Chapter 2
Sasuke ran along under the trees desperately searching for Naruto. 'Where is that stupid bastard?! He's going to get himself sick, especially in this weather.' Sasuke cursed Naruto. 'Of all the stupid things he has done, this tops things off.' " Hey dead-last! Where are you?! Naruto no baka! Come out here right now or you're going to get sick!" Sasuke's anger subsided and soon faded to concern. He had been chasing him for 5 minutes now and still no sign of him. Sasuke slowed his pace to a walk and looked around. A small piece of orange fabric caught Sasuke's eye. "Naruto..." Sasuke whispered.
Taking a few more steps, he spotted a very weak, and very wet Naruto lying on the ground. 'Damn...' Sasuke knelt beside Naruto and turned him over onto his back. "Sas-Sasuke..." Was all he managed to say before slipping into unconsciousness. Sasuke growled. "Baka...what did I tell you?" Sasuke's anger flared again, but only momentarily. He looked down at the blond haired boy. 'He looks so peaceful. Even after everything he has been through.' Sasuke held Naruto in his arms.
Rain continued to fall gracefully from the clouds. Sasuke stood up, grasping the unconscious Naruto. He stared at the boy, looking him over. 'Hes gotten stronger physically but mentally, hes still a child.' Sasuke looked around. Noticing for the first time that he was in the middle of a forest with his enemy, in the middle of a raging storm. "Just perfect." He said sarcastically. "Where to go..."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kakashi wandered down the street not knowing or seeing where he was going. He found himself in front of Iruka's doorway. Stepping inside he caught the faint scent of Iruka through his mask. Wandering into the living room, he noticed everything was the same as the day he left. Scrolls lay open on the floor, and empty ramen containers lay strewn on the coffee table alongside a stack of graded papers from the academy. 'Him and Naruto are very much alike.' he thought. He walked into the bedroom expecting to see Iruka laying there just like before. 'But he isnt here!' Kakashi broke into uncontrollable sobs. He sat down on he foot of Iruka's bed and let out all his anguish.
Kakashi shook imagining Iruka's face the moment he.... Kakashi stopped himself. Most of his best friends names were carved into a memorial stone out in the forest. Now Iruka would be added. It was too much to think about. Kakashi leaned backwards falling onto the bed. Rain pounded on the windows. To Kakashi, it sounded like Iruka's farewell song. He closed his eyes and imagined Iruka's arms around him again. What he wouldn't do to feel that again in the flesh and blood. His voice resounded in his head: "I will never let my comrades die..."
Kakashi trembled as he lay on Iruka's bed. Lost memories were resurfacing and the ninja was trying hard to be strong. "Damn that Zabuza! I swear on my life that he will pay for what he did to Iruka!" Kakashi stared out the window at the newly approaching dawn. He shut his eyes, and horrible images shifted through his mind. He just couldn't take it anymore. Kakashi ran to the bathroom and was sick. His stomach turned as he once again pictured Iruka's untimely demise. His imagination was powerful.
Kakashi stood up and wiped his face. He looked in the mirror at his face. He was pale and rather sick looking. Kakashi took of his headband exposing the Sharingan. He didn't mind. Next he took off his jacket and his mask and wandered back to the bed. Kakashi layed down and fell asleep completely drained of energy.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sasuke trodded down the street to his apartment. The rain was stopping, and the sun was coming up over the horizon. 'What a night! ' Sasuke sighed. He was exhausted from training, and Naruto's body weighed him down. "Curse you dead-last! You'll pay for this!" He growled looking down on the still sleeping Naruto. The sun crept over the horizon and he stopped to watch. Slowly daylight inched into his eyes, illuminating everything. Sasuke shut his eyes. 'Naruto...' A couple minutes later Sasuke arrived at his apartment. Not wanting to disturb anyone who was sleeping, he stayed outside and jumped up to his balcony. Upon landing, Sasuke slipped and landed on his ass. "Damn its slippery!" Naruto landed next to him.
