.III.


"What do you mean they couldn't find it?"

"That's exactly what they meant." shrugging at Mayuri Kurotsuchi's displeased hisses, Jūshirō Ukitake retold his subordinates' gathered information. "They think your scanners are rusted. There was nothing they found in the Human World."

"Your team is what's rusted! There's nothing wrong with my scanners!"

"OI-OI! Will you stop with the yelling already!" cleaning his ears, Kenpachi Zaraki flicked his fingers.

"Don't drive too deep 'Frankenstein', otherwise you'll get that finger stuck in there."

"What was that, alien!"

Sighing from his seat, Yamamoto was tempted enough to roll his eyes as two of the most 'scandalous' captains began falling into another 'violent' aversion between one another. "What a spectacular group of divisionism I'm running."

"Sir, I think we should check the area one more time. Kurotsuchi and his group had never made a single mistake in their field. And the being that we're looking for is said to be having a very high amount of power in it. I don't think it'd be wise to just leave this matter unsolved and let it fall into someone else's hands over a simply misleading."

The Head-Captain agreed. "Can I leave this to you?"

"Sir." nodding, Chōjirō Sasakibe was ready to leave.

"I'd like to participate in the search as well." the sixth participant's voice suddenly spoke up.

Tuning out their verbal 'bickering', Kenpachi and Mayuri quickly took note into the conversation as well, as the captain of the sixth division stepped forward.

"Very well." Lidding his red-eyes halfway open, the oldest captain of Gotei 13 looked over the rest of the gathered men, "Anyone else would like to volunteer?"

..

Yawning loudly, Naruto stretched out his limbs and moaned as few of his bones cracked. "I think I just had the most peaceful sleep of the century."

Brushing his eyes, he looked around the white room and sat up. Though gave a slight jump when he felt a sudden weight dropping onto his thighs. Looking quickly down, Naruto sighed with an irritating scowl. 'Damn brat, sleeping the whole night on me. The nerve.' Picking the soundly slumbering Ichigo up, Naruto hesitated a bit before placing him under the bed covers and rolled out of the mattress.

Peering between the curtains outside the window, Naruto knitted his eyes at the rising sun. The streets were still silent, even though it was around 5 or 4 in the morning already. "It's so strange to see the streets as quiet."

Hearing a small hitch, Naruto glanced back at the child curling tightly around his sheets. Silently he wondered if perhaps Ichigo was feeling cold and he should go and keep the child warm, but dismissed the absurd thought with a harsh shake of his head and went to gather his clothes instead, which he then realized weren't in the room. 'Now what a hell? Where's my wardrobe?' Looking down at himself, Naruto groaned since he had no shirt on, except the big sweatpants he borrowed from Isshin, and rubbed his neck uncomfortably, guessing he'll just have to go as indecent as he was. 'Well this is inconvenient.' Grabbing the doors handle, Naruto exited the room.

Following the smell of cooking breakfast that filled the entire house, Naruto soon found himself nearing the kitchen, which as expected was occupied by humming Isshin. With a light tap against the wall, Naruto quickly got the man's attention.

"Top of a morning to ya Naruto. How did you sleep?"

"Thank you, I slept well." Rubbing the side of his elbow awkwardly, Naruto looked around the warm kitchen. Now that he actually got a better look at it unlike before, it was quite…lovely, he guessed.

Sensing the uncomfortable stiffness of his guest, Isshin waved him over, "Please, don't hesitate. Come in-come in! Sit down. Feel yourself at home! By the way. I threw your clothes into the dryer. Hope ya don't mind. They'll be soft and clean in no time."

"Aa…, thanks." Mumbled Naruto, not exactly too sure what the hell this 'dryer' was.

"Don't mention it. After yesterday it's the least I can do to repay you." placing his home cooked waffles on a plate, Isshin handed them to Naruto. "Feel free to help yourself."

"This is all really unnecessary." Totally uncomfortable with the situation, Naruto fidgeted in his seat. The feel and warmth of a welcoming hospitality he was given unnerved him; he wasn't used to it. Especially from weird men he just met hours ago. "Ichigo is just a small kid. I'm sure anyone else would have done the exact same thing as I so as to save a child in danger. You don't have to thank me so much."

Isshin's smile dropped a little, "No, they wouldn't have."

