Okay, okay, I get it, no more AN. I always thought that I was obligated to write one. Now that I know, I won't have to force myself to be entertaining. In and out, that's the new motto for moi.

Sorry but I really like the lyrics… I'll shorten them I promise!

Disclaimer: I do not own, Naruto.

Chapter 11

"Muhfirkith."Naruto murmured, half awake and half dead to the world.

She was leaning against the trunk of the tree while sitting on one of the higher branches.

She had been training earlier and having grown tired, decided to climb to a 'safer' place to settle in for a quick nap.

"Haven't you learnt your lesson, dobe?" a voice pierced her sleepy dreams.

Blinking wildly Naruto turned to see her eternal rival perched on a near-by branch.

"What do you want, Uchiha?"She grumbled in annoyance. "Can't you see I'm busy?"

"Yeah… busy snoring."

"Ï don't snore!"

Ignoring her sputtered protests, Sasuke asked, "What were you mumbling about earlier?"

"What was what?"Naruto asked completely forgetting that she wanted to box his ears red, while denying said snoring accusation.

"You were making some weird noise." Sasuke said steely eyes fixed on Naruto's own blue pair.

"Eh?" She flushed pink beneath her tanned skin.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, suspicious of her behaviour.

"Well…I was just thinking well…I was wondering what my first kiss would be like." She whispered in confidence, hands cupped to her pink whiskered cheeks.

Sasuke frowned.

"Baka, don't you remember, what it was like? I was there."

Sasuke cheeks pinked slightly.

"Yeah! But that doesn't count, right? I mean, we weren't expecting it…and it was not like we were hoping or wanting to kiss each other, right? So… it shouldn't have to count, right? Right, right?" Naruto leaned towards Sasuke, nodding her head before blinking and leaning back. "Well, of course...unless you want it to count. Do you?"

"Well do you want it to count, dobe?" Retorted Sasuke coolly.

"Well, no! Of course not," she snapped at him. "My first kiss was- is supposed to be special! It wasn't –isn't suppose to be with you."

Sasuke pursed his lips, his brows furrowing slightly.

"Well it happened with me, dobe; you can't just pretend it didn't happen."

Naruto rolled her eyes at him.

"Well I guess I'm dreaming of my second first kiss."

"There is no such thing." Sasuke interrupted.

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Yes there is!" Naruto leaned over slightly towards Sasuke, gesturing for him to come closer. He did. "I heard that there are some people who have had a second first kiss! And each time when you have a kiss with them, it's like your very first kiss all over again!"

It was Sasuke's turn to roll his eyes.

"Where did you hear that from?"

"I overheard it when we were still at the academy- that when you kiss 'that special person' who I have no idea who that is, that the 'feelings' and if the mood is just right, it's like having your first kiss all over again. I would if I can find this person…. Who do I have to kiss to get my very first kiss ever?"

"Usuratonkachi…I was your first kiss ever. That's the end of that. That's just stupid gossip."

Naruto tsked at him, leaning away.

"I don't want you to be my first kiss. So there!"

"Dobe…" sighed Sasuke, feeling frustrated since he couldn't find the words to explain. He resigned to just asking her about her first second kiss.

"How do you picture it then? Your second first kiss."

She thoughtfully placed a finger on her lower lip.

"I always imagined having a perfect setting I guess. Like at a festival or something. And the both of us have just eaten something sweet like a caramel apple or maybe just some ramen…miso flavoured." Naruto closed her eyes imagining the scene she was painting for her teammate. "We'll talk for a while and then we'd just lean in," a brilliant smile lit her face, stunning Sasuke. "And then it would just happen. I imagine that I will be very nervous...excited. And he will taste like caramel and miso."

Sasuke tried to push down the rising blush he could feel starting to warm his cheeks. He leapt over onto the branch she sat resting, sitting by her.

"Well, at least one of us got that right," grumbled Sasuke, kind of annoyed that Naruto had imagined all of that…without him. A nameless and faceless guy was good enough to be her first kiss and he wasn't?

"Eh?" Naruto blinked open her eyes, staring at Sasuke. "What's that?"

"I said," drawled Sasuke, eyes watching her face carefully, "that you tasted like miso ramen."

He stooped before her.

"Whaa…pervert!" yelled Naruto, swinging her fist at Sasuke.

Sasuke caught Naruto's fist and glared at her.

"Calm down, stupid." Sasuke yawned.

Breathing heavily Naruto waited patiently from him to release her. Trying to pull away on her own, would just leave her breathless and him smirking at her lack of physical strength compared to him.

"You know I never pegged you to be the romantic sort." Sasuke continued.

"Oh, yeah? Yeah, well, uh…"Naruto blinked thoughtfully before smirking. "Well, you're the one still holding my hand."

