Author's Note: Thank you every one for reviewing. I apologize for the bad grammar and spelling. It has been awhile since I wrote anything. Then again, I was never good in the first place. Anyway, I was really excited yesterday, so I didn't bother to double or triple check the chapter. Sorry about that. I'm glad that you guys like it. So, without further distractions, here's chapter two.
Usual Disclaimer.
Title: Precious
Chapter Two
Edited by: Black Fox
Uchiha Residence:
" What's the matter, Itachi? The mission wasn't that hard," Kakashi questioned his friend, not even bothering to put down the book he was holding.
"Kakashi, if you want me to answer your question, put the damn book down first," Itachi almost growled the words out. Surprised, Kakashi obeyed, raising the only visible eyebrow.
'Something must really be stressing Itachi. He never took it into offense when I read and spoke to him at the same time,' Kakashi mused to himself.
"Itachi-kun, what's the matter? You seem very upset," Iruka spoke in, he too noticed the odd behavior of the Sharingan user. Itachi paused for awhile, looking as if he didn't want to share his burden with his teammate.
" It's… it's Naruto."
"What about Naruto-chan?" Iruka was quick to question, afraid that the boy was in some sort of trouble. "He's not in trouble Iruka," Itachi replied to calm the man down.
"Well, not today anyway." Kakashi's eyes told him softly.
"It's just that, Naruto's the right age to go to the academy. But I can't help feeling that sending him there would be a big mistake," the Uchiha finally let out, rubbing his temples to ease his growing headache. Iruka sympathetically looked at Itachi, knowing the man was thinking about the issue for months.
"Itachi, I know what you are trying to say. But you can't keep the boy in this house forever. Soon, Sasuke will be going on missions, and you know that Jiraiya is a wanderer and he will be wandering again. The two of us are busy being ANBU soldiers and I know that you are not far of from being an ANBU captain. Iruka-koi nor the Hokage can't always baby sit Naruto. Who will be then left, to protect the boy?" Kakashi reasoned out to Itachi. He knew he was pushing Itachi to his limits, having the same conversation countless times before, but Itachi had to come to his senses.
"I know Kakashi. But think about it. If I allow him to study there, kids will glare at him and hate him like their parents do. He doesn't even know why," Itachi told him in a controlled voice.
"Naruto-chan is not that soft. He is strong. And he can be stronger Itachi-kun. Yes he is quite young now and too naïve to understand why he's receiving those kind of treatments, but I know he can pull through. I believe he can," Iruka told Itachi softly, trying his best to comfort the distressed man.
" I don't know Iruka, Kakashi. His spirit… he has a gentle spirit, just like…just like Ayume had. Sasuke's support and Naruto's spirit are the only things keeping me sane. I can't afford to lose Naruto's gentle spirit. The people…the villagers can break his spirit. I know that they are capable of that. And Sasuke… you two have seen him. He's very protective of Naruto. If I make wrong decisions that could harm Naruto, he'll lose his faith in me…" Itachi spoke desperately.
Kakashi folded his hands in front of him and bent forward to softly talk to Itachi.
"You won't do that. You are their Father. Come on Itachi. You're always the one who never loses his cool. You're always thinking up crazy, stupid ideas but in the end they save our necks. Where's that never ending confidence of yours, the one that seems to never fail at irritate me? The confidence you used to have that pushed Ayume into your arms? The confidence you used to have that pushed me into finally giving in to look for my own happiness?" Kakashi took hold of Iruka's hand and gave it a squeeze, staring into Itachi's eyes deeply, as if willingly him to snap out of his trance and get back on his proud feet.
Itachi looked into Kakashi's eyes as the words sank in and slowly processed into his brain. He could feel the confidence practically oozing out of their beings. Sitting up straight, Itachi closed his eyes and took a deep breath, calming his heart down. He slowly opened his eyes and his mouth gradually moved, forming a weak grin. Weak, but nevertheless, it is (no 'it is') a grin.
" It's right in front of you," Itachi answered proudly.
Iruka finally let the breath he didn't even notice he was holding and let out a smile. Kakashi let go of Iruka's hand and sat back.
