Chapter Three
Darkness was thicker in Konoha than anywhere else Naruto has been to before in his life. Walking next to Kiba – Sakura had stayed behind, with a promise to follow shortly – down the street toward the river, Naruto's arms under the sleeves of his jacket were covered in goose bumps.
The only light was coming from the lampposts. They were too short, with yellow beams turned downright to the ground. Every single light ball in the entire long line of lampposts was on, glowing steadily, which should have made the eerie atmosphere easier but it only made Naruto feel worse. What kind of place had no colorful neon signs, not even over the restaurant, no light left on in the shops and stores, but it had streetlights flawlessly set?
Without the moonlight, the entire dark sky above their heads seemed like an endless black hole. There would be rain tomorrow, or at least it should not be as hot as it was today.
"It's just down on the river bank." Kiba chatted. "It took Jiraiya years to get a permission to open it, and it's the only place around here to go out now. Which means everything is there."
Sly grin was a clear sign that Kiba wanted to talk more about it, so Naruto prompted. "Everything?"
"Yeah, you know. We go there, but it's also the only place you can find drugs and prostitution around here." Kiba sounded oddly proud, and Naruto wondered if he should be amused by it. "Not that we have a lot of either one. This place is boring to live in."
If Kiba expected to get Naruto's sympathy on the subject, he was complaining to the wrong guy. Life in the city was awful. The air always smelled badly, because of the one thing or another, people were all alike, sickly pale and in a hurry, and as fun as it was to go out with Gaara sometimes, Naruto didn't appreciate horrible headaches followed by a memory lapses. He'd lost too much of his life already to waste it.
But Naruto didn't want to counter Kiba on an inane thing like that, so he went along.
"It is kind of small. And the woods from all around are making it claustrophobic."
"I will get out of here one day." Kiba solemnly vowed, scanning the black outlines of the thick tree lines across the river. Then he snapped out of it and grinned. "But you coming here is fun, too. There it is."
Lower then the ground the two of them were standing on, but high enough not to be swallowed by a flood, plain one story building was laying so close to the river that the bright, mostly pink "The Flirting Paradise" sign was reflecting on the water. Finally, neon! The low, very low buzz of music, Bono surging through the very climax of If God Will Send His Angels, reached them with a light swift of river wind. For both of it, Naruto felt better right away.
"I like it." He said, grinning. Kiba grinned back.
Stepping carefully, they descended down the narrow path toward the entrance.
Barely over the threshold, still admiring handmade 'open/closed' sign, Naruto found himself grabbed. It took him several seconds to regain his composure – people don't just run to hug the shit out of him every day – and then he recognized the blond pony tail.
"Hi, Ino." He said into her hair. "Mind freeing my arms so I could hug you back?"
But she stepped away, laughing. "Next time, maybe. You can buy me a drink, though."
She led Naruto and a smirking Kiba to the corner where several tables were pushed together to make a large one. Naruto liked the place. It was spacey enough not to be too stuffy, the white paint on the walls and wooden chairs gave it a comfortable feeling. People around glanced at him and Kiba going in, but after that simple curiosity was fulfilled, they went back to their drinks and conversations Naruto could easily pick up under the low volume of the music.
Smiling happily at his surroundings, Naruto almost missed Ino asking. "Where's Sakura? She said she'd come with you."
Naruto had no idea why she lingered behind, but Kiba answered for him anyway. "She's trying to drag Sasuke out again."
Sitting down, Ino snorted. "He won't be coming if he doesn't feel like it. I've no idea why is she wasting her time."
Kiba nodded to her, and then turned to introduce Naruto to the people at the table. There was a guy with really thick eyebrows among them, who almost jumped from the enthusiasm as Kiba introduced him. Almost like a deliberate contrast, a guy next to him made a face while lifting his hand, like he was bored and it took too much unnecessary effort to shake hands. But his eyes were sharp and clear, and Naruto had no problems smiling at them. They seemed really nice.
No one else was there, but the chairs dragged to the two joined table were suggesting more were coming. Naruto gratefully picked a chair so he could sit with his back to the wall. It was always a good policy to be able to see the entire room when it was full of strangers, even if it was unlikely people here would make trouble, start a fight or something like that. It was a matter of habit, and Naruto always felt uncomfortable when he had to sit and leave his back exposed to the crowd.
Two rounds of odd yellowish drinks that had burned Naruto right down to his feet before he managed to get a little bit used to the sharp, hot taste, he was not allowed to pay. The difference of the third round was that he was allowed to choose his drink, so he asked for something, anything that had no alcohol in it.
