AN: Flamers who have no business to flame whining about how slow this story is progressing and are not seeing any answers yet, WAIT it out. Flamers will be explained to how I work and then they can decide whether or not they want to continue reading. I will not tolerate anyone insulting my work because they are only a single person in a handful who doesn't appreciate my work. If you don't like it, stop reading and don't tell me about who is a bitch and whatnot, kindly tell your therapist. Like I said, this story will have gradual explanations, but you ALWAYS have to build up character info first. My rant to a stupid flamer.

Temptation

The chilling air blew right through Naruto as he thought deeply about the rapidly approaching date. The school bell just rang for them, signaling that the buses would soon depart. Naruto snapped out of his thoughts and made a run for his bus, bumping into a tall boy with a doctor's mask on.

"Hey, look here, Zaku, Kin, a little boy that's going to miss the bus."

The trio laughed, Naruto backing away.

"Well? Aren't you going to say something?"

"Dosu, that's the stupid kid in class A-2, leave him alone. He's not worth bothering. Look at how pathetic he is. He doesn't even have real parents, or so I heard."

Kin began, musing on with her verbal abuse.

"How odd. Then where did he come from? The stork!?"

They all began to laugh, Naruto looking down, his bangs covering his face.

"What's it like to live with people you don't know, loner? Any fun? I bet they put you in closets for the entire day because you're too annoying."

Dosu said, pushing Naruto slightly on the shoulder. Naruto began to run for the bus, seeing them slowly begin to leave. Zaku pulled him to the ground and threw his schoolbag in the ditch water, running to their own buses. Naruto quickly went to retrieve his bag, turning to see that his bus had already departed. His eyes widened, he beginning to run up the hill only to trip and fall in the water. Tears of frustration sprang easily to his eyes, standing up yet again to see a few cars pass by. Nothing could be done. The child began his long trek home. The school was closed, so there was no way that he could call Iruka.

A car slowed, a window rolling down next to Naruto.

"What happened to you…? You're all wet…"

Naruto turned his head to see Arashi in a work uniform. Naruto huffed his chest, taking faster strides.
"Naruto, why don't I take you home? I'm sorry, I know you hate me, but I don't want to let you walk home on your own…"

A wave of nostalgia hit Naruto, suddenly wishing he were on the bus ride back home. But he knew that he'd catch a cold with the cool October air and Iruka would worry. Slowly, he crept in the car and closed the door, keeping his bag on his lap.

"I'll crank up the heat for ya."

Arashi reached over to turn on the heat in the car, Naruto's hair on his body stood up, he shivering as the sudden heat began to warm him instantly.

"Naruto…"

The boy didn't acknowledge Arashi's voice.

"I know that you really hate me now…can I at least explain to you why I left…?"

Naruto knew the ride back home would be at least half an hour, so there was nothing better to do.

"Mm…"

He replied in a light voice, Arashi's eyes softening.

"It was a while ago when the region we lived in called for a draft for soldiers to fight in the west…that's on the other side of the world…I had no choice but to go and you were not yet born. I left and received no word about the eastern side because I would sleep in the barracks where we would only rarely get mail…if the messenger wasn't killed by the time they arrived. I got only a single letter saying that your mom had died…I never got any news of you, Naruto. I only realized that you were born after going through a bunch of papers from the lawyers…"

'So in other words…I didn't exist…'

Naruto thought silently, somehow managing to sympathize with him.

"I know what you must be thinking…why didn't I go see you right away…well…that was because they moved you nearly 5 hours away from where we used to live. I didn't know where you lived and couldn't be given any information…I only happened to come across where you lived because I went to various foster programs. Naruto…I don't want you to hate me for taking you away from Iruka and don't blame either him or Kurenai…I'm being selfish here. I want to have full rights of you being my son, but if I become a foster parent first, it'll mean that I can manage to prove to the judge that I can take custody of you."

"Why would Ms. Kurenai try and force Mr. Iruka to sign those papers if she wanted me to stay, then…?"
Naruto asked, the question burning on his tongue for a while, now. Arashi smiled slightly, wanting to place a hand on his son's head, but resisted the urge.

"Naruto…Kurenai is a troubled woman who lost her child when he was two years old in a hit and run…she was going to get engaged to Asuma, the one who had the kid with, but the engagement went on for a few years and when the kid died…she went through a lot. You remind her of her son, and that is why she is so desperate to get us back together and even hopes that she'd be able to stay with you more…"

"I'm not a replacement…"

Naruto clutched his bag close to him, hoping that the plan with Sasuke that was made a few days ago would work.

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Flashback

"If they see that you can speak more then they have to let you stay…they'll see that you're getting better and that you like it here and won't leave."

Naruto shook his head.
"Please, Naruto! Don't let them take you away!"

"Someone who needs dad more than me is coming…"

"That doesn't mean you have to go! It's just stupid! You can stay!"

Naruto looked up at Sasuke from his coloring book.

"We don't have to be separated just for one selfish man!"

End

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"I know, Naruto…it's just that it's hard for her to lose someone she loves. I went to look for you because it was the right thing to do."

Arashi reached into his pocket with one hand and pulled out a picture of a woman with fiery red hair, smiling brightly as she sat on stone steps, a hand on her swollen belly.

"That's your mom…"

Naruto's hand unconsciously reached forwards, touching the picture.