Naruto ceased his pocking on a burned waffle. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that it's a rare event for people to risk their lives for another. Not all people are kind enough to do that what you did. Besides, not all people in here are able to see what we see, which makes it into an even rarer event than it already is."

'That much I sort a got already.' Thinking aback to those two people he met in the park, back to Luppi and Isshin and Ichigo in particular, Naruto wondered what exactly they could be counted as. "Do people like you have a name in general?"

"A name?"

"You said not all people can see what you can. So does that mean that there are more of those like you? With equal abilities?"

"Yes, there are. Too much in fact." laughed Isshin, flipping the next waffle.

Not too sure what was so funny, Naruto repeated his question. "So what are you named as? Wizards? Oracles? Seers?"

Shaking his head, Isshin flashed Naruto a proud grin, "Soul Reapers. Or otherwise known as the Death Gods."

Furrowing his brows in deepening interest, Naruto sank into his chair as Isshin began telling him all about the unearthly secrets that were hidden behind the little town known as Karakura, the opposite side of the so called 'Soul Society'.

..

Picking his twelfth or thirtieth waffle, Naruto felt his mind spin around in circles as he tried to recall everything the man told him about an hour ago. 'Reia-…, zan-…what?' Nearly half of the gathered info he couldn't remember anyways, let alone what all those foreign things Isshin tried to describe him were called as. 'Tch…TMI. Forget it; I'd be better off understanding this man's logic than this puzzle.' Opening his mouth, Naruto's poor waffle nearly slipped from his fingers when a loud wail suddenly tore through the entire house. 'What the hell was that?'

Chuckling, Isshin turned the stove off. "Looks like my darling little daughters are awake." Dropping his apron to the side, he excused himself and went upstairs.

'That's right…he has daughters. Rather loud ones at that.' pushing brown/black waffles aside, Naruto got off his chair and went up the stairs, curious to see the two rascals.

As he neared the second floor, he noticed a small shadow creeping silently behind him. A tick mark was quick to appear on his forehead and he ducked, dodging a sudden flying orange blur that flew over his head.

"ITAI!" yelled Ichigo as he missed Naruto and fell onto the floor.

Biting back a snigger, Naruto crossed his arms and scolded, "Baka bozu! What did you think you were doing?"

Pouting, Ichigo crossed his own arms and turned him his back, shooting his nose up high. "Nothing." he mumbled.

Shaking his head, Naruto couldn't hold his laugher any longer, which only made Ichigo blush in deeper embarrassment. 'Really. Are all this world's kids this quaint?'

Such childish behavior dimly recalled Naruto his time, when he was young and could spend days jumping around with other kids that grew to like him. Smiling at the warm memory, Naruto then quickly admonished himself when he realized what he's doing. 'Stop it! That's all in the past now! There is nothing to hold onto anymore.' Frowning down at still pouting Ichigo, Naruto inwardly growled at himself as he began feeling slightly guilty for his actions and quickly looked away, though not for long could that facade last as he glanced back at the child's small form once more. He looked so small and unprotected… 'OH Screw This! I'll be out of this house in less than an hour. And it's not like I'm going to see him again.' Winning heart over mind or mind over heart, he did not know, Naruto walked over to the offended Ichigo and allowed himself to pick him up.

The young Kurosaki's lips quickly broke into a huge grin and he hugged Naruto around the neck, glad to finally get the blond's attention.

"All better now?" Receiving a gleeful nod, Naruto sighed and took them towards the room where the whimpers and wails came from.

Pushing the ajar door gently with his foot, Naruto peered in to see Isshin trying to rock two loud babies back to sleep.

"God, I've tried everything to calm them down and nothing works, they've never been this loud before." looking hopelessly at Naruto, Isshin almost cried.

"Maybe something's bothering them?" 'Like me.' stepping closer to peer into the crib, halfway expecting the wails to increase, Naruto blinked and Isshin blinked as well when the two girls suddenly stopped wailing and stared up at Naruto in amazed wonder, like as if he was a big glowing sparkle.

"Maybe indeed." Looking at Naruto, Isshin gapped, "How do you do that? Mou…have I failed at being a good father?" Isshin broke down wailing himself, "WHAAaa…my darling babies don't love their daddy anymore!"

Rolling his eyes, Naruto groaned, "Not you too. Be a man and get a hold of yourself! I'm sure they're just happy to see Ichigo, not me."

Isshin suddenly stopped crying and looked up with a huge grin. "Say…this gives me a neat idea."