He had asked Kiba impatiently several time about Jiraiya guy, because no matter how comfortable it was, and how nice these people were, Naruto was feeling anxious, and like he had wasted too much time already. Kiba promised he would tell him the moment Jiraiya shows up, but before that happened the door of the bar opened once more and Sakura walked in.
And Sasuke was with her.
Naruto had to grab the edge of the chair so he wouldn't stand up, but there was nothing he could do to stop himself from staring. Nothing happened, there were no sudden visions, but his heart was stuck half way up his throat, trying to suffocate him with every loud beat. Sasuke didn't even spare him a glance as he set at the other side of the table, while Sakura took a chair at his side, smiling softly at Naruto.
In the light shadow of her hair, Sakura's was a really pleasant sight. Naruto could not resist but smile back at her.
Kiba was already drunk. Not much, but he was a bit louder then usual, with his eyes shiny and restless. He distracted Naruto, talking about random things, like girls and, more importantly, it seemed, dogs. It was easy to talk to him, easy to let go and enjoy, and for a while, Naruto really forgot everything else, even if he couldn't help but glance occasionally to where Sakura was sitting next to Sasuke, trying to start conversation unsuccessfully.
His attention tore off Kiba completely when he heard Sakura say his name.
She was whispering: "…Naruto is now there, too. I don't know why, but he was asking me about when he came and how long he would stay. Maybe that will help."
Even though he was purposely watching the edge of the table so he'd concentrate better on the conversation, Naruto caught a startled stare Sasuke flashed at Sakura with a corner of his eye. "He what?"
"Well, he said he won't pay your bills…" Sakura said in a tone that suggested she was repeating herself yet again. Naruto was almost sure Sasuke reacted on the part where she said someone was asking after him.
"He doesn't need to pay my bills, Sakura. I have money."
Sakura shifted uncomfortably, but her tone was so soft, so gentle. "Yeah, and you know we'd keep you even if you couldn't pay. But if your father decides he is angry with us…"
She trailed off, but Naruto thought he knew. Didn't someone say Sasuke's family owned half of the town? If a person with so much influence decided he doesn't like local inn giving a room to his son when he is misbehaving, he could have them closed for business. Even if only to cut Sasuke a way to get away from his family for a while.
"You won't have to worry about that for much longer." Sasuke answered, with such certainty in his voice that it made Naruto give in and look carefully at his face. He was surprised to see Sasuke already looking at him. Sakura opened her mouth to say something, but Sasuke asked before she managed: "What was he asking you about Naruto?"
Naruto quickly returned his gaze to the table and caught his breath, so he wouldn't miss the answer. For some reason, just because of the way Sasuke reacted to it, it seemed important.
"Nothing special, you know. Like everyone else. I've been on the phone the entire afternoon, talking to the entire town, it feels. I kept expecting Jiraiya to run in the inn and demand to see him…"
"Sakura." Sasuke interrupted her, sharply. "What did my father want to know?"
"I told you already! When he came to town, did he say why, how he's like…" Sakura paused, and Naruto glanced up just enough to see her frown. "And he told me a story about how he broke your toy once and you didn't want to talk to him for an entire month." She giggled. "That sounds like you."
"Shut up." Sasuke more muttered then anything. "I was five. And he broke it on purpose."
"Hey," Naruto almost jolted. He didn't notice Kiba leaning to him at all until there was a voice in his ear. "There's Jiraiya."
Following Kiba's nod, Naruto saw an older man with a broomcorn of gray hair. He was taking seat at the table closes to bar, across from a blonde woman with a cleavage inappropriate for her age.
Naruto leaned back to Kiba. "Who's she?"
"That's Konoha's only doctor, Tsunade." Kiba whispered. Naruto did not feel that kind of attraction for Kiba, but his warm breath felt nice anyway, when Kiba drew nearer to add: "They say she was transferred from the city because she's an alcoholic."
"Is she?" Naruto asked, but he was becoming aware that he is just procrastination. He got slowly on his feet, listening Kiba's answer.
"She does drink a lot." As a testimony for his words, a waitress stopped at Jiraiya's and Tsunade's table to place two glasses of that local brew in front if them. "But she is never drunk on the job, at least I've never heard of it if she was."
Naruto smiled shortly and nodded Kiba his thanks. A swirl of anxiety dancing in his stomach as he made his way across the bar, vaguely aware that he is attracting a lot of looks. Jiraiya was smirking at something Tsunade was saying. He did not look familiar. Soft edges of his voice that Naruto was catching didn't sound familiar. Naruto couldn't feel anything, any connection, just the hope he will hear more about his parents.
