Things are going to get a little serious from this point on since Naruto will be on the stage of 'growing up' and 'understanding'. This fic is going to mostly rotate around Naruto, Kakashi and Iruka's feelings – meaning more focus on them. There will be some Sasuke, Sakura and the other rookies but they're just catalysts.
I want to thank all those wonderful reviewers! This chapter was supposed to come out one week after the previous one but because that was late, this is a treat! Wow! Only three chapters up and what a hit! Thank you dear readers *takes peach rings and vanilla soda* You make my day so worthwhile. Heck, I even forget all the crap I go through college thanks to you guys! Wai!
Hontou ni ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU!
WHY NOT 4Naruto returned to the bridge, a turkey dangling by its tied legs in his hand. Sasuke and Sakura were already at the bridge and were empty handed.
"Good job Naruto." Kakashi said and Sakura nodded, giving him a smile and a pat on the shoulder.
"Aa." Naruto said, and they headed for Inoue's house to return his turkey.
They did other jobs liking the cleaning the river and going around town picking up littered trash on the streets. Kakashi watched as Naruto did his work without complaint. On a normal D-ranked mission day, by the end of the second mission, he would be whining about how doing stupid missions was a waste of time.
Days passed and not once did Naruto complain. On the ninth day of his weird-silent-act, Kakashi decided that he had had enough. He even showed up on time and got no reaction from Naruto, except from Sakura who seemed to be happy about the baby fox giving their lazy teacher motivation to come on time.
"Well, that's it for today! Same time tomorrow! Kakashi said and watched his students go their separate ways.
Using his skills as a Jounin, he followed Naruto silently. The boy did not even notice him and made his way to the Hokage monuments where he began to practice some Taijutsu katas. After a half an hour of doing his katas he created a clone and began to spar with him. He was giving it his all, Kakashi thought, as he watched Naruto move faster than normal. It was then did Kakashi sense the strange chakra. Kakashi knew that Naruto's other chakra was triggered only by intense emotions. He watched as the clone flew a good twelve feet away after Naruto did an upper cut. It vanished with a soft poof.
Naruto then walked away from the grassy clearing and headed towards the vast field where three logs were placed for practice for the shinobis. Kakashi then watched him perform kicks and punches on the log until it began to crack and his fists began to bleed from the impact of all the punches. He stopped practicing his kicks and continued to punch the log until he gave out one loud cry and punched the log real hard. The erect log cracked in to half, surprising Kakashi.
"Damn!" He heard Naruto said, still poised in his punch position. "Damn." He mumbled again, voice cracking. He then fell on his knees, hands in front of him. "Damn!" He said angrily and his shoulders began to shake, tears falling from his eyes.
Kakashi blinked and jumped down the tree he was hiding in. "Oi! Naruto."
Naruto's sobs ceased and he quickly wiped the tears away with his bloody hand. "What is it Kakashi-sensei? I did not do anything wrong today in the missions, did I?"
"No, you didn't! You were great today, actually." Kakashi said.
"Hmm." Naruto sighed and began to walk away, not turning to face his sensei. "Well, I still have to study some jutsus. See you tomorrow sensei."
Kakashi let him go – or made him think so. He followed Naruto home and watched as the boy entered the bathroom and came out showered. Naruto was not a skinny brat, and Kakashi could see how his body was actually developing in to a beautiful one with all the exercise it was getting. Naruto dressed in to his pajamas and practice several basic jutsus with the help of the scrolls he got from the academy. Kakashi admired his spirit, even if he was just watching through the window. Naruto suddenly flung the scroll he was holding across the room and stared at the carpet patterns. He then climbed in to his bed and pulled the covers over him. Kakashi watched as the boy cried himself to sleep. A sudden urge to just comfort him filled him and Kakashi squashed it down and headed back to his own home.
Maybe tomorrow he would give Naruto the day off and help him train. Getting personal training always cheered Naruto up.
*
"No missions?" Sakura blinked, wondering why. "How come?"
"The baby fox suggested that I should give you guys a break!" Kakashi said. Although his decision was really put in to action last night when he saw Naruto cry himself to sleep. But the sight of Naruto's dark circles under his eyes and its redness pushed it to the limit. "Enjoy the day off!"
"Yahoo!" Sakura waved at them. "Bye guys!"
Sasuke merely smirked and walked away, obviously glad about the break he was getting. Naruto was already leaving when Kakashi stopped him. "Naruto." He knelt in front of the boy, hands on his shoulder. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah."
"Really." Kakashi frowned, voice serious.
"I'm fine sensei." He said and pushed his teacher away. "Although I don't know why you're suddenly asking." He then began to walk away. "See ya'."
Kakashi grabbed him fast. "What's with you Naruto? Why so cold all of a sudden? You should know that I take care for my team."
"Yeah, you do." Naruto said, not the least bit perturbed by the strong grip Kakashi was holding him in. "You also probably don't want to get on the bad side of a demon right? Wasn't your best friend the fourth? I heard he died because of the demon."
Kakashi's gaped. Since when did Naruto speak that way? "Naruto!"
"What?" He asked in an even voice. "It's the truth anyway. Why are you denying it?"
"Why are you talking like this?" He asked, shaking him.
"Let me go, Kakashi-sensei. I want to go home." He said, sighing tiredly.
Kakashi then slapped him hard. Naruto's head was flung to one side from the brutal force. He then slowly raised his head to look at Kakashi. His eyes were so empty and drowned with sadness that Kakashi felt his insides twist at the sight. He missed the cheerful and high-spirited glow in the boy's eyes. His cheek was red from the slap and he regarded Kakashi as if nothing happened. He kept staring at him blankly until the tears started leaking from his expressionless face.
"Naruto." He whispered, watching the tears drop down to the ground.
"You're alone too, right Kakashi-sensei? Do you miss your best friend?" He asked, tears continuing to flow down his cheeks. "It must have been great right? Being with your best friend." Kakashi remembered his days with the fourth. "I'm sorry Kakashi-sensei. I did not mean to take his life." Something inside Kakashi died the moment Naruto said those words. He stared at Naruto, as if he was a being from another world. "I'm sorry, Kakashi-sensei. Maybe if things were different, he'd still be here right? And you'd be real happy right?"
"N-Naruto." He whispered. "Enough." He said, closing his eyes and dipping his head, his hands sliding down to his side from Naruto's shoulders. "That's enough."
Naruto then vanished in a poof of chakra smoke.
TBC