...Amaranthyz Presents...
Escaping Fear
Chapter 9: Spring and Feelings [Part 1]
Character(s) [By appearance]: Yamanaka Ino, Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke
Pairing(s): slight NaruIno
Characters from Naruto - rightfully belongs to Masashi Kishimoto
I strongly disclaim all rights on the characters but the entire story was originally and rightfully created by me
Dear diary,
The weirdest feelings have washed upon me today. Okay, maybe the fact that I'm getting the 'thing' for Sasuke again isn't all that abnormal but he is such a jerk! How could I ever fall from him again, especially after the total breakout we had a day ago? I am gonna curse my feelings if I ever confess to him.
But the spark that hit me when I talked to my own brother was the weird thing that happened today. Something's up with my feelings. I mean, I can't be in love with my own idiotic brother can I?!
---
"Looks like your temperature is going down, that's good," Ino said when she laid her palm on Naruto's forehead.
The blonde boy was in a straight sitting position as he slurped the instant ramen Ino had heated up for him. By the looks of his blue eyes and tanned skin, he was getting healthier. Naruto gulped down the noodles and burped.
"Man, I missed this! Damn fever," Naruto cheered and continued eating his favourite food.
Ino smiled, "Even if it isn't the fever, you may get a bad case of diarrhoea if you keep on eating that ramen at the speed you're going."
Naruto shot Ino a look with the strands of noodle still hanging from his mouth. He chewed it well before swallowing, "If I eat it like that?"
The blonde girl hit her brother softly on the shoulder before the two siblings laughed. Naruto's mood seriously had brightened up. At the heat he had yesterday, it would have taken a normal person around one week to heal. Thanks to the Kyuubi still resting inside Naruto, he cooled down miraculously today and Ino actually had to thank the demon.
Three knocks on the door alerted the siblings when Sasuke entered the room with his normal smirk carved onto his face, "Looks like the clumsy idiot's better."
Naruto almost choked on the ramen at Sasuke's remark. He coughed a few times before he managed to narrow his eyes at the raven, "Bastard! Pay a little respect to the patient, please!"
"In your dreams," Sasuke hopped onto the bed by Naruto, "Anyways, Sakura and the others are coming by today to check on you. Be a little happier wouldn't you?"
Both Ino and Naruto blinked. "I didn't even mention this to them," Ino said and raised a curious eyebrow at Sasuke, "Don't tell me you were the one who invited them, Sasuke?"
Sasuke cleared his throat and looked away, "Nope. Why would I?"
Ino flashed a look at Naruto causing the boy to chuckle. Sasuke had to grit his teeth to not to flush red and looked at both of them, "They found out by themselves, alright?? Why would I be that overly concerned for the stupid idiot??"
Ino faked a cough, "It sounds as if you're confessing on how concerned you are; genius."
"Prove it, Yamanaka."
"Oh, do you want me to use the Mind Transfer technique on you right now, Uchiha?"
Naruto coughed once and yelled, "For heaven's sake, enough already!"
Ino and Sasuke stopped their menacing glares at each other and faced the blonde boy who had an annoyed and an angry face on.
"Sorry, Naruto. You should just focus on getting well, okay?" Ino said while patting the blonde's golden head.
Ino then gestured to Sasuke, "You, should come with me outside."
The raven-haired boy scoffed but followed Ino out of the room. He stopped by the doorway and looked back to Naruto, "You know your sister is very scary at times."
Naruto grinned, "You're only seeing the tip of the iceberg."
The two boys grinned at each other before Sasuke closed the door and searched for Ino who had went downstairs. Sasuke found Ino by the veranda of the house. She was staring out towards the bright sky. It was a good weather today. The wind blew a cool refreshing air right through Ino's golden hair.
As Sasuke walked closer to her, he saw a different Ino. The Ino right in front of him, with her long blonde hair swaying by the wind's command and an unguarded look on her face as she stared to the bright sky, was unfamiliar. It seemed as if the raging Ino he dealt with for the few days had vanished.
"Ino?" Sasuke accidentally slipped her first name. The blonde turned around with another menacing glare; scratching his thought on a 'different Ino'.
Sasuke let out a sigh, "Could you stop that evil look in your eyes? It's annoying."
"Thanks, Sasuke."
"Yeah well---what??" Ino's reply took Sasuke in a surprise. He then saw how Ino's face smoothened up into a warm smile.
"Thanks for being concerned for Naruto. You've totally changed from the power-obsessed Sasuke."
Sasuke smirked, "Power-obsessed huh?"
"You know what I mean."