Naruto felt a shiver go down his spine when that huge grin abruptly landed on him. He was afraid to ask but did either way, "What idea?"

"Since they all seem to like you so much…what you say if you and I make a little deal?"

"What the hell is with this like you keep saying so much? And a deal?" Naruto felt nothing good of it when Isshin started rubbing his hands together in a master-plot.

"You are looking for a place to settle in right?"

"Yes…. So? What of it?"

"And since you're stuck in this world, you are going to look for a home here, correct?"

"Maybe…"

"Then what you say to this: I let you stay in my house as long as you want, if…"

"If…?"

"If you take care of my little babies while I work overtime!" joyfully proclaimed Isshin with a spring in his voice.

A long pause dropped in the room before Naruto placed drowsing Ichigo in the vacant chair next to the crib and spun around. "Ok that's it…I'm Out Of HERE!"

"NARUTO!" dashing after the runaway blond, Isshin jumped through the stairs and tackled Naruto down before he made it till the main entrance. "Please, Naruto! I'm a desperate man who has three little kids who miss a motherly love! I just need someone to take care of them while I'm not at home! And it's too bothersome to go to the neighbors and asked for their help again."

"You perverted bastard! I'm no woman! In fact, you don't even know who I really am! How can you just dump your children on some guy you barely met but 10hours ago? Further than that, I know nothing about children to begin with!" jamming a foot in Isshin's face, Naruto bared his canines, struggling to get the surprisingly strong man off of him. "Forget it!"

"But Naruto!"

"No!"

"But NARUTO!"

"NO!"

"BUT NARUTOOO!"

"I SAID NO!"

..

Hugging his son goodbye, Isshin grinned as he then reached to give a hug to the fuming Naruto but ended up with a punch in the face and a kick out of his house with a yell, "Get it over with!"

"Bye my darlings! I'll see you soon!" shouting after himself, Isshin skipped to his car and drove off.

Gritting his teeth, Naruto slammed the doors shut and leant against them with a scowl. "Curse Isshin and his 'you're breaking little kids' heart' shit. God! What the hell is wrong with me! Why the fuck did I agree in the first place!"

Blinking up at mumbling Naruto madly grinding his teeth together, Ichigo tugged at his pants. "Naru?"

"Hm? What?"

Fiddling with his fingers, Ichigo chewed on his bottom lip, "Will you…take me out to get an ice-cream?" he asked silently, afraid that Naruto will say 'no'.

"Ice-…-cream?" 'What the hell do I look like!'

Flinching at Naruto's low hiss, Ichigo yelped and ducked his head.

Seeing that he's scaring the poor boy, Naruto closed his flaming eyes and counted down to ten…no – hundred. "Sure, why not?" he finally said with a defeated sigh. 'Besides, I think I need air before I die.'

Ichigo momentarily cheered up, "Really? Yaay! I'll go get dressed."

"Yeah, you do that…" '…while I vent to myself and think of ways to kill your hyper father. God, what have I gotten myself into?'

..

"This world stinks." Stepping through the Garganta leading into the Human World, Kenpachi Zaraki smelted the air with distaste.

"No one asked you to come," coolly stated Byakuya as he, Chōjirō and Jūshirō stepped from behind him.

"I don't recall ever asking for your opinion, Kuchiki. So shut up before I kill you."

"Hn."

"Cease this foolishness." warned Chōjirō, already having problems with the team balance. "We haven't come here to watch you two fight."

"Yea. But we could still fix that though…"

"It seems that you'll have to postpone it for a while Kenpachi. I can feel the creature's presence close by." Breaking hell before it rose up, Jūshirō gesture to their right. "It's coming from over there."

..

Having left two clones back in the house to watch over the little girls, Naruto lay relaxed under a tree, fiddling with the freshly mowed grass in the park (gladly not inside the destroyed one) while Ichigo ran around the slides with other kids.

Gladly, none paid much attention to Naruto, despite his yesterday's doings (luckily there weren't people around who might have seen him the previous day) and despite the clothes he was wearing, which were a size or two bigger on him (seeing that they were, of course, Isshin's and the 'dryer' had not returned his old clothes back anyways), making him look like a clown – or in Isshin's words as a 'rapper', whatever the hell that meant? Isshin just described that as a popular style to go by in their world…or something.

