KEY: bold Italic dream
Italic thoughts
Chapter 4The next few days passed in relative quiet, Sasuke avoided his brother and his friend and instead he stuck around Naruto and Kakashi. Sakura and a few others appeared at the door but were turned away quickly.
They were out on the lawns now doing stretches to relieve aching muscles from staying in one spot too long as Sasuke watched in mild interest. Naruto appeared to be back to normal and if he wasn't covered in the blood red seal and if Kakashi hadn't told him what have happened he never would have thought anything was wrong with the blond.
The doctor, Dr. Nomura, had allowed a light exercise and Naruto had first laughed then whined at him and Sasuke could tell by the expression on Naruto's face that he was going to do as much as he could and ignore the doctors warnings. An hour after starting his 'light exercise' it became apparent that Kakashi was doing the same.
When one of the nurses had tried to slow them down Kakashi had stared her down and simply said. "Risk nothing and you get nothing in return."
The next day things were speeding up a little more and Sasuke was allowed to train and spar with them. Slowly the other occupants of the house made their way to the wide grassy area and took seats to watch the sparring match that had begun between Naruto and Sasuke. Even Itachi and Kisame were taking their ease on the soft lawn.
Naruto and Sasuke bound backwards and forwards, Naruto successfully dodging each of Sasuke's attacks and dealing out a few of his own and when Sasuke moved to counter one of the blonds attacks Naruto deftly ducked out of the way then spun around behind him.
After they were done Itachi approached them and gazed down at his brother. "Next time, brother, if you try to counter a move like that use more of your stomach and leave your legs and arms relaxed so you can change course if you need to." He said quietly then disappeared into the house.
Naruto grinned then bounced over to where the no few Anbu sat together and jumped in between them and started talking animatedly. He stood out like a sore thumb, this blond haired boy surrounded by adults all with dark hair.
Sometimes Sasuke could almost envy the other boys ability to warm up to others and trust them.
"You're not wearing your masks...nah...I can't call you those names anymore." Naruto whined slightly.
A long haired man smiled at him and shook his head. "We're not officially on duty so we don't need the masks, so you can call us by our real names."
Naruto huffed. "Yeah but I don't know your names remember?"
"Easy." The man said then each of the Anbu took turns introducing themselves.
"Ah." The blond said simply then grinned. "So you're Cat." He said pointing to the long haired man.
The group blinked then stared at the boy. "How do you know that?" He asked curiously.
"I was listening to your voices when you all told me stories so I remember what you're voices sound like." He informed them with a bright smile.
They laughed in amusement and one or two patted his back or shoulders. "Very smart Naruto, you might make a good Anbu one day." Frog, or Seiji stated with a grin.
Naruto sat up straight and his eyes widened with excitement. "Really? You really think so?"
"We'll see."
"Nah...Kakashi-sensei I'm hungry."
Kakashi looked down at the blond boy and raised an eyebrow. "Why are you telling me?"
"Well..."
Suddenly an idea dawn on Kakashi as he watched his former student hop from one foot to the other. "You can't remember the way, can you?"
Naruto glared at him. "It's not my fault this place is so damn big." He said defensively.
"I didn't say it was." The older man said quietly. "Come on, it's almost time for lunch anyway."
They made their way through various hallways that all appeared the same to Naruto until finally reaching a large hall. It had been a week now since they had first arrived at the Uchiha compound and regardless of the fact that Kakashi had been given the okay to leave he had remained and kept a close eye on Naruto. Tsunade had visited every second day or so and spent time showing Naruto a few moves and sharing a story or two from her days as a chuunin, she also took the time to speak to the Anbu and Itachi and Kisame. She had also brought Naruto's wardrobe with her on her first visit so he wouldn't have to wear the same clothes every day.
Despite how the intensity of Naruto's training had increased over the week things remained quiet and tame. All conflicts were caused by different opinions and were solved with several hours of conversation. No confrontation had come to blows with the exception of Sasuke slapping Naruto upside the head for a particularly stupid comment that had actually made everyone think seriously about it and debate whether it was anatomically possible or not.
Everyone else was already there and seated in the dining hall and the cooks were bringing out several plates and bowls of assorted foods but as soon as they caught sight of Naruto one of them disappeared into the kitchen then reappeared carrying a large bowl then sat it down at Naruto's place at the huge table.
"Ramen!" Naruto shouted joyfully and grabbed his chopsticks.
There were a few laughs at his behavior but soon everything settled down and they ate in silence.
"Nah, Kakashi-sensei?"
"What?"
"When do you think Tsunade-baa-san will let me go home?"
All movement ceased at the table and everyone sat there staring at their plates or bowls so they wouldn't have to meet his deep blue eyes.
"It's not that I don't like being here, it's fun and I get to train a lot with my new friends but...I kinda miss going to Ichiraku and I miss seeing my other friends like Sakura-chan and Fuzzy eyebrows, even Dog-boy. I miss going on missions and rolling down those grassy hills outside Konoha on warms days..." He trailed into silence then sighed. "Actually...I don't think I'm really hungry just now."