Reaching over, he brushed the hair from his eyes causing himself to blush. Naruto stared back. "Whoa!" Sasuke was startled by th electric blue eyes. He quickly regained his composure. "So you're finally awake! And here I thought you went and died!" he laughed. "Sasuke...why did you come after me? And why are you laughing? Are you -" Naruto was cut off by Sasuke who had grabbed him behind the neck and was now kissing him lightly. 'The hell? Am I...' "Am I dreaming?!" "You're not dreaming, Naruto-kun. I can assure you." The raven haired boy pulled away and walked inside. Naruto blushed deeply. He sat in shock on Sasuke's porch watching the sun climb higher. "Yo, dead-last, you going to come inside?" Not saying anything, Naruto stood up and wandered inside. Sasuke had taken off his clothes and had put on a fresh shirt and shorts. He didn't look at Naruto as he handed him a bowl of ramen. "Sit down..." he said.
Sasuke didnt know where to begin. He couldnt even bring himself to look at Naruto, let alone explain what he had done. 'What was I thinking. Damn, if only I could explain this so that he would understand. I know he likes Sakura, but what am I supposed to do just sit around and wait for him to give up? I mean I cant just-' "Sasuke?" Naruto tore Sasuke out of his raging thoughts. "Yes Naruto?" he said urgently. 'Curses, I sound like a damn child. Why do I have to be this way? Why cant I be normal? Do I always have to hide how I feel?' Sasuke picked at his ramen. He looked up to see Naruto gazing at him in a strange fashion.
"Sasuke......do you-do you like me?" Sasuke was startled. 'What an awkward question.' he thought. "Ano.." he wasnt sure where to begin. "Naruto I do like you." he blushed. 'There I said it..' Sasuke looked down at Naruto's ramen bowl which was now completely emptied. 'How can he have an appetite at a time like this? Iruka-sensei is dead and I just kissed him...' " Sasuke..I like you too." Naruto piped up boldly. Sasuke gaped at him.
Naruto stood up and walked to Sasuke's side and took hold of his face. Sasuke's mind overloaded and he stood up fast. "Narut-" his head swam with dizziness. Naruto caught him and steadied him. "Sorry." he said. Naruto looked at him and without a moments hesitation, claimed Sasuke's lips with his own. Sasuke tasted, a curious mixture of ramen and sunlight. Sasuke wrapped his arms around Naruto and melted.
Sasuke ran along under the trees desperately searching for Naruto. 'Where is that stupid bastard?! He's going to get himself sick, especially in this weather.' Sasuke cursed Naruto. 'Of all the stupid things he has done, this tops things off.' " Hey dead-last! Where are you?! Naruto no baka! Come out here right now or you're going to get sick!" Sasuke's anger subsided and soon faded to concern. He had been chasing him for 5 minutes now and still no sign of him. Sasuke slowed his pace to a walk and looked around. A small piece of orange fabric caught Sasuke's eye. "Naruto..." Sasuke whispered.
Taking a few more steps, he spotted a very weak, and very wet Naruto lying on the ground. 'Damn...' Sasuke knelt beside Naruto and turned him over onto his back. "Sas-Sasuke..." Was all he managed to say before slipping into unconsciousness. Sasuke growled. "Baka...what did I tell you?" Sasuke's anger flared again, but only momentarily. He looked down at the blond haired boy. 'He looks so peaceful. Even after everything he has been through.' Sasuke held Naruto in his arms.
Rain continued to fall gracefully from the clouds. Sasuke stood up, grasping the unconscious Naruto. He stared at the boy, looking him over. 'Hes gotten stronger physically but mentally, hes still a child.' Sasuke looked around. Noticing for the first time that he was in the middle of a forest with his enemy, in the middle of a raging storm. "Just perfect." He said sarcastically. "Where to go..."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kakashi wandered down the street not knowing or seeing where he was going. He found himself in front of Iruka's doorway. Stepping inside he caught the faint scent of Iruka through his mask. Wandering into the living room, he noticed everything was the same as the day he left. Scrolls lay open on the floor, and empty ramen containers lay strewn on the coffee table alongside a stack of graded papers from the academy. 'Him and Naruto are very much alike.' he thought. He walked into the bedroom expecting to see Iruka laying there just like before. 'But he isnt here!' Kakashi broke into uncontrollable sobs. He sat down on he foot of Iruka's bed and let out all his anguish.