Sasuke glared, a hint of red blooming in his cheeks, dropping her hand quickly.

"Dobe."

"Teme." She huffed back.

"Hn."

She grinned happily. She had won that match.

"What happens when you don't get the butterflies and the fireworks?"

Naruto pondered silently for a moment.

"Well I guess, I'll just have to wait for my third first kiss…we are allowed to have those, right? I mean if the first two weren't what you expected."

Naruto frowned for a quick moment.

"But I guess that in that case, our kiss counted, ne?"

It was pretty memorable…there was fireworks and butterflies.

"I think you tasted of tomatoes though. Ugh." Naruto tsked.

Sasuke swallowed hard, watching the series of emotions that ran over her face. Finally she shrugged.

"Nah. It doesn't matter."

Sasuke gritted his teeth in anger.

She needed to make up her mind. Did it matter or not?

"Ne, Sasuke, what do you want your second first kiss to be like?" Naruto grinned at Sasuke.

"Mhm?" Sasuke blinked over at her.

"What do you want your second kiss to be like?" Naruto looked mischievous.

Sasuke whirled on Naruto, leaning closer to the small girl. Naruto's breathe hitching in her throat.

"Getting too close, teme!" Naruto squealed, raising her hands to prevent him from entering her personal bubble.

"You wanna know?"Sasuke lowered his voice, leaning closer, a few inches separates them. Naruto's blue eyes widened in anticipation, looking up into the onyx eyes of her taller teammate.

Eeping, Naruto made to leap from between Sasuke and the tree trunk behind her. Sasuke prevented her escape by pinning the blonde to the tree.

"I was kidding!"She squealed

He was not.

Digging his hand into the back her neck, he yanked her forward and kissed her.

For real this time.

Not the accidental peck that had happened two weeks prior, but the way he saw on the television, when he spared a moment from his training routine. He studied everything. Even stole the old pervert-Kakashi's book to get a few pointers- he actually ended up with more than he bargained for, but for him it was worth it.

And when he finally pulled away; Naruto's eyes were wide and a bit glazed, her cheeks flushed.

He licked his lips. She still tasted of miso ramen…but something else as well. Was it peaches?

Sun ripened peaches.

"Now you know."

And then, he shunshined away.

That'll shut her up about a second first kiss.

Six months after leaving Konoha:

Sasuke woke from his rest with a loudly growling stomach.

He was hungry. And judging by the clock above his room door, it was 6, in the evening.

He made his way to the kitchen, where one of Orochimaru's servants would prepare a meal for him. Arriving there however, he was alone. The kitchen was empty. Which was odd, for a kitchen that was expected to feed the hundreds of servants of Orochimaru in about an hour's time for dinner?

Shrugging and not wanting to cook, Sasuke swept out of the base, and began his trek to the nearest village for a meal.

It took him no longer than 15 minutes to reach the village and begin his search for a meal. And when the familiar scent of ramen, hit his nostrils he made a face.

So unhealthy.

He would bet that Naruto would have been racing to that shop, yelling excitedly for a bowl of her favourite meal.

Glowering at the stall that he had unconsciously sought out, he sat in the furthest corner of restaurant.

His stomach growled loudly and he wondered where his sudden desire for ramen comes, he had no idea.

A skittish waitress made her way over to him.

"What will you be having?" she asked swallowing hard, intimidated by the young teen that stared up at her. His black eyes a dark void, seemingly sucking her into his despair and nothingness.

This child was dangerous…

And a prey always knew the feel of a hunter.

"I'll have anything, bring it to me quickly."

The woman nodded sharply and rushed away from him, calling out his order to the large man behind the counter.

Less than 5 minutes later, a steaming bowl of ramen was placed before him. He smelt it. And it smelt like miso.

Hesitantly he tried it.

The salty taste filled his mouth. And to his surprise he liked it.

2 months later

"I want to learn Fuinjutsu."

Jiraya looked up from the scroll he was jotting into.

"Oh?" Jiraya sounded, looking up at the young girl that stood across from him. He rose a brow expectantly, waiting for her to explain.

"I've been thinking about it for a while," the blonde explained. "Ever since Orochimaru sealed the Nine-Tail's chakra in the Forest of Death during the Chuunin exams with the Five Element Seal, I have been thinking about it. Especially since whenever I lose control of the Kyuubi's chakra, you have to use a seal to suppress me. I think it will be very useful for me to know how to do and undo these jutsus."

Jiraya was surprised at his student's stream of words. Obviously she had been thinking about this for a long while.

"Well kid, that's some smart thinking!" Jiraya chuckled. "But I must say, Fuinjutsu is nothing like Taijutsu or Ninjutsu. You'll have a lot of studying to do. Lots of reading and writing. And I know you are not so hot in that department."