Nibbling on a thin straw, Naruto followed the falling leafs and smiled when some of them fell onto his forehead every now and then, reminding all about his past experiences when training or simply fooling around with his friends.

'…yea…my old little friends…' all those who died as they aged while he outlived their lives and went beyond, watching as one by one they came and one by one they went. Cursed by the demon himself, Naruto was nothing more than an immortal spirit now. One that never grew and one that never aged, not anymore…

Sighing, Naruto encircled his stomach in a painful grasp and turned onto his left side to watch Ichigo kick the ball to one of the kids before quickly running after them.

'Still so young and so very naïve…just like I used to be…'

Taking the straw from his mouth, Naruto breathed in the fresh breeze and suddenly froze. All movements in his system stilled as a tall shadow appeared behind him. It was not so much the size of the shadow as it was the scent in particular that got Naruto's nerves into cagey twists. The scent coming from the figure was almost the same as those two people in the park, whom Isshin later described as Soul Reapers; however, this one felt more pressured and more dangerous. And having trust in Isshin's words (for an insanely unreasonable reason), who told him to stay away from anything regarding Soul Reapers for the time being, Naruto guessed that's just what he'll have to do.

Standing up, Naruto slowly turned around and looked up at a man of perhaps three meters. His movements, just like for those two before, disturbed the man and he also turned towards him but did not see him. 'How ironic,' thought Naruto, 'Things that normal people could see the powerful Soul Reapers could not.'

But then again, soon after his arrival to this world, he quickly found out that normal people could not see him once he's off the transformation jutsu, as where the Reapers apparently could. 'Weird.' And that also made him wonder: then how come Isshin, who told him that he himself was a Soul Reaper, could see him with and without his transformation jutsu placed on/off. 'Well that's just eccentric.' Cocking his head to the side, Naruto smirked as he saw the sharp – too sharp – spike-haired man narrow his eyes or rather one visible eye and reach for his blade, taking it out and unknowingly lining it next to Naruto's middle.

"Kuchiki. Do you see it?"

"No more than you do, Zaraki." said a rich voice appearing behind Naruto's still form.

"I can swear it was right here," grumbled the man Naruto now knew went by the name of Zaraki.

Two more men suddenly appeared by Naruto's left and right side, now creating a small circle around him without even noticing it themselves.

Rubbing his neck, a handsome long white-haired man, rather similar, yet still opposite to that Kuchiki guy, gave an embarrassed chuckle and informed the others of his progress, "My bad. I guess I mislead our confusion. There are no leads I could find on it."

Chōjirō heaved a dejected sigh, "Same here. Seems that Kurotsuchi-san really does need to adjust his surveillance. There's nothing here."

"Don't jump to conclusions." Huffing at the first division lieutenant and the thirteenth division captain's hasty assumptions, Kenpachi smirked, bringing his Zanpakutō up, not realizing that it now stood right below Naruto's nose. "I sensed that thing too, not but seconds ago. So it's safe to assume that it's around here somewhere…just hiding from us; and hoping to play us for fools."

"You think it knows we're looking for it?" wondered Jūshirō.

"Aa. And it knows how to conceal itself." nodded Byakuya turning his eyes towards the loudly running and laughing children who had no ability to notice them standing there, though one sure did…

Stopping in his run to catch a glimpse of Naruto, Ichigo's huge grin suddenly dropped when he saw four men, four men similar to that one flying one, surrounding Naruto, and pointing a dangerous weapon at him. 'Oh no… They're gonna hurt him!' "NO! LEAVE NARU ALONE!" in despair, Ichigo suddenly screamed at the top of his lungs and kicked the ball at the bewildered Reapers.

Blood drained from Naruto's entire face as Ichigo shouted out his name and the four Reapers quickly snapped their attention towards the child charging at them. Of course, it didn't take long for them to realize why Ichigo was shouting at them and who he was ordering to leave alone and, most important of all, where that someone was hiding. 'I'm dead.'

"FUCK! It's in between us!" yelled Zaraki and brought his heavy blade downwards, where he supposed the demon was, and he was right.

'Shimatta!' Ducking in time and jumping in between Kenpachi's spread legs before the four blades crashed onto him, Naruto flinched at the slight scratch they still managed to place on his leg and dashed towards Ichigo. Grabbing him into his hands, Naruto quickly jumping into the trees and out of sight.