Stopping just next to the table, Naruto said, to drew man's attention on him. "Hi. Are you Jiraiya?"
Still what that smirk on his lips, Jiraiya glanced up at Naruto and froze. His eyes widened in recognition, but in that completely dumbfounded way, like when people think they saw a miracle.
"Minato?" Jiraiya said finally.
Naruto felt dizzy. Minato? That had it; the familiarity, the aftertaste. Naruto took a shaking breath. This time, the feeling was not followed by a visual memory, which was not that bad. He at least didn't trip.
"N-no. I'm Naruto."
Jiraiya didn't react. He just kept staring at him for a minute or two. Naruto was starting to feel really uncomfortable standing there next to that table, waiting for someone to ask him to sit or get lost, or offer an explanation. No one seemed willing to help him, so Naruto finally snapped.
"Look, old man." Jiraiya narrowed his eyes at him and inside, Naruto cheered. That was so much better. "I traveled a long way to come here and find out about my family, and people seem to think you can help. So please stop staring at me like you saw a ghost and offer me a seat."
Jiraiya still looked like he didn't quite like Naruto calling him old, but the woman – Tsunade, was it? – chuckled.
"I like you, kid." She said. "You made Jiraiya angry in less then two minutes. Sit down and buy us a drink."
That wasn't enough, though. He was here to see Jiraiya, to talk to him, so Naruto glanced at the man to see the reaction on Tsunade's invitation. Jiraiya said nothing, but he had on eyebrow up in question, almost a challenge. Good enough, Naruto decided and sat.
"Who's Minato?" He asked straight up as Tsunade gestured for another round of drinks.
Jiraiya opened his mouth a little, almost, but not quite gaping. After a moment, he flattened the expression on his face completely. "Your father, of course." He said shortly. Only after a couple of long seconds, he offered, unwillingly: "You look a lot like him."
"So tell me more about him."
Jiraiya cocked his head a little. "He had better manners then you. And a better haircut."
"I meant," Naruto said thought greeted teeth and pained jaw. "Tell me something real. Where we lived - or how they died."
From the background, Radiohead's Creep, with its weird slowness, was making Naruto additionally impatient as he waited for Jiraiya to answer. The man was frowning in thought, as if there something he couldn't understand. Naruto decided that he would not talk about the amnesia unless someone asked.
Finally, Jiraiya spoke again. "You three used to live just outside of the town. They died in a fire."
Great, Naruto thought, I will have to dig the mine for every little word.
But he persisted, asking his questions. Tsunade helped, half of the time interrupting awkward pauses with demands for more alcohol and the other half scorning Jiraiya for being too vague. Naruto found out that the last name he was using for so many years was not exactly nonsense; it was his mother's maiden name. Also, his father was not from Konoha, he was transferred to work as the local police chief from the city because of some stunt he did on the job, met Naruto's mother and decided to stay forever. They were very happy, they loved Naruto very much – or so Naruto decided to sum out of Jiraiya's grunts and gazed smiling looks he was giving to the bar behind Naruto when he asked.
And then he found out what Sakura stopped Kiba babbling out that afternoon.
"Oh, come on, old man!" He was almost whining, but Tsunade was ordering drinks mercilessly, so that was okay. "There must be something else! Tell me!"
Jiraiya scowled, just like he did every time Naruto called him an old man, and finally snapped. "Stop calling me that, boy! Pay your godfather proper respect, you punk."
Naruto wasn't all that surprised with the revelation. He considered that possibility when he found out his parents were close enough with this man for him to be able to find out more about then from him. When Kiba first pointed him out, he even thought Jiraiya could be his grandfather. But this was better. Somehow, it didn't seem like too much of a deal Jiraiya never found him if they weren't blood related.
Still, he repeated. "Godfather?"
With the entire grudgingly accepting behavior throughout the entire conversation, he expected for the man to try to back out of it somehow. But instead, Jiraiya smirked. "Godfather. And as your godfather, I expect you to treat me with some respect, and come back to talk some other time."
Tsunade laughed softly. "He means, when he is not as drunk, and after he recovers from the shock."
Naruto knew he was being dismissed, but he couldn't help but smile happily. Jiraiya told him he can come back, ask more questions. Standing up from the table, he decided that he will stop being selfish and ask about Jiraiya's life as well. A lot of time passed and Naruto was of age, but Jiraiya didn't seem to mind his title of godfather. It could mean he was considering Naruto a – a long lost family, still.
