going to" Naruto demanded pumping his fist into the air, a grin plastered on his face. He wasn't about to let Sasuke steal the spotlight, he was going to be the hero this time. After that he heard a snide remark and knew it had been Sasuke's reserved reply.
"No, Naruto! I've already told you that you can't go." Tsunade whispered firmly.
"WHAT!" Naruto cried angrily, his grin disappearing in a flash of emotion. "I can take what ever that bastard can." he raged accusingly. "I'm just as good with weapons as Sasuke, I can kill a Demon if I try and if you'll just le…"
"NO NARUTO" Tsunade said slapping Naruto hard. The finality in Tsunade voice both surprised him and saddened him. Did she really believe he was that incompetent?
Looking around Naruto searched for someone to back him up, they all knew how capable he was, right? He wasn't going to back down just yet, that wasn't how Naruto worked.
Everyone was looking away, avoiding Naruto's eyes, everyone except Sasuke who looked him straight in the eyes, a mixture of superiority and what looked like… pity washing through his dark eyes.
Naruto scrunched his hands into tight fists. He pushed himself to his feet, fast, knocking both Hinata and Kiba's dog, Akamaru, to the side. Everyone could see that the teen was shaking hard. He couldn't help but hate feeling useless and nothing made him feel more useless than receiving pity from someone, especially Sasuke.
Why wouldn't she let him go? He could take the place of someone else. He could protect someone, someone who was worth more than a Jinchuuriki, like Naruto. Naruto just wanted to protect these people. These people who he'd shared his first, real smile and laugh with.
Throwing up his hands he glared at everyone.
"I'M GOING WHETHER YOU GUYS LIKE IT OR NOT!" He yelled before storming out, the door caught when he slammed it so he had to back take to close it properly and he felt incredible stupid doing so. As he went back to close the door he heard the sounds of people calling him back but he ignored them, choosing instead to close Tsunade's door and tear up the stairs into the sunlight, then off to his room.
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Naruto huffed as he looked up at the ceiling of his make-shift room. He'd been laying here sulking for several hours, still he hadn't thought of anyway to convince that old hag, Tsunade. Even worse, no one had come to make him feel better.
Rolling over onto his side his eyes scanned his more than shabby room. It was made from spare planks of wood and iron and when it rained water poured through the holes in the roof. Those holes were now streaming in bright orange sunlight from today's sunset, it was quite beautiful but he wasn't in the mood. The exit from his room was a crawling hole about a metre tall. A first it had hurt his back but now he was used to it.
He shared this room with Sasuke which was a little more then annoying. They both slept on the floor with a few blankets and what belonging they had piled next to their blankets. The girl's rooms were a lot neater and even had hooks to hang their clothes on but Sasuke and Naruto were boys and didn't mind having their stuff on the ground. Honestly it's the best Naruto had had in years.
-KNOCK KNOCK-
Naruto shot up looking wearily at the small gap that led out of his room. Crouching there, with a huge grin on her face, was Tsunade.
"Hey Brat," She greeted calmly, "can I come in?"
"No" Naruto shot back but the answer was ignored as Tsunade crawled in and sat on Naruto's feet.
"Listen kid… you know why I won't let you go right?" Tsunade was smiling but Naruto could only glare.
"You're an evil hag?" He huffed, slamming his body back onto his blankets.
"Evil… Hag?" Tsunade confirms flexing her hands ready to strangle Naruto.
"Yep."
Naruto barely had enough time to roll away from Tsunade as she launched herself at him, ready to destroy Naruto, having forgotten why she came here in the first place. She scrambled across the floor, following Naruto and catching him in a head lock.
"Oww! Let go ya hag!" Naruto yelled clawing at her arms and kicking out his legs, trying to escape her inhuman strength.
After a few more minutes of wrestling Tsunade suddenly stopped and held Naruto tight to her chest, patting his hair. Naruto felt a little uncomfortable in her embrace but said nothing, waiting for her to finish what she had started.
"Listen Naruto," she began softly, "you can't ever go out on patrol. Do you understand?"
"No…" Tsunade recognized his tone and knew he was sulking, she felt sorry for him but didn't tell him that.
"Naruto, you're a Jinchuuuriki. That means when you're near a Demon you might lose control. You may even kill one of you're comrades, it's in your nature, it's an instinct you might not be able to control." Tsunade explained seriously, causing Naruto's heart to drop.
"But Tsunade," Naruto pulled himself from her motherly hug, "you know that I'm different. I've lived in the wastelands with those creatures all my life and I've never felt the urge to kill anything." Naruto was now whining, desperate for her to believe in him like others hadn't.
"Yes, you're the only Jinchuuriki I've met that hasn't ever wanted to kill anything, that's why we let you stay here, but what if that changes."