All children in the playground stared wide-eyed and shouted in excitement after him, thinking of that as a sort of stunt-trick pulled by Ichigo and his new friend, which was the reason why Naruto really hated them right now. Due to the brats clapping and pointing fingers towards the direction he was hiding, the Soul Reapers quickly found his location. 'Fuck! The damn world has devils for children!' Swearing, Naruto began running for his life.

"Don't let him get away!" yelled Chōjirō, giving pursuit.

Glimpsing down at shaken Ichigo, Naruto cursed the child's wild hair color and pushed his chakra around him, in silent hopes that his Genjutsu would be enough to conceal Ichigo from the Reapers' eyes as well as any others'.

By gods' prayers it worked.

"Fucking demon! He hid that child too!" cursed Kenpachi, unable to catch a glimpse of the demon due to the child's sudden disappearance.

"Don't fuss, as long as he's moving we can still get him." reminded Ukitake, relying on the demon's spreading energy through its movements.

"N-Naru…" whimpering, Ichigo clung tighter onto Naruto shirt as he felt fear grow over the thought of those men catching them.

Shushing him down, Naruto glanced behind himself. The Reapers were getting closer. 'Kuso!' Jumping from the trees, Naruto leaped over the bushes that separated the park from the main street and ran into the freeway.

Loud screeches and sounds of running cars suddenly slid pass as Naruto jumped in the middle of the free road.

"NARU!"

At the boy's sudden scream, Naruto quickly turned around and gasped as he saw one of the 'metallic masses' dashing right at him with a loud honk. 'Hell! The Fuck is it doing!' Seeing that as nothing other than an advancing threat, on instinct, Naruto lashed out and slammed his fist right across the speeding car's hood – crashing the surface to bits and forcing the car's body mass to go over them and crash with a damageable slam behind.

Covering Ichigo with both hands, Naruto quickly jumped onto the next fast skidding car's hatch and flipped them over before sidestepping the next car before it crashed into the other coming from the opposite side. It was becoming too heated. The line of them was just endless. And on top of that, the Reapers were not far behind any longer.

"Shit!" sparing frightened Ichigo a quick gaze, Naruto tightened his hold around him and using the next advancing car's hood, he jumped onto a siding towing car's cargo. Bending the hood as he pierced his nails through it to gain balance, Naruto and Ichigo were quickly taken away from the 'scenario'.

People were staring from all sides, pointing, shouting and screaming, though none of that really matter as the main problem soon appeared next to the main road of the damaged, jammed up cars and yelling people.

Kneeling down, Naruto calmed his rushing breath as the mass they were on took them further and further away from the indelicate scene he accidentally created.

Searching from side to side, the four Reapers looked around for any clues leading them to the demon. Alas, none were found. They lost him.

"Fucking hell!" sheathing his Zanpakutō away, Kenpachi growled in grand disappointment. "And right when I started to get a thrill out of it."

"It might have gotten away from us yet. But at least we're now certain of its existence." noted Jūshirō.

"Did anyone at least get a good glimpse of that boy it took? He might be the key that'll lead us to the demon." Byakuya marked out.

Exchanging looks with others, Ukitake rubbed his neck, "Honest?"

"Preferably."

"No."

"Just as I thought."

"Though I do recall 'orange'."

..

Heaving deep puffs of air through his nose, Naruto sighed as he saw no-one following them anymore and looked straight towards the road they were heading. 'This is starting to get really backbreaking.' Feeling the 'metallic box' rapidly slow down, Naruto looked to the side and spotted an opened window of a tall building. Catching the opportunity, he quickly jumped from the towing car and stealthily slipped through the unknown room's window.

Making sure none was inside the room or flat for that matter, Naruto slumped against the wall. "There we go. We can rest here for a minute."

"Na-Naru…?…"

"Hush now. It's ok." Hugging the scared boy closer, Naruto cradled him slowly from side to side till Ichigo and he himself calmed down. "They're gone. You're safe. We're safe. Ok?"

Shaking, Ichigo rubbed his teary eyes. "No-o…I'm sorry Naru…"

"For what?"

"It…it was my fault. They almost hurt you…because I wanted to go to that park, …i-if I hadn't asked you to take me there, none of this would have h-happened."

Naruto wanted to laugh and yell at the same time. 'What a way to make things better by blaming everything on yourself.' "Do you always blame yourself for what happens in life, child?"

"Wh-who else is there to b-blame but myself?"