He stood and left the room his head bowed and his arms wrapped around himself. The silence remained for a moment longer before Kakashi sighed. "Sometimes it's easy to forget just how much those things mean to him. They may be simple but because Naruto grew up alone the simple things were all he had, of course he misses them."
Mouse, or Kirako sighed. "I'll go speak to Godaime-sama, she should know how he feels." She said and stood from the table then disappeared in a puff of smoke.
One by one they finished eating and left so they could be alone with their thoughts until only Itachi, Kakashi and Kisame were left.
"It's strange," Itachi began. "I already have one younger brother who hates me but now it feels like I'm getting another brother. The feeling gets stronger the more time I spend around him yet when I'm away from him I feel guilty for not being there."
Kakashi nodded. "Naruto's like that, he's such a loud energetic and stubborn kid but his smiles are infectious and he will trust almost anyone until they prove they don't deserve it. It's hard to say no when he really wants something, he has a habit of growing on you until you can't help but care what happens to him." He said sagely. "It's impossible not to think of him as a brother, even the Godaime will agreed."
Itachi watched him for a moment then smiled softly, the first time in a very long time. "Maybe he can teach me a few things."
"He could teach all of us a few things...that brat." Kisame muttered.
A gently tap on his door brought Itachi's head up. "Enter."
The door slid open silently to admit someone then closed just as silently.
Itachi sat there on the floor and waited, eventually Naruto made his way further into the room and knelt down slightly away from the older man. "Nah..."
"Itachi...call me Itachi." The dark haired man instructed him quietly as Naruto groped for something to call him without being disrespectful.
Naruto nodded. "Nah, Itachi...do you know, what happened I mean. Why were we in the hospital?"
"You don't remember?"
The blond merely shook his head then stared into the others eyes. "I asked Kakashi and Seiji and Kirako and the others but no one will tell me anything."
You didn't get an answer from your friends so you came to me? Interesting Itachi though absently.
"Please, I want to know but no one else will say anything except 'get better' or 'do your best' but I'm fine I'm stronger than before so please tell me, please."
For five minutes the sat like that before Itachi gave into the pained, pleading expression Naruto was giving him. "Something happened, no one knows what but you collapsed and you were shivering and your skin was blue from the cold, your chakra was out around your body and it froze solid anything it touched. One of the Anbu was frozen by it, Kakashi suggested a seal, the Fire Kami Seal and he needed seven others, one for each point of your other seal. We had to pour out nearly all our chakra to power the seal, one of the Anbu died because he used all of his chakra to try to keep you alive. The seal used our blood and chakra to seal whatever it was inside you and to raise your body temperature to stop you freezing to death, when it was done you had those marks all over your body."
They sat in silence after then and Naruto bowed his head, hiding his face behind his fringe. "Who were they?"
"Who did it?" At Naruto's nod he continued. "Myself, Kisame, Kakashi, the Hokage and four other Anbu I don't know."
Without warning Naruto had wrapped his arms around Itachi's neck and embraced him. "I'm sorry." He whispered into the crook of the older mans neck.
Itachi sat there for a moment too startled to react, he hadn't even seen Naruto move then suddenly he was being hugged. He felt something wet hit his neck and realized Naruto must be crying. Hesitatingly he reached up and slowly returned the embrace, it was the first one he had shared with anyone for years. He gently held the sobbing boy until his tears subsided and for a guilty moment his thoughts turned to the heavy cloak he hadn't worn since he had been hospitalized, it was his mission to bring Naruto so they would have the power of Kyuubi with them but now...he'd let himself get attached, he allowed himself to remember what it felt like to let himself grow close to someone, to have a brother that didn't hate him.
He decided then and there that he would have to talk to his real brother before too long.
Naruto sniffed and released him then sat back his gaze turned aside and his face aflame with embarrassment. "Sorry...Thanks."
"Hn...was there anything else you wanted to ask?" Itachi asked quietly.
Naruto shook his head and stood then made his way to the door, wiping at his face with his sleeve.
For a long while after he left Itachi remained seated in the same spot thinking about what had just happened and about how his return to Konoha had changed him. This trip had taken a very unexpected turn.
"Please Tsunade-baa-san." Naruto begged for the up tenth time.
Finally Tsunade sighed and regarded Naruto seriously. "Naruto, please understand I'm still worried about you and the seal. On top of that you seem to keep forgetting that you don't look the same as before.""I don't care, they're not my friends because of how I look and I'm fine, I can keep up with Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei." Naruto pointed out with a huff.
She stared at him for a moment then nodded. "Fine, I'll allow you to invite a few people for dinner." She conceded then tossed a piece of paper and a pencils. "Right down their names and I'll contact them."
Naruto grinned at the win and quickly scribbled down something then folded the piece of paper and handed it back to her along with the pencil then bounded out of the office.
Tsunade sighed then unfolded the piece of paper and read through the list.