"Fine then, old man." Naruto said, but he thought that frown Jiraiya gave him then was not nearly as honest as other ones had been. "I'll find you tomorrow, or something."
Long white hair swayed as Jiraiya nodded his acceptance, so Naruto turned to find Kiba or Sakura. At the tables that were still joined together, there was no one sitting. Naruto felt a bit hurt they had left without him. Couldn't have they at least told him they would be leaving?
It didn't matter, he decided, shaking off the feeling. He was with his godfather for the first time in a decade. They probably thought he wouldn't have wanted to be disturbed. Besides, he didn't really care. He barely knew those people.
Naruto found the waitress to settle his bill, but she told him it was all taken care of. Naruto gave her some money regardless and really bright smile as bonus.
The sign over the bar was turned off when Naruto got outside. The river was like black ink without any sky to reflect in it, and the wind was louder in the trees on the other side of it.
"Hey." A voice startled him. Naruto whirled around, tense, but in the pale light coming from the corners of a window, he recognized Sakura. "I didn't want to interrupt you, but shit that took forever. It was too hot inside."
"You've been waiting for me?" Naruto asked. There was no one else around.
She gave him an eerily shadowed smile. "Sure. Kiba had to go; his mom locks the door at midnight."
For someone who didn't care, Naruto laughed bitterly at himself, he was certainly feeling much better knowing they didn't exactly left him there.
"You didn't have to do that." He said as she passed to walk in front of him down the narrow path. "You didn't come alone, either."
She laughed. "Sasuke can find his way back."
"Gee, thanks." Naruto answer dryly. "It's not a very complicated way, I don't need a guide."
Sakura half turned, and Naruto could see her grinning on the street light that was reaching them already. "How was I supposed to know that for sure? You certainly managed to get lost on your way to school every morning, despite of living in Konoha back then."
Naruto laughed with her, but once when they were up in on the street, he couldn't help himself any longer. He had to ask.
"So," He started. "You always talk about people behind their backs?"
Sakura blinked. "What?"
"I heard you saying a lot of people called you to ask about me."
This time, she blinked after opening her mouth to gape. "How did you…? I was sure you were sleeping this afternoon, I didn't hear you go out of the room."
"No, I was." Naruto told her. In the distance, all the way on the other side of the town, it seemed, a car parked at the side of the street and the glaring lights died. "I heard you telling Sasuke about it earlier."
She relaxed a little. What was it that she was saying on the phone that she didn't want Naruto to know? Naruto hoped she wasn't telling everyone about how he couldn't remember everything. Sure that would help if he had to talk to those people soon, but it was an unpleasant to think that they all knew.
A moment later, Sakura realized the implications of what he was saying. "You were eavesdropping?"
"No! It's just hard to distract yourself once you hear your own name mentioned in a conversation." That, and Sasuke's reaction was too strong. Naruto wanted to know about his father very much now.
Sakura gave him a skeptical one-over. "You overheard us from all the way across the table? With all that noise?"
"I have a good hearing." Naruto smirked. "And so I heard that I had a habit of breaking other people's toys when I was five. No wonder Sasuke hates me."
He meant it as a joke, Sakura took it as a joke and laughed, but the last sentence didn't settle well in Naruto's stomach. Annoyed, he focused on Sakura's words.
"Yeah, Mr. Uchiha was telling me about that." She was still very amused at the entire thing. "I was surprised, he is usually very reserved. He had called before, to check on Sasuke and he stopped by, but he was never so in a mood for a real conversation, like today."
Naruto thought that he seemed like a nice man. Whatever their problems were, he was worried about his son. Despite that, Naruto still didn't like how Sasuke had reacted on the news that his father was asking after Naruto.
"But forget about that." Sakura continued when Naruto didn't answer right away. "Tell me about Jiraiya."
Naruto though back on the bewildered face of his godfather, the invitation to go back to see him again, and he smiled despite of the words that were forming. "I don't know. From all those people calling you, no one called him, it seems. He was… surprised."
That was an understatement, but Sakura nodded like she understood. "He can be a little – gruff. But he is really nice underneath it, so give him a chance, okay?"
Naruto was planning to do that anyway, so he asked something else that bothered him. "So why didn't you tell me he is my godfather? Or let Kiba do it?"
They were already turning the corner of the street where the inn was. Sakura was quiet for a moment.