"No one…and that includes you as well. You know Ichigo," leaning the boy against his hip, Naruto carefully brushed his eyes from tears, "…In life, there are two roads we choose to walk, but you can never guess which one of them is going to turn out good and which one bad. Sometimes they can be both as good as they can be bad. Just because you decided to make a turn to the left and it turned out to be a foolish move, does not momentarily mean that the right turn would have turned out better. Perhaps it could've even gone worse than that you made to the left. You cannot predict what happens in life, child, or what difficulties might stand in yer way, …but you can always outlive them and outfight them, right?"

"And no feeling of blame will ever help you or anyone else mend the problem. Do you understand that?"

A shy shaky nod was all Naruto needed. "Right. Now how about you give me that pearly smile of yours?"

Stiffing a sniffing giggle, Ichigo hid his smile under his fists coyly.

"Now what is that? That's not even remotely close to a smile I know. Come on!" throwing Ichigo suddenly playfully into the air, Naruto grinned when the boy quickly broke into squealing laughter. "There we go. Now that's what you call a smile. Now then…how about we get out of here, before the landlord discovers our little break-in, ne?"

Nodding with a full-blown smile now, Ichigo embraced Naruto's neck and rested his head on his shoulder. "Naru?"

"Hm?"

"I…I like you, Naru."

A painful contraction suddenly slammed against his ribcage and Naruto stiffened for a second. 'Why did you have to say that, brat?' Ruthlessly shaking off all anxiousness and crushing all hopes of an understanding to those loud words, Naruto exited the foreign room by forcefully breaking the lock out as he went.

A bit hurt for not receiving any comeback to his 'confession', Ichigo looked up at Naruto's emotionless face, "Naru? Are you-…" but before he was able to utter his question he felt a sharp pressure in the back of his head and his mind suddenly shut itself down as it fell into soothing unconsciousness.

"Wari, Ichigo… but I can't allow you to drive my mind with childish emotions. I'm not something to be liked."

..

Drumming his fingers against the armrest of a comfy chair he was sitting in, Naruto's eye skipped an irritated twitch as he heard the entrance door finally slam open.

"I'M HOME MY LOVELIES!"

"Great…just when I was beginning to wonder if I should fly to your work and stab you in the face." glaring at the clock that read 23:59, Naruto hissed in a silent whisper, though loud enough for Isshin to actually hear something.

"Hmm? What's that?" peeking into the guestroom, Isshin couldn't help but aw, if he ignored Naruto's blaring eyes that is.

The blond 'nanny' was in the living room, deeply sunken into the chair with one hand supporting his cheek and the other tearing the chair's poor leather with his nails. Though none of that really got Isshin's attention as he cooed affectionately at Ichigo, who was sleeping curled into Naruto's lap, Karin – drooling sleepily from atop of her perch on Naruto's head, and giggling and awake Yuzu bouncing on Naruto's crossed leg that he kept waving just to prevent her from blowing his ears out with all the crying.

"Aww…my sweetness, that's just so damn cute! Now you sit right there! I'm gonna take a picture!"

Nearly dropping poor Yuzu, Naruto roared after the giggling man, "Isshin, DON'T YOU DARE!"

..

'Stupid Isshin, stupid camera, stupid universe…' stomping to the second floor, Naruto's patience wavered by each wail coming from downstairs. "STOP CRYING ALREADY! NONE OF THIS WOULD'VE HAPPENED HADN'T YOU FORCED ME INTO THAT DAMN PICTURE, YOU ASS!" 'Seriously…what the hell am I supposed to do with him?'

Slamming the twins' bedroom doors open, Naruto placed still giggling Yuzu into the crib and pulled Karin off his head to lay her besides her sister who was clapping and curling her fingers towards him.

"What do you want? No. I'm not picking you up again. Sleep. No. Stop staring at me. I don't talk baby. Keep your spit to yourself, I don't want it. Will you go to freakin' bed already!" Glaring at the jumping girl shaking her head as if understanding him enough to have the decency to oppose and laugh at him, Naruto cursed her lack of cooperation and lightly flicked her forehead, watching as the baby blinked before abruptly collapsing with a light bounce on the soft bed as she fell into a dreamy sleep. "There. Now don't you wake up till mornin'. I need rest too." Covering the girls carefully under their blankets, Naruto twitched irritably when he realized how soft he was acting and headed angrily towards Ichigo's room next.

