Inverted-
Chapter thirteen
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"I'll join the search as well." Gaara said as he stepped forward. Tsunade gave him an uneasy look, wondering if she should fill him in on some stuff before turning him loose on the village and after a heartbeat or so of hesitation decided that preparing him for what he'd find might be for the best.
"Hold on Gaara- Before you go there's something I need to clue you in on," Tsunade said before falling silent for a moment. Gaara, noting her hesitation, reached out with one hand and placed it against her cheek hoping to encourage her to speak freely. Whatever it was that was bothering her, he could bear it. As long as Naruto was alive and in one piece. Nothing else mattered to him. "It's about Naruto's condition. The truth of things is that he underwent a major change that was forced on him by what we believe to be a curse mark. The problem is that we have no idea how the mark got on him, how it's affected his mind or much else..."
"Do you believe he is a threat?" Gaara asked, trying to hide his dismay at the mere notion of Naruto being a threat to anyone in the leaf village. The teen got upset when he killed small animals for food when he was on missions for cripes sake!
Tsunade looked down at her feet. Her silence telling him all he needed to know about her worried thoughts.
Growling, Gaara hissed at her. "You should believe in Naruto more than this Tsunade." Then took a step away from her before asking, "Anything else before I go?"
"Yes," Tsunade said almost quietly before asking, "Have you ever seen Naruto's sexy no jutsu?"
Gaara looked at her from over one of his shoulders, his expression almost comical as he replied, "His sexy no- what?"
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Kakashi read and re read the small piece of paper containing Sai's message then looked over at Sakura and Tenzou and sighed. The weight that he'd felt in his chest loosening up with the knowledge that Naruto was safe. With Sai...
The same Sai who often got into mischief and had to be slapped or punched by Sakura. I feel a headache coming on. Kakashi thought as he lifted a hand to rub at his chest through his vest.
"Does he say where they are?" Tenzou asked as he moved in a little closer to peek at the note. Kakashi shook his head 'no' and frowned, wondering why Sai would do that. But figured that as long as Sai could manage to keep himself and Naruto out of trouble until they were found then everything would be fine.
Tenzou fell silent and scowled a little bit as Sakura shifted subtly where she stood and said, "Well we've checked training ground seven and Naruto's apartment plus several other places. I say it's time to check out Ichiraku's."
"Are you saying that because you're hungry or because you really want to find-" Kakashi stopped talking the instant he found a kunai pressed against his crotch and gave Sakura a slightly panicked look from the corner of his eye as a strangled sound escaped his throat while he noted Tenzou had moved a good thirty feet or more away and was chewing on his fingernails.
The scum sucking little brat-
Sakura gave her former sensei a Sai-like smile and pressed the tip of her kunai into his tender flesh a bit as she said, "I want to check out Ichiraku's."
"Right. Okay," Kakashi hurriedly agreed as Sakura removed the kunai from his jewels and called out to Tenzou.
"Hey we're going to Ichiraku's."
Tenzou stopped chewing on his nails long enough to give her a strained looking smile and wave as he called out, "I'm right behind you!"
Yeah, way behind us you son of a bitch. Kakashi thought darkly as they started to move again.
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Sai sat across from Naruto watching her try to master the use of her chopsticks and fail miserably. A small worried frown marring his features as she asked, "So how long have we known each other?" She managed to pick up some noodles out of her bowl but then lost her grip on them and dropped them, causing the noodles to slosh some of the broth in the bowl on her.
She hissed and jumped back in an effort to escape being spattered, but it was too late. The skin on her hand was hit and already turning a deep painful looking red that alarmed Sai to the point of taking the chopsticks from her, and asking for a spoon then grasped her wrist while he picked up a napkin and dipped it into his ice water so that he could dab at her hand with it.
Sakura wouldn't be happy if he returned Naruto to the hospital with more wounds than she already had.
The second the napkin made contact with the scalded skin on her hand, Naruto gave a sharp hiss like intake of breath and tried to pull her hand away from his grasp. Tightening his fingers around her wrist, he held firm and glanced at her face for signs of discomfort.
Oh, if looks could kill- he'd be a charred, smoldering mess on the floor. Naruto looked so unhappy with him at the moment that she absolutely could have killed him. Deciding that it might be in his best interest to distract her, Sai finally answered her earlier question. "We've known each other for close to three maybe four years."
"Oh." She said in response to his answer, sounding almost disappointed.
He looked at her as he dipped his napkin in his ice water again and was about to ask her if she was upset by his answer when the flap at the door of the restaurant was thrown back and a tall young man with red hair, wearing an knee length long sleeved maroon shirt with black pants stepped through the door and scanned the place for patrons.
Sai stilled and was about to excuse himself when aqua colored eyes locked on him and then flickered to Naruto.
Damn.