A/N: hehehe….. Sorry it took so long for me to post this chapter but I like to have the next chapter done for I post and I had a short spell of writer's block with Ch. 4.
Ok, moving on… If there are any Kisame fans please don't flame me for this chapter! I don't hate the guy… I just don't like him… Itachi fans don't worry too much, I like him too!! XD There's shonen-ai at the end of this chapter. If you don't like then don't read!!!! This is your final warning!!! Turn back now!!!!
Oh! And thank you to everyone you answered my question about Kyubi being male or female!!! I appreciate it a lot!!!!
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but if I did…. Hehehehehehehehehe ::Laughs manically::
If you see anything like ::sobs:: or ::yawns:: inside a quotation than it's an action they do at that moment.
Also, you'll notice Sasuke changes the suffix he uses for Naruto. This is very important since it shows how he really feels. I'm not actually sure on all of the suffixes, so if I use any incorrectly please tell me so I can fix it! Thank you!
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Snow drifted outside lightly covering everything in a sheer veil of white. The strong winter wind seeped through cracks causing the boy to shiver beneath his one thin cover. Rolling into a ball, he attempted to warm himself a little but to no avail. However, despite the cold, or perhaps because of it, he managed to sleep. As if out of his dream, he began to hum a lullaby. His lullaby.
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"Dobe!!!" Sasuke yelled. "You're almost two hours late!!! I've been out here waiting for you about to freeze!!!"
"Geez! I said I was sorry! It hard for me to get up when it's cold like this!" Naruto yelled back. "And don't call me that!!!"
"Like that any excuse, dobe!!!" Sasuke yelled.
"Goddammitt, Sasuke-baka!!!! Would you stop being such an arrogant bastard!!!" Naruto snapped.
"Hmph." Sasuke smirked.
"Agghh!!!" Naruto snarled and continued his tirade.
Hiding not far from them, Itachi turned to Kisame and nodded. "Now…"
Out of the corner of his eye Sasuke seen movement and quickly summoning his Sharingan to see Kisame attacking.
"Naruto!!!!" He yelled tackling him seconds before Kisame's sword would have ripped him to shreds.
Both boys looked up to see Itachi and Kisame looking down at them.
"Itachi…" Sasuke hissed between clinched teeth.
"Stay out of this, Sasuke. You're still not strong enough. I'm just here for the fox-boy." Itachi said void of emotions.
"I won't let you take Naruto!!" Sasuke yelled at him.
"You think you can stop me? You'll die trying."
"I don't care! I won't let you hurt Naruto!! Do what you want to me, but don't even touch Naruto!!!!" Sasuke screamed.
"You're being stupid, Sasuke. Besides, what is the demon to you?" Itachi smirked similar to Sasuke but with malice.
"Naruto's no demon! He's my comrade! My friend! And I'll die before I'll let you hurt him!!"
"That's very noble of you, Sasuke… But what of avenging our clan…your revenge…is your 'friend' worth sacrificing that?"
"Yes…" Sasuke said without hesitating or flinching.
"Really?… That's interesting… You would give up your duty to our clan for this…nobody?"
"I would give anything to protect Naruto…even my duty or my life…"
"How very touching.." Kisame grinned evilly as hw swung his sword.
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"Neji-niisan…" Hinata said in almost a whisper gently grabbing the tail of his shirt.
"What…" He said but kept walking with her tugging along after him.
"Did…did…" Hinata stuttered.
"…'Did' what?" He asked stopping and turning to her.
"……Did you know…about Naruto-kun?" She asked looking at the ground.
"No…I never would have guessed, actually…" Neji admitted.
"Oh…"
"Why?" Neji asked as Shikamaru and some of the others walked up.
"I…I just…" Hinata stammered.
Neji narrowed his eyes and swiftly grabbed her chin forcing her to look at him. "…You knew, didn't you?… Don't lie to me, Hinata, because I'll be able to tell. You knew about Naruto. You knew about the Kyubi all along, didn't you?…"
"Well, …I…"
"What?!" Kiba asked confused.
"Tell me, Hinata." Neji said more sternly.
"Yes…I've known for a couple of years now…" She admitted.
"How?" Neji pressed.
"I overheard him one day…yelling…but no one was there…he was cursing the Kyubi and…and said that…"
"What!?!"