Exiting into the hall, Naruto could still hear Isshin's cries over the camera that he ruthlessly crushed using the man's head. "God! WILL YOU SHUT UP!"

"I CAN'T PICK THE PIECES! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME? WHAAAAAA…"

Rubbing his forehead, Naruto quickly walked into Ichigo's room and slammed the doors behind him, luckily that prevented at least some of the yells from that overgrown child downstairs. 'God, this universe and particularly this house is a freaking pain!'

A loud emitted yawn suddenly brought Naruto out of his boiling mind and he looked down at Ichigo, who was slowly waking up. About time too, though Naruto still wished he'd wake up when he was not around. After forcing Ichigo's mind to sleep, just to prevent him from twisting his mind with that foolish affection of his, Naruto could only enjoy half an hour of blissful silence until the twins woke up and just as he arrived back too, tired and anxious. 'Man! Why me!'

"No. Don't get up. It's night. Sleep or I'm placing the damn sleeping jutsu on you too." threatened Naruto, covering Ichigo's eyelids with his two fingers.

"Naru…that you?"

"No. Now sleep." Placing the boy under his bed-covers, Naruto quickly tucked him in and prepared to leave, but the 'stickiness' that was that child's hand just prevented him his blissful freedom.

Blindly catching Naruto by his pants, Ichigo shyly asked him to stay, "Please…don't go…"

Looking at him from over his shoulder, Naruto watched slightly confused as the boy's shoulders shook a bit and his chestnut eyes quickly averted Naruto's own, not daring to meet up after that statement, as if ashamed of his own words.

"…p-please…Naru… I don't want to be…alone…"

Taken aback, Naruto glanced down at the small hand gripping his pants tightly. Clapping his teeth to withhold familiar feelings slowly waking up from deep within, Naruto reached out and gripped the boy's wrist.

Ichigo was pleasantly startled by the sudden touch of that cold hand, yet very hurt when it released him, letting his hand drop down like an annoyance in the way. Without recognition tears began swelling up. 'Does that mean that…Naru does not like me?' Dropping his eyes down, Ichigo's balled his fingers into his sheets.

Curling his own fingers into fists, Naruto restrained himself from rubbing his chest as his heart tightened at the sight that brought so many distant memories…so close to his own. And as soon as he saw a small tear slide down the side of the child's cheek, Naruto's restrains were lost.

'…alone…' that word and that look was just too much of a key to his own childhood. Too painful and too familiar. Lowering his head, Naruto shadowed his glimmering eyes. 'Is that why you're always following me around, child? Because you fear the feeling of loneliness? …But then what of your father…your sisters? Are they not enough to fill the hollowness in your empty heart?' Smiling weakly, Naruto looked back at the boy, 'Or is that feeling something you think will never be understood unless a person knows what it feels?'

"…I…" swallowing, Ichigo mastered up a fake smile, "I'm sorry…you must be tired…and I'm just keepin' you away from rest…" suppressing a silent sniff, Ichigo tried hard not to become a burden and hide all showings of him being weak. "I'm o-ok, really… you can go, i-if ya don't want to…stay… I understand…"

Lidding his eyes halfway, Naruto knelt before the small boy and watched as he tried in vain to get rid of stubborn tears. All barriers suddenly seemed meaningless to Naruto. Nothing but a heart of a broken child stood before him, begging to be cared-for. Pulling his hand up, Naruto hesitantly placed it on the orange head. Waiting till watery chestnut eyes met his, Naruto finally allowed himself to show a smile. "Do you want me to read you a story?"

It's been so long since Naruto had seen so many striking emotions gather up in one's eyes, before he was tackled into a huge hug.

Naruto would forget about his vigilance and let those disturbingly warm emotions boil in his gut. He could allow himself that for a while…but only for a while….

..

Staring up at dimly lit ceiling of his currently occupied room, Naruto ran his fingers through messy orange tresses.

'It's been five days already. Five fucking days. …SO WHY THE HELL AM I STILL HERE!'

Yet a week almost passed and somehow Isshin made it happen so that Naruto would stay for another day watching the brats. One part of the reason why he was still staying was because Isshin had rose a fit when he saw Naruto all over the news and he felt responsible for the problems he caused the man, while the other said it was because Isshin was becoming an ass.