"Glad to have you back, Itachi. Though I know that in the near future, probably when we are in a mission, I'll regret getting back your irritating self, but I'm glad to have you back." Itachi smiled at Kakashi, knowing that he really didn't mean that.
The copycat ninja may have always look cool and composed with that mask, but Itachi knew he really didn't get easily irritated with a lot of things. That was one of the reasons Itachi never believed the guy when he said Itachi could irritate even the dead.
"You want us to be gone with or stay for dinner?" Kakashi questioned the man.
"I'll appreciate it if you guys stay. I think I need the company. Naruto's energetic self might exhaust me too much," Itachi answered, knowing his two children would be back by now.
" Tadaima!"
" Tadaima."
Speaking of the devils…
" Okairi," the three man greeted back simultaneously, standing up to welcome the two boys. Not soon after, Naruto's golden-yellow hair came into view and slammed into his father's body, sending the two down.
" Otou-san, you're finally home!" Naruto greeted loudly, smiling so broadly that one would think that his face would break.
"I'm sorry for taking so long, Naruto," Itachi greeted him back, ruffling Naruto's hair. "Now get off of me and greet your two uncles."
Naruto stood and turn to face Kakashi and Iruka, shyly greeting them. " Konnichiwa Kakashi-oji-san, Iruka-oji-san."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow and Iruka looked amused. It never failed to amaze anyone on how Naruto was an energize bunny one minute then a shy rabbit in another. The boy was always shy and quiet around other peoples other than his father and big brother. Which made Kakashi wonder one more thing.
" Where did he get that shyness from? Ayume was quiet, like Sasuke. and Itachi, *snorts* he's far from shy." Kakashi's eyes met Itachi's and he grinned slowly. Itachi knew what Kakashi was thinking. Years of being companions enabled the two to have silent conversations without even talking out loud. Then again, maybe they were just very similar to each other. In any case, Itachi knew what Kakashi was thinking about and gave him a look that said.
"He is my son. Get that through your thick head. I was shy as a child; just grew out of it." Kakashi answered with a loud snort as if to say, "Yeah right. Lying is bad for ones health."
" Itachi-kun, since you are allowing us to stay for dinner, I'll make dinner," Iruka offered. Itachi was about to decline, but he (No 'he') felt a sudden tiredness in his body so (no 'so') he agreed in the end.
" Ne, ne, Iruka-oji-san, may I help? I'm really a good helper," Naruto shyly asked the Chuunin, not daring to look in his eyes for some reason. Iruka smiled at the boy and looked to Itachi for his approval. Itachi nodded quickly, knowing that Naruto might take it the wrong way if he refuses.
"Sure, why not," Iruka answer. Naruto raised his head and smiled broadly, following the older man into the kitchen after leaving his bag in a corner.
The two remaining grown-ups finally noticed an angry looking Sasuke. The two look at each other for awhile and then back at Sasuke.
" Sasuke, what's wrong?" Itachi asked the small black-eyed boy.
" The villagers. I hate them," Sasuke answered, voice thick with angry emotions.
Not letting the adults ask more questions, Sasuke continued to speaking. " They blame Naru-chan for a crime that he didn't commit. They are so stupid. Such idiotic fools. Can't they see that Naru-chan isn't the demon that they blame to be? Why can't they just open their eyes? Otou-san, why can't they just realize that Naru-chan is just an innocent, harmless child?!" Sasuke stomped his foot angrily and turned to look into his father eyes, full of anger.
Itachi was taken aback by the intensity of Sasuke's anger. He'd never seen Sasuke like this before.
Kakashi placed a comforting hand on Itachi's shoulder, enough to break him out of his shock and answer his waiting son.
"Sasuke, I know how you feel. Though I'm not sure how to answer you questions, I do know one thing. The villagers, all of us, suffered a great deal because of the Kyubi. We lost love ones and precious people. I already accepted my lost, so does Kakashi, Iruka, Jiraiya, Tsunade and some others that you haven't met. But others… they can't move on, because they don't know how. I know that that doesn't make you feel better. But as long as they see Naruto as the Kyubi and not as the sweet, innocent child that we know, there's really nothing we can do. Only Naruto can change them, by showing them that he is not the demon that they perceive him to be."
Sasuke couldn't accept it and resorted to glaring at his father. Sasuke knew what Itachi was saying was true but his mind couldn't seem to accept it.