"Right," Sasuke chuckled. The past will forever be the past.
Ino gestured towards the sky again and saw two yellow birds fluttering around by the tree that grew in the manor's compound. Ino smiled widely, "Looks like spring is coming soon."
Sasuke saw the softness of Ino's eyes and smirked, "So?"
"Don't you think those birds' feathers remind you of Naruto's hair?"
Ino's sudden change of subject made Sasuke blink in surprise. He raised an eyebrow at the girl, "What do you mean?"
Ino looked at Sasuke with assuring icy blue eyes, "Seriously! Those birds' feathers shine just as how Naruto's hair would in the sun!" she paused for a while, "It's one of the things that I love about Naruto."
The raven-haired boy stared at Ino in silence and when the blonde realised her words she flushed red, "Wa…That doesn't mean the brat's not annoying! I…I mean, he has his good values but he's still a brat!"
Ino stomped away from the veranda and went back up the stairs and Sasuke could hear a loud slam of the bedroom door before Naruto's nagging voice. The Uchiha chuckled to himself. He shook his head and looked out the veranda. He made his way onto it and saw the two birds Ino was talking about. Sasuke's obsidian eyes focused on the birds' feathers and without a doubt, he had to admit, they looked like golden hair.
But to Sasuke, it was not Naruto's hair. It was even paler which added a little silvery touch to it when the birds flutter against the sunlight. It was beautiful for sure but it was not golden. It reminded Sasuke of Ino's hair at most…
---
"Hey, Ino," Naruto began after Ino took a breather and sat on the chair beside the bed.
"What?"
Naruto looked out the balcony that was on the left side of the bedroom. The sky was blue and was ever-so clear. "I was wondering, can't I go outside instead of the others coming here?"
Ino sighed, "I know that you hate being cooped up in here but it's for your own good. Don't worry, the sooner you get better, the faster you can get out of here."
"Damn," Naruto whined as he fell back onto the pillow. He stared up towards the ceiling, thinking. He definitely wanted to go back outside, go on missions and eat loads of ramen at Ichiraku but all that seemed too far from his reach with his still-weak body. He had to get better fast. He wanted to get better really fast.
But then again, he would be forcing his body to much and since the Kyuubi was still stuck in his body, that would mean bad news. Not to mention the first person he would hurt could be anyone close to him. It could be Sasuke or Sakura or worse, Ino.
"Hey, Ino," Naruto called out again. He saw Ino with her head tossed backwards.
Without looking at him, she answered, "What's up?"
"Um…Ino, do you hate the Kyuubi?"
"Hell yeah." She didn't take a moment to answer. Naruto gulped. His intention to get better fast was all out for the Kyuubi part.
Naruto asked, "So…do you hate me? I mean, it's in me anyway."
"Hell no." Again, she didn't hesitate except that this time, she said, "Naruto, the Kyuubi is inside you but it is not you; get my point? You're Naruto, my annoying brother and a Konoha shinobi and you won't ever change. I believe that."
The blonde boy blushed but didn't make any move to hide his face. He smiled softly, "I…Nobody has ever told me something like that. I don't know why but…I'm…I'm happy."
Both Ino and Naruto stared into each other's blue eyes for a moment. They were caught in each other's unique tone of blue. Naruto had the powerful and bright blue in contrast with his golden hair. It created a spirited and a cheerful look; exactly similar to his personality. It went same with Ino with her icy blue eyes and her pale blonde hair. It made her look calm and collected and at times, very mysterious.
"I…" Naruto's voice broke the silence and made Ino blink.
"Wha…What?" Ino said.
Naruto's face became redder as he made his words clear, "I don't know what this feeling is. It's making my stomach flip or something."
Ino giggled, "Maybe you're eating to much ramen."
"No, it's not the 'sick' feeling you have in stomach aches," Naruto gripped the bed covers, "I think…I think this is the feeling you get when you're in love with someone."
Those words froze Ino completely.
Naruto looked up to Ino and said, "Is it me or am I in love with you??"
KYA~!!!!! I've been off of FF for like, A MONTH or MORE!!! Gomenasai... I've been so busy with school that I have no time to update and the internet connection in my neighborhood went bizarre for these 2 weeks... It has finally settled... *sigh*
Anyways, this chapter is dedicated to ALL NaruIno fans since this will be the very beginning of the true plot.. XD I know, it's the 9th chapter but all the mysteries and conflicts has just began... Oops! Spoiler! I'll let you guys in a suspense for now... XD
So, I'll be going on with the 10th chapter now and there's a new story coming in VERY soon.. Be prepared!
-Amaranthyz