This time, without a reason and the week-old news, the blasted man had made sure to leave really early, and in order to avoid direct contact with Naruto he left a note for him saying that he'll be working overtime again and will need someone to look for the kids, or as quoted: "Naruto, I'm leaving kids on you. Be back around 2am." And with a roar, the letter met a ruthless fate of being torn to zillion pieces. Of course, Naruto could just ignore Isshin's request and leave the kids to themselves, but… 'BUT NOTHING!' growled Naruto, refusing to admit anything. All that was needed to be known was that he did and Isshin should be grateful. Period.

Reaching out for the watch situated on the night table, Naruto groaned and rubbed his eyes, "Only 9pm. Man, but I feel so tired already."

Sighing as another fit of wiggling and whimpering was drawn from the crib before him, Naruto outstretched his leg and pushed it lightly with his feet, rocking the twins back to sleep almost expertly already. 'So tiring…' stiffing a yawn, Naruto rubbed his eyes and glanced down at the sleeping boy on his chest. "I just don't get you child. What on earth could be so interesting about me?"

As if knowing he's being talked about, Ichigo woke up and sleepily blinked up at his dear friend. "Mornin' Naru."

"It ain't mornin', child. Still night. So go back to sleep."

"But I don't wanna." protested Ichigo, although that wide yawn of his told Naruto otherwise.

"No buts." he lectured, "If you want to become strong and healthy, you'll go to bed now."

"Naru… read me a story."

"A story? You want me to read to you…again? But I already-…Urgh!" grunting, Naruto gave up on arguing with the boy's 'pout' and waved his hand, "Fine. Give me what you want."

Jumping down and exiting his sisters' room, Ichigo quickly skipped somewhere down the hall before returning back with a rather thick book in hand.

Arching a brow, Naruto took the book and flipped it while Ichigo made himself comfortable back in the blond's lap.

'Shakespeare? What the hell is that?'

..

Pushing the doors silently opened, Isshin peeked into the room and smiled as he saw Naruto sitting comfortably in the chair while he read Ichigo some kind of a book under the light of just a single moon.

Disturbed by a distracting crack of the doors, Naruto's senses quickly perked back up and he looked away from the book, suddenly hearing light snores. Blinking, he stared down at the deeply dreaming Ichigo. 'Now when did you fall asleep on me?' It was apparent that the child had long since been taken under the dust of sandman, Naruto just didn't notice it. Turning the book over to read its cover one more time, Naruto found himself smiling as he thought that a simple, yet somewhat depressing (especially for a kid Ichigo's age (Why was he reading it to him anyways…?)) book could drive him away from reality so easily that he couldn't even catch Ichigo falling asleep. 'How interesting.' Placing the book onto the night table, Naruto felt a tug on his shirt and looked down at a small chubby hand clenching it.

Shaking his head with a pleased smile, Isshin was about to close the doors…

"Why is he doing this, Isshin?"

…Though startled by the sudden addressing, Isshin had to repress a silent yell when he saw Naruto no longer sitting in the chair but standing in front of him and staring with those eyes which freakily glowed in the dark.

"Why is he doing what, Naruto?"

Nodding towards the boy in his hands and the way his small fist curled around his shirt, Naruto whispered, "Being always so close to me. Why is he so affectionate towards me when he barely even knows my full name?"

Sighing, Isshin opened the doors wider as a gesture to accompany him out. "Tea?"

"I don't drink tea anymore." shaking his head, Naruto put Ichigo back into his room before following Isshin down the stairs; though not before grabbing a stuffed animal from the shelf and handing it to Ichigo's searching hands.


:Translations:
'Itai' – ouch!
Baka bozu – stupid kid/squirt
Shimatta – Damn it!
Wari – sorry

:A/N:
Thanx ta: howlingwindofthestorm, ddcj1990, furikuri0, Kohanita, RasenShuriken92, T00STr00nG, FumetsuKaji, LegendaryGamer, HuntersShadow & KafeiDetour! XD

:Replies:
FumetsuKaji – sorry, forgot to reply the previous time about the 'bony' situation:) Well, I don't think I made Naruto into a walking skeleton…maybe close but not really, just rather skinny perhapsXD

RasenShuriken92 – sorry, but pairings are not even thought of yet;)) & just for the heads up, if they will come, it probably ain't gonna be Naruto & Orihime or any other girl…at least, I don't think I'm gonna place him with any. As I said, I don't know where exactly I'm heading with this story & how I'm going to turn it:)

T00STr00nG – his appearance will be revealed a bit later;))