"ThatIfTheKyubiWasn'tSealedInsideHimMaybeEveryoneWouldn'tHateHimNoMore! ThatSomeoneMightNoticeHe'sThere! ThatThey'dSeeNarutoAndNotADemon!!!!" Hinata shouted all her words running together as she pulled away from him panting.
Everyone stared at her amazed and confused, even Neji.
"I-I'm sorry!" She blushed.
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""Bastards!!!" Naruto screamed attacking at Kisame.
Laughing at Naruto he easily dodged the punch intended for his stomach and knocked Naruto to the ground.
"How pathetic…" He said bringing his blade down on Naruto.
As it ripped off his legs Naruto screamed out in pain earning a malicious smile from Kisame then 'poofed' into smoke.
"What?!?!" Kisame gasped turning just in time for Naruto's fist to smash into his cheek.
He went skidding across the ground for a few feet before finally standing back up. He laughed rubbing his jaw. "So the little kit has a nice punch, huh? This might even turn into a decent fight. However, I have to bring you in alive… That complicates matters a bit, but it'll be no problem…"
"By the Gods! You're annoying!" Naruto yelled.
"Well, if you would just be a good boy and come with us quietly we wouldn't have to waste our time like this."
"Well, if you'd just go ahead and kill yourself you'd put us all out of the misery of seeing your ugly face!" Naruto said in the sweetest voice.
"I'll kill you!" Kisame yelled.
"I thought I had to be brought in alive!!" Naruto laughed again sticking out his tongue, taunting him with a childish 'na-na-na' chant and dance.
"Arrgg!" Kisame growled charging him.
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"We understand, Hokage." Iruka said with deadly seriousness. "I feel the same as you…"
"Good." Tsunade said looking at both sternly. "As his instructors, that he trust, I'm counting on you two. Do you know where he's at now?"
"Yup." Kakashi answered. "He's training with Sasuke."
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"Is this as strong as you are? You really are weak. Do you not hate me enough yet?" Itachi said standing over a battered Sasuke.
Spitting out blood, Sasuke glared at his brother…No!…Not his brother!!…His enemy… The destroyer of his clan… Fury raged inside him and Sasuke lashed out kicking Itachi in the ribs. Smiling faintly, he could have swore he heard a few crack…
"No. I don't hate you enough." Sasuke said softly as he got up, wiping blood from his mouth. "It's impossible for me to hate you enough. It seems everyday, every second, I hate you more. And it's never enough, because the next moment after I thought I could hate you no more, I do… I always hate you more…and it's never enough. For what you did…it could never be enough."
"Hmph" Itachi smirked as he faded from Sasuke's vision.
"You're not my brother!!" Sasuke yelled as he scanned the area. "You're nothing but a monster!! A true demon!!! You don't deserve to be part of the Uchiha Clan!!!!"
"I'm the true heir of the Sharingan!" Itachi's normally emotionless voice filled with mirth.
"True heir?!?! 'True heir'?!?!?!" Sasuke laughed manically. "You are nothing more than a prodigy gone insane! You have no soul and no heart!!"
"Sasuke!!" Naruto shouted anxiously. "Look out!!!"
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"Why didn't you tell us, Hinata?" Neji asked almost angrily.
"It wasn't my place…" Hinata looked appalled at his question. "It was Naruto-kun's secret and I had no right to tell anybody."
"You could have told us! We're your friends!" Ino said.
Hinata glared at her with a look that easily rivaled that of Neji's worst. "A true shinobi doesn't betray a friend's most painful secret to satisfy another's gossip. To do so is an affrontment to one's friend and oneself."
"Wow…" Kiba whispered then smiled. "Always knew you had it in ya, Hinata-chan!"
"…uhh…" Hinata blushed. "…I'm sorry…"
"Don't apologize for doing what you feel is right." Neji told her sternly.
Suddenly, they all spun around as they felt an enormous chakra coming from the forest. Just as Hokage and many of the older ninjas came running out, an area of about two miles was demolished.
"It's Naruto." Kakashi said quietly.
"The Kyubi…" Tsunade whispered. "Naruto…"
They took off running to him through the forest with Kakashi leading the way.
"Naruto-kun!" Tsunade shouted as they came to the clearing then gasped.
Naruto slowly turned and growled at them with glowing red eyes and the Kyubi manifested around him (A/N: Like when he fought Haku!). All that remained of his shirt was the tattered pieces hanging from his pants and the seal on his belly glowed deeper than his eyes. It wasn't until Naruto whipped around and snarled a feral growl before jumping at him that they noticed Sasuke sitting against a tree barely conscious.