"It won't" Naruto pleaded, his eyes as large as saucers, the blue turning a brighter colour from unshed tears.
"You don't know that" Tsunade finished sadly. "If you accidentally killed someone here, we'd have to banish you Naruto and that would kill a little bit of everyone to do that."
"Okay…" Naruto mumbled, his voice cracking slightly, before throwing himself onto his bed, face down. He didn't want to here her voice anymore. He just wanted her to leave.
"Good"
Tsunade only stayed a little longer and neither of the two talked in that time. It was only when she thought he understood did she rub his back once or twice and exit his room, out into the iron corridor, leaving the blonde alone.
A little later Shino and Chouji dropped by, wondering if Naruto was going to come to dinner. Naruto didn't answer their questions and they eventually had to leave, Chouji wasn't going to miss his meal. Both weren't angry but instead worried for the usually hyperactive, now quiet, friend.
Naruto had spent all of this time thinking, desperate to find a solution to his worthlessness but no solution was found.
The more he searched the sleepier he became, until he could no longer hold his eyes open and drifted off to find ramen. Naruto was so far gone he didn't even hear Sasuke come in and sit down next to Naruto.
Naruto had become such a large part of Sasuke's life. It was hard to imagine he had ever lived without the ball of endless sunshine. He didn't know what his feelings were for his new friend but he knew that losing him now would carve a hole in his heart.
Sasuke reached down and brushed the hair out of the blonde boy's closed eyes. It was quite dark but still he noticed that Naruto had been crying. He hated seeing him sad, his idiot blonde shouldn't be like that. He should be loud and maddening to everyone around him, a force to be reckoned with or so Sasuke thought.
"I'll leave before you even wake up, Dobe." He promised as he lowered himself down next to the blonde and wrapped an arm around him, falling asleep rather quickly.
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When Naruto woke up he knew what he wanted to do. Stretching he looked around and notice that Sasuke wasn't there, he started worrying that the group had already left.
Climbing to his feet he found his bag made of worn cloth. Picking up whatever he might need he packed it in, making sure there was room for a little food too. He dressed in his favorite clothes and crawled out into the hallway, dashing down towards the room that kept provisions.
He quietly opened the door and packed his bag with a few cans whose expiration date was so far gone it wasn't even readable.
"Naruto? What are you doing?"
Naruto hastily closed his bag with some string and turned to meet green eyes and pink hair. Sakura had her hands on her hips and looked slightly bewildered.
"Sakura!" Naruto said laughing. He hadn't yet come up with an excuse so seeing Sakura had caught him off guard
"Naruto…" She said dangerously, her eyes squinting slightly. "You're leaving to catch up with Sasuke and the others… aren't you?" Damn he thought. Nothing much he could do now that he'd been caught except…
"Please Sakura. Don't tell anyone, especially Tsunade, Please…." Yep, the only thing left was to plead and hope she had mercy on him.
To his surprise she started giggling and clutched delicately at her stomach. Naruto felt embarrassed that she found what he was doing so funny.
"You silly boy," she gasped between giggle fits, "I didn't come here to turn you in but to give you this." She pulled her shoulder bag around and unzipped it. Shoving her hand in it roamed around for a few seconds before pulling out a small gun. "Here protect yourself with this." She declared. "Everyone else will have weapons so it's only fair you take one too."
Naruto couldn't believe this. Sakura had snuck in a gun for him. In a weird way he felt happy but also a little disturbed. Naruto had never shot anyone; he'd lived his life only running instead of fighting. So now in this moment Naruto decided, no more laying down and dieing, no more crawling under a rock and hiding or giving up. Today marked as the first day he would start fighting for himself and for the ones he cared about.
"Now listen," she demanded, pulling Naruto out of his thoughts, "Sasuke, Kakashi, Shino, Shikamaru and Kiba left at sunrise so you'll need to hurry to catch up with them."
"Thanks Sakura." he whispered as he took the gun, switching it from one hand to the other cautiously. She also handed him the harness and helped him place it around his waist. Naruto blushed at the intimate position before slipped his new friend into its new home. He couldn't help but grin.
"You be careful, you here me." She whispered before hugging him tightly. "Make me fucking proud." She laughed in his ear. Naruto pulled back in surprise he didn't often hear her swear when she wasn't angry. As he lifted his eyebrows in surprise she only smiled and pushed him towards the door. "You better hurry or you'll lose them."
"Right!" He shouted pumping his two fists into the air. "Watch out world and watch out Teme. Here comes Naruto Uzumaki!"
Thanks for reading and it's only a NarutoXGaara fic in case there was suggestive sentences there. Maybe a one sided relationship as well and I figure out the other pairings later.
Gaara killing things is coming in the next chapter so stay tuned.
-Falling into Colours-