Naruto flushed in embarrassment, sad that she hadn't paid that much attention in the academy.

"Don't take it wrong, gaki, you weren't taught properly. That was not your fault." Jiraya cooed.

Naruto nodded, remembering her shady childhood and lack of guardians to teach her the basics of reading, of anything actually.

For everything she had to rely on the Third, who hardly had time for himself, much less one miserable child.

It sounded like a lot of work, especially considering her poor handwriting. Could she even properly draw the seals?

The dark voice within began rustling deep within her subconscious, waking to her doubt. Relishing in her uncertainty.

"I know you can do it, as long as you are willing to dedicate the time to. I would very much love to teach you the art of sealing, especially considering you are so greatly affected by the results of a sealing technique."

The girl nodded sharply, happy that he agreed to teach her Fuinjutsu. Happy that he had confidence in her learning ability and her strong will.

The voice within her grumbled, settling back down when the rush of pride over came her.

"Thank you."

Uchiha Itachi was not amused.

He was furious. Outwardly you may not be able to see it.

But it was there.

The fury was there. Just bubbling fiercely beneath the neutral face he always wore.

His little brother had betrayed Konoha and had joined the village's greatest enemy.

And damn it all to hell….and it was his entire fault.

He had not seen this coming. In fact, he may have miscalculated. All he ever wanted was to keep his little brother safe.

It was wrong for him to have pushed his bother unto the path of avenging.

How could he have been so stupid to think that hatred would have been the key to power?

Orochimaru had Sasuke in his slimy palm. Free to do whatever he wanted to.

To use him. To take his body.

Unwillingly, Itachi had played into the snake Sennin's hand. He remembered all too clearly when the sly old snake had tried to attack him. Luckily for him, his Mangekyou proved to be too much for Orochimaru to handle.

He needed to find a way to save his otouto.

He had failed once, but he would not fail again.

It was over his dead body that he would allow Sasuke to become the next vessel for Orochimaru.

Unfortunately for him he had no idea where Sasuke and Orochimaru were. The Sennin had hideouts all over the Elemental Nations. Finding his little brother would be difficult.

He needed a plan, and soon. He had three years to find his little brother, or by then it would be far too late to do anything.

Everything hurt.

Naruto groaned, her eyes fluttering open slowly. Her entire body felt sore and tender.

With shaky arms, Naruto pushed herself to her knees. A cold wind blew and she shivered, realizing that she was naked.

Why?

Her waist length hair was undone and flowing loosely around her, giving her some form of protection against prying eyes, if there was any around.

She wondered where Jiraya was.

"Ero-Sennin?" she called out, lifting her nose to scent her teacher.

Her sharp hearing picked out a pained groan in the bushes to her right. It sounded like her teacher.

She panicked.

"Oh no, what did I do?" she hissed to herself as she rushed over to where her teacher laid.

Jiraya lay stiff on his back, struggling to catch his breath. His shirt was torn and dead in the middle of his chest was a large raw wound. Naruto kneeled beside him, listening to his erratic heartbeat.

Her eyes prickled with tears.

"Jiraya? Oh shit, Ero-Sennin!"

"Calm down, Naruto." He spoke softly, wheezing. "I'll be fine….just, just get me my bag and get dressed, while you are at it."

His eyes were glazed, and a bit unfocused, she noted as she nodded her reply. Jumping to her feet, she rushed for her bag, her mind racing. Try to remember what happened.

She remembered that she had mentioned to Jiraya that the fox was healing all of her scars, except for the one that the Uchiha had bestowed upon her.

3 days prior she had received a rather deep cut on her back during a spar with the Sennin. It had healed without a scar in less than half a day, but yet, the chidori scar remained as an ugly reminder. A star like shaped scar over her heart and the counterpart on her back under her left scapula.

She and Jiraya had sat earlier this afternoon contemplating the Kyuubi's behaviour. Naruto had even tried to retreat into her mindscape, but it seems as if there was a barrier preventing her from doing so. So Jiraya tried to loosen the Hakke no Fuin. And from what she was seeing, that didn't work either.

Naruto dressed quickly in the spare outfit that Jiraya had bought her identical to the previous outfit that was nowhere to be found.

"What the hell happened?" she whispered shakily beneath her breath.

Even her hair bands were gone. She had nothing to retie her hair with, so she left it loose around her.

She rushed over to her teacher who was struggling to sit up on his own. She handed him the bag, her hands shaking.

"What happened?"

Groaning Jiraya began to dress his wound.

"You lost control…you developed the four-tails…you attacked me."

'Monster…'

"And I hate that I can't say your name. Without feeling like I'm part of the blame.

And it's never gonna feel like the same. But it's never gonna change.

And I hate that I'm always so young. Had me feeling like you were the one." – Broods.

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