"Sasuke, you're still young. You'll understand it when you grow older and have your very own precious person," Kakashi commented, ruffling his hair. Sasuke turned to Kakashi then looked down at the floor, taking a deep breath to calm his angry nerves.
"I understand that, Otou-san, Kakashi-san, but that doesn't mean I'll accept that."
"I know," Itachi said.
The two adults and Sasuke sat down, talking about aimless things to pass the time.
A few minutes later…
*sound of a knife falling on the floor*
"Naruto!"
Iruka's loud cry alarmed the two men and boy. They ran towards the kitchen, thinking of the worst possible scenario only to find out that…
"It hurts, Otou-san, Onii-chan," Naruto painfully said, his left hand wiping his tears away and his right hand in front, showing his finger. Itachi and Kakashi almost fell on the floor, while Sasuke just looked at Naruto strangely, walking towards him.
"Iruka-koi! I thought that something happened from the way you shouted," Kakashi growled out. Iruka blushed, embarrassed.
"Sorry Kakashi-kun, I was just surprised. The knife could have cut his hands off."
"Baka. It's just a small cut, Naru-chan," Sasuke told the younger boy, cleaning the blood and wrapping a band-aid on the cut finger and wiping away his tears.
"Baka ja nai yo. It really hurts, Onii-chan," Naruto whimpered. Sasuke smiled and gently kissed Naruto's finger.
"There, all better?" Sasuke ask him.
To the untrained and unobservant eyes, like Iruka, Naruto and Sasuke, the finger still looked as if it was still wounded. But Kakashi and Itachi didn't miss the light mist that flowed out of the wound and knowing the Kyubi's power was already healing the wound.
"Hai, Onii-chan," Naruto softly smiled at his brother sending Sasuke's heart into a little jump seeing his baby brother seemed to be feeling all better because of him. Onii-chan's kisses always make me feel better!" Sasuke felt his cheeks grow warm and instantly looked away, Naruto watched him curiously.
" Naruto," Itachi called out, "are you still up to helping Iruka make dinner?" Naruto slowly nodded, pleading silently to his father that he will be careful. "Alright Naruto. But please be careful. I don't want you to grow up with a missing finger, okay?"
"Hai , Otou-san," came Naruto's happy response.
"I'll help too Iruka-san. We might be eating dinner with blood as an extra ingredient," Sasuke said, grinning at his brother.
"Mou, Onii-chan!" Naruto said, pouting. Sasuke laughed and poked the younger boy on little nose, the adults laughed. Kakashi and Itachi went back to the living room to leave the three to the cooking.
" Itachi, you have that annoying 'I have a plan, a very crazy plan to be exact' look again," Kakashi commented as he sat down, taking out the "Icha, Icha Paradise" book and began to read, well at least Itachi thought he was reading. No matter how long he was with the Shinobi, he never could tell if the man was reading or just grating him.
"Ah, you got me again, old friend," Itachi retorted, smiling.
~~~~~~~
Next day:
Itachi sleepily walk towards the Kitchen where he could smell delicious food, a bundle of energy bumped into him along the way. With his quick reflexes and speed, Itachi managed to catch his son along with the tray of toasted bread with eggs and strong black coffee.
" Naruto! You're up early." Itachi looked down at Naruto who was half smiling, half grinning.
"Anousa,Anousa,Kakashi-oji-santoldmethatyoudon'thaveanymissionbecausetodayisyoufirst dayoffsincetwoyearsandIthoughtthatIcanspenditwithyouandmakeyoubreakfast.Butdon'tworrythoughbecauseOnii-chanhelpedmewithit (Anou sa, Anou sa, Kakashi-oji-san told me that you don't have any mission because today is you first day off since two years and I thought that I can spend it with you and make you breakfast. But don't worry though because Onii-chan helped me with it.)," Naruto said in a blur , Itachi had a very hard time understanding it.
After finally decoding what Naruto had said and encoding it into his brain, Itachi smiled at Naruto, touched by his effort.