Kakashi shook imagining Iruka's face the moment he.... Kakashi stopped himself. Most of his best friends names were carved into a memorial stone out in the forest. Now Iruka would be added. It was too much to think about. Kakashi leaned backwards falling onto the bed. Rain pounded on the windows. To Kakashi, it sounded like Iruka's farewell song. He closed his eyes and imagined Iruka's arms around him again. What he wouldn't do to feel that again in the flesh and blood. His voice resounded in his head: "I will never let my comrades die..."
Kakashi trembled as he lay on Iruka's bed. Lost memories were resurfacing and the ninja was trying hard to be strong. "Damn that Zabuza! I swear on my life that he will pay for what he did to Iruka!" Kakashi stared out the window at the newly approaching dawn. He shut his eyes, and horrible images shifted through his mind. He just couldn't take it anymore. Kakashi ran to the bathroom and was sick. His stomach turned as he once again pictured Iruka's untimely demise. His imagination was powerful.
Kakashi stood up and wiped his face. He looked in the mirror at his face. He was pale and rather sick looking. Kakashi took of his headband exposing the Sharingan. He didn't mind. Next he took off his jacket and his mask and wandered back to the bed. Kakashi layed down and fell asleep completely drained of energy.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sasuke trodded down the street to his apartment. The rain was stopping, and the sun was coming up over the horizon. 'What a night! ' Sasuke sighed. He was exhausted from training, and Naruto's body weighed him down. "Curse you dead-last! You'll pay for this!" He growled looking down on the still sleeping Naruto. The sun crept over the horizon and he stopped to watch. Slowly daylight inched into his eyes, illuminating everything. Sasuke shut his eyes. 'Naruto...' A couple minutes later Sasuke arrived at his apartment. Not wanting to disturb anyone who was sleeping, he stayed outside and jumped up to his balcony. Upon landing, Sasuke slipped and landed on his ass. "Damn its slippery!" Naruto landed next to him.
Reaching over, he brushed the hair from his eyes causing himself to blush. Naruto stared back. "Whoa!" Sasuke was startled by th electric blue eyes. He quickly regained his composure. "So you're finally awake! And here I thought you went and died!" he laughed. "Sasuke...why did you come after me? And why are you laughing? Are you -" Naruto was cut off by Sasuke who had grabbed him behind the neck and was now kissing him lightly. 'The hell? Am I...' "Am I dreaming?!" "You're not dreaming, Naruto-kun. I can assure you." The raven haired boy pulled away and walked inside. Naruto blushed deeply. He sat in shock on Sasuke's porch watching the sun climb higher. "Yo, dead-last, you going to come inside?" Not saying anything, Naruto stood up and wandered inside. Sasuke had taken off his clothes and had put on a fresh shirt and shorts. He didn't look at Naruto as he handed him a bowl of ramen. "Sit down..." he said.
Sasuke didnt know where to begin. He couldnt even bring himself to look at Naruto, let alone explain what he had done. 'What was I thinking. Damn, if only I could explain this so that he would understand. I know he likes Sakura, but what am I supposed to do just sit around and wait for him to give up? I mean I cant just-' "Sasuke?" Naruto tore Sasuke out of his raging thoughts. "Yes Naruto?" he said urgently. 'Curses, I sound like a damn child. Why do I have to be this way? Why cant I be normal? Do I always have to hide how I feel?' Sasuke picked at his ramen. He looked up to see Naruto gazing at him in a strange fashion.
"Sasuke......do you-do you like me?" Sasuke was startled. 'What an awkward question.' he thought. "Ano.." he wasnt sure where to begin. "Naruto I do like you." he blushed. 'There I said it..' Sasuke looked down at Naruto's ramen bowl which was now completely emptied. 'How can he have an appetite at a time like this? Iruka-sensei is dead and I just kissed him...' " Sasuke..I like you too." Naruto piped up boldly. Sasuke gaped at him.
Naruto stood up and walked to Sasuke's side and took hold of his face. Sasuke's mind overloaded and he stood up fast. "Narut-" his head swam with dizziness. Naruto caught him and steadied him. "Sorry." he said. Naruto looked at him and without a moments hesitation, claimed Sasuke's lips with his own. Sasuke tasted, a curious mixture of ramen and sunlight. Sasuke wrapped his arms around Naruto and melted.