"Because I wouldn't have been able not to tell you about how long, how desperately he was searching the woods for you. For months, he was living out there in the woods, looking for you, even after Uchihas brought authorities from the city to drag him out." Naruto stopped completely. In his mind, there was a picture of the old man sitting across from him at the table, in turns avoiding Naruto's eyes and trying to drown him in the staring, but he wanted to see Sakura's expression, too. "I wanted you to meet him first, because if you expected too much…" She took a deep breath and repeated: "He's not really the most sentimental, or open person. I didn't want you to expect too much. And because it was only a matter of hours, I decided that it's not a big deal to let you not know for a while."
Naruto started walking again. Is this how it feels when a friend is trying to look after you? It felt completely different when Gaara broke arm to that asshole who was yelling some nonsense at Naruto last Christmas. But he wasn't entirely happy Sakura kept something from him, so Naruto swallowed the gratefulness and said instead: "I'm not that fragile."
His voice was almost petulant and Sakura smiled.
"But you probably still have a temper." She said. They were inside; the hall with the engraved wooden wall was illuminated with only some dim light coming through the open door of the kitchen far in the back. "It wouldn't so anyone good if you snapped because things are not the way you imagined them. Are you going to bed? Do you want something to eat first?"
Naruto considered. He wasn't drunk – or at least he was not feeling drunk. But he was very prone to hangovers on the mornings after he drank alcohol. Full stomach was probably not going to help… And the thought of the food was making him want to start throwing up right away, anyway.
"Bed." He said. "But you'll tell me more about all this in the morning, right?"
"You know what?" Sakura beamed. "We don't have a room service here, but I'll bring you breakfast to your room in the morning, before I unlock. We will be able to talk without interruptions that way. How's that?"
Naruto thought that her effort would be wasted, he won't be able to eat, but he was too busy grinning like a big cat with greasy whiskers to say it. No one ever made him breakfast and brought it to his bed, after all. It was an experience he was unwilling to miss.
"Yeah, I'd like that."
Sakura waved him off up the stairs. She was probably sleeping somewhere downstairs. Much like he did when he was walking out, Naruto halted a little in front of Sasuke's door. The light inside was not on. So late at night, just before the witching hour, the sounds were clear. But if Sasuke was inside, he was asleep and still, because Naruto didn't hear anything.
Even after the afternoon nap, Naruto had no problems falling asleep as soon as his got ready and slipped under the sheets. After all, for the first time in many years, Naruto was falling asleep with that dizzily pleasant feeling of accomplishment.
***
Neither the brightness coming through the window, nor the banging on his door helped Naruto with his headache. He wasn't feeling all that sick, but his tongue was hurting inside his mouth, like the acid had dried on it. There was no taste, only a burning sensation that made it very hard for Naruto to open his mouth and yell that yes, he is up and yes, he is coming to open the door.
Half way into his pants, Naruto remembered, and smiled. That was his breakfast banging!
When he opened his door, almost well enough to grin in greeting by then, Sakura was indeed standing there. But her hands were empty.
"Morning." She said and swallowed. Dread gutted Naruto on spot. Something happened? Has she finally caught up with just how much Naruto should not be in her life and is kicking him out? He shouldn't be surprised. People always start to hate him, sooner or later. He shouldn't have expected better. But it hurt.
"Good morning." Naruto forced himself to say. "What's up?"
Sakura glanced down the hall and with her face out of blinding daylight, Naruto could see that she was crying. Okay, then it was probably not him. He was asleep. Something else happened. Something made Sakura cry.
"Kakashi is here." She said, and yes, the odd tilt of her tone must have been because of the crying, too. "He wants to talk to you."
Naruto blinked. Kakashi the cop? What, he wanted to talk officially with Naruto? Why?
"Why?" He repeated the last part of his thoughts.
Sakura wrapped her arms around herself and whispered: "I think… No, Kakashi told me, I know it." She took a deep breath. "Jiraiya's dead."
For a long, stupid moment, Naruto wondered just who is that Jiraiya and why should he care if the guy is dead. Even as he walked out, closed the door and followed Sakura out, he wasn't entirely sure what to think or do. Jiraiya, the club owner? Jiraiya, the man with a lot of white hair? Jiraiya, Naruto's godfather?
Pay your godfather proper respect, you punk, Naruto's mind whispered somewhere half way down the stairs, mockingly not even close to the voice Naruto remembered from the last night. In response, Naruto bent over to threw up all over the shiny, well carved wood.
tbc
A/N: Yeah, I know. I'm not happy about it, either.
I have to give one last waning to all of you who didn't like Jiraiya dying, or are sensitive in general: this is just a beginning. And you probably won't like it when you find out what happened.