"Take it if you want…I've seen it too many times and I only need to close my eyes to remember her."

The younger blond took the photo, staring at it intently.

"I'm sorry that I'm taking you away from your family…I didn't expect it to be this soon…I really thought that I could give you a little more time, but Ms. Kurenai had already told me that you were to be placed with someone else soon, so I told her that I could take you…I promise you, you can visit Mr. Iruka everyday and when I can take full responsibility as your dad, I'll make sure that they can come over any time they want. I just don't want to see you being placed with people that would hurt you…"

Naruto slowly began to understand Arashi's point of view. It was either ending up with him, or face another few months of torture with a total stranger.

"We're here…"

Arashi pulled up in a driveway, parking the car. The two slowly got out, Naruto's shirt almost dry.

"I'm sorry for wetting your car…"

"Don't sweat it…Iruka's the one who's gonna freak…"

Arashi knocked on the door, opening up to reveal a very distraught Iruka whom was on the phone, mumbling before hanging up.

"Naruto! What happened!? You're all wet! Where were you!? Are you okay!?"

Iruka didn't wait for Naruto to answer. He bent low and hugged him tightly, looking up at Arashi.

"Any explanations as to why you are with him?"

"He missed his bus and I was on my way back home, so I took him back."

"Thank you…the kids came home tears, telling me that Naruto was never on the bus."

Arashi laughed nervously.
"Well…squirt better get changed before he catches a cold."

The older blond said, Naruto looking down.

"What do you say to him, Naruto?"

The boy muttered a quiet 'Thank you' before rushing up to his room.

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"Sasuke…"

"Hm?"

It was later on during the night, Naruto had watched the moon from the window while it's rays shone through, lighting up his face in the dark of the room.

"For some reason…I don't think that he's going to hurt me…"

Sasuke closed his eyes, turning to face Naruto before re-opening them.

"It's not a matter of him hurting you or not, it's a matter of you staying where you're happy."

"I know…I don't want to go with him…because…I'm happy here with you, Sasuke…"

The raven haired boy smiled, noticing that Naruto was clutching the comfort bear close to him.

"Naruto..? What's wrong?"

He slowly stood, walking over to his friend, seeing silent tears streaming down his face.

"Hey…"

Sasuke wrapped an arm around Naruto, the boy refusing to talk.

"Does it have anything to do with Arashi?"

The blond nodded briefly before taking the bear's paw to wipe his tears. Sasuke then noted that Naruto held a picture in his other hand.
"Is she your mom…?"

"Yeah…"

The boy let out a murky reply, trying to make sure that no tears spilled on the picture.

"She's pretty…"

Naruto didn't reply. He turned his head to Sasuke and began to speak of a different subject.

"Do you remember her?"

"No…do you remember your mom…?"

Sasuke nodded slowly.

"Just a bit…she used to make awesome cookies…and then one day…I saw my dad do something to her…"

Naruto didn't ask, but he got an explanation from Sasuke anyways.

"He took a knife and stabbed her forehead…she died right away…"

"Did you cry?"

Sasuke nodded, taking a seat next to Naruto as he stared at the ursa majora constellation.

"But then he started hitting me and the next thing I knew, I was in the hospital with a broken arm. I don't remember what else he did to me…"

Naruto wrapped an arm around his friend whom was crying on the inside, deeply torn.

"Does your dad still want you to move in with him?"

"Yeah…I'm waiting for Ms. Kurenai to come so I can show her that I'm talking…do you think that she'll let me stay?"

"She has to…she can't just rip you away from us."

"She can…Sasuke…my real dad said that I could have you guys come over every day if I moved in with him…"

"There is no if, you're not going! Who knows what type of person he is!?"

"Maybe he's just like you and me…wanting to find someone to love…?"

The blond retorted smartly, voicing his thoughts. Sasuke gave him a hard stare before his onyx eyes softened.

"You've really changed since you came…"

"Isn't that what I'm supposed to do? Everyone says I should talk more, but I have nothing to say, so why?"
"They probably want you to talk about the bad things that happened to you…it's supposed to make you feel better, somehow."

Naruto went silent, taking away his arm from Sasuke and hugging the bear again, placing his chin in between the ears.

"But…why would they want to hear me talk about something that horrible…? It won't make me feel better, I don't talk about it because not talking about it makes it seem as if never existed, and then I wouldn't need to talk about anything."

Sasuke nodded, understanding his point of view.

"What did happen…? Can I know?"

"They hurt me…they hurt me a lot. I lived in closets, under the sink…sometimes, I even lived under the table. Why do you want to know? It makes me sad when I think about it…"

"You don't have to feel sad if I'm here…right? I'll tell you something that I didn't tell Ms. Kurenai or anyone else if you do…"

Naruto looked up, curiosity taking the better part of him.
"What…?"

"My brother tried killing me once…he picked me up and tried keeping me under water…but my mom came and saved me…my brother tried to hurt my mom and gave her a large cut over her eye, so she was going blind. Your turn."

Naruto took a deep breath and began his story.

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AN: A lot happening. What'll happen to Naruto is in the next chapter! Now now, if I told you right away, it'd be one less chapter, right? Oh, and I'm going to finish this story before going onto another one. It's coming to a climax and conclusion soon, so I thank you guys for sticking with this story and I really do hope that our friendly flamer comes back to read the chapter and gets a different opinion.