"Alright. We'll spend the day together." Naruto gave him another heartwarming smile making Itachi's heart warm. Sitting down on the sofa, Itachi lay the tray down and picked Naruto up letting him sit on his lap. "But, before I eat your delicious breakfast, Naruto, I have to ask you something," Itachi started to say looking into Naruto's expectant eyes. "How would you feel to have Jiraiya-sennin and Hokage-sama taught you the Code of the Ninja and other techniques to make you strong?"
" They are going to be my sensei?!" Naruto excitedly asks.
"That's one way of putting it, so yes," Itachi answered, happy at his son's positive reaction.
"Daisuki, Otou-san!" Naruto answered back with glee, hugging his father.
"Now then Naruto, I'll ask them tomorrow, then we'll know their answer, okay?"
" Um! Um!"
*knock! Knock!*
Itachi quickly but gently put Naruto on the couch, and ran towards the door. When he opened it, a bloody and injured Shinobi greeted him. Itachi recognize him as the gate guard, although he didn't know his name.
"What happened?!"
" Intruders…three foreign jounins…assassinate Hokage-sama" the Shinobi croaked out. Feeling alarmed, Itachi carried the injured man in his arms and looked the scared Naruto in the eye.
"Naruto, I want you to stay here in this house. Lock the doors and don't let anyone come in. No one at all. Sasuke has keys so he can open the door. Understand?"
Naruto nodded his head quickly, his father disappearing in a flash heading towards the Tower (what do you call the one where they visit the Hokage?).
~~~~~
Tower:
" Hokage-sama! Three jounins, foreigners, are inside Konoha village. Judging from this survivor, all the other guards are dead. He said that they came to assassinate you," Itachi quickly said. Tsunade took one look at the injured man and got into action.
"Get a medic here, right now!"
" Hokage-sama, you can't leave this room. We don't know where the intruders are," the ANBU soldier stationed outside the door yelled to the Fifth Hokage.
"Then I'll do it here. Quickly, this man is about to die!"
" You, call all available Jounin and Jiraiya-sennin to have them search for the intruders. Call three forces of ANBU here and guard the Hokage," Itachi ordered the other ANBU soldier.
~~~~
" Naruto-chan! Open the door!" a voice sounding like Itachi shouted out, banging on the door. Naruto fell down on the floor slightly startled.
"Nandeste? Who are you?" Naruto called out nervously after recovering from the fall.
" I'm your Father! Naruto-chan, open the door!"
" You're not Otou-san! Otou-san never calls me Naruto-chan!" Fear started to seep into Naruto's mind.
" Who cares about that?! Just open the door! I forgot my keys! Hurry up Naruto, the Hokage is in grave danger!"
"Forgot his keys? Otou-san never forgot his keys," Naruto thought to himself.
"Liar! Otou-san wears the key around his neck! He never takes it off!"
The pounding stopped, everything went quiet. Biting his lip, Naruto slowly walked towards the door…
BANG!
The front door flung open whipping towards Naruto, who evaded it in the nick of the time, the door crashed through a window, shattering into pieces, some cutting (and slicing?) Naruto's (small) body. In the door (way) stood a huge (ominous) shadow, its perimeter blocking Naruto's only way out.
"You know your Father well, boy." The man sneered darkly walking towards Naruto.
"Wh-wh-who are you?" Naruto asked, walking backwards, eyes full of fear, wincing as pain shot through his body, the cuts burning like fire
"Onii-chan, tasukete!"
" Your worst nightmare. Just call me Natsu-sama."
"Onii-chan!"
~~~~
Sasuke's classroom:
"Tsugi! Uchiha Sasuke," Sasuke's teacher called out. " Show me how much you improve, Uchiha-san."
Sasuke nodded his head and took out three shurikens. All the girls started screaming and squealing, saying things like how cool Sasuke look. Sasuke ignored them and started concentrating on cutting the three apples in half.
"Onii-chan, tasukete!"
*THU-THUB! THU-THUB!*
Sasuke clutch his heart, letting his shurikens fall to the floor.
"My heart…it hurts… what's happening? Did something happen to…"
"Onii-chan!"
"NARUTO!"
End of Chapter Two.
Author's Note: Hope you guys like this chapter. I have a question, how many series does Naruto have? I keep on buying only to find out that it is still not the end. Oh and would you guys want Orochimaru (is the spelling right) to come out early or should I reserve him for later? Anywaz, please review.