"Sasuke-kun!!!" Sakura cried out falling to her knees.
"Naruto!!" Kakashi shouted stepping forward to late. "Look out!!!"
Sasuke stared at the tip of the katana two inches from his throat dipping with blood.
"Naruto…" He tried to speak, tried to breathe but found he could do neither. He could even think.
Growling viciously, Naruto hit Itachi sending him across the clearing.
"Naruto-kun!" Tsunade sobbed starting to run to him but halted by his snarl.
Tsunade cried, joining a stunned and confused Sakura on her knees. She had done it again. When she looked up her gaze fell upon the cursed necklace she had given him. This was her fault. She had caused the death of another person she loved. Her eyes fell down and she felt her heart shatter.
Itachi's katana was embedded to the hilt through Naruto's stomach. Blood seeped from the wound but seemed to otherwise not effect him. Reaching down he slowly pulled the blade out while walking towards Itachi, who stood amazed. With the slightest flick of his wrist Naruto slung his blood off the sword, staining the white snow.
Kisame appeared out of nowhere to protect Itachi. "I'll kill you, fucking demon!!!"
As he brought the blade down Naruto moved centimeters, it barely missing his shoulder. Before Kisame could react, he instantly spun around easily slicing off Kisame's head. Rolling to Itachi's feet, he stared up at him with surprise and fear still shining in his dead eyes. Realizing the fruitlessness of continuing this battle, Itachi tried to escape jumping into the air. Naruto snarled and with a wave of his arm slung Itachi crashing into the ground. He struggled but found himself bound by an invisible force and a pissed fox-boy walking towards him growling the whole way with a look that promised his death. Standing over him, Naruto grinned a murderous look of hatred and anger. Slowly raising Itachi's own katana before bring the blade swiftly down on his throat, sending Itachi to join the rest of his clan with the same weapon.
"Naruto!!! NOOO!!! Stop!!! You can't kill him!! That's my duty! My revenge!!" Sasuke screamed trying to sit up.
Feeling the blood trickle down his throat Itachi opened his eyes to see the fox-boy kneeling beside him eyes obscured by his hair and his katana pressed firmly against his throat. Naruto stood up and turned walking slowly to where Sasuke leaned against the tree as the aura fade and his wound healed before everyone's eyes. Stopping two feet away, he dropped the sword and looked at Sasuke with tears falling from his blue eyes.
"I'm sorry…" Naruto cried in a whisper then collapsed.
"Naruto!" Sasuke somehow found strength he didn't have, jumping up to catch Naruto before falling himself, holding the crying kitsune against his chest. "No… I'm sorry… Thank you…"
"…What are friends for, ne?…" Naruto tried to laugh but it came out as a hoarse murmur.
Sasuke laughed lightly and smiled his first real smile since that day…
Finally as everyone remembered, they looked to where Itachi had been to find him gone leaving behind Kisame's remains. Cautiously, everybody made their way to where the two young gennins laid, Naruto's head now resting on Sasuke's lap.
"Naruto, are you okay? Does anything hurt? Do you feel cold? Tell me what's wrong?!" Tsunade almost panicked as she knelt beside them.
Grinning his normal devious grin Naruto laughed, though rather weakly. "Oh, I'm fine. Nothing a good night's sleep won't cure. It's Sasuke-kun you need to worry about. He broke his leg and a few ribs. I'm just ::yawn:: tired."
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After Tsunade had checked him out then moving on to Sasuke to deal with his broken ribs and leg, she checked Naruto over head to toe once more. Looking at Sasuke, she smiled faintly as Naruto muttered something about ramen.
"He's perfectly fine…" She said softly brushing her fingers over his stomach where the katana pierced. "Not even a scratch. No scar…and he seems just to be exhausted. He just needs to be taken home."
"Okay." Sasuke said and picked Naruto up vaguely surprised at how light he was.
"What are you doing?!" Tsunade screeched.
"Taking him home."
"You can't!!! Your ribs!!! At least let someone else carry him!!!" She shouted then from the look of defiance on his face said sternly. "As Hokage, I order you to let someone else carry him, Uchiha Sasuke."
With his eyes narrowed in anger, she could have sworn she heard him growl but he didn't argue.
"I'll carry him." Iruka said in a gentle voice and took him from Sasuke.
They walked in silence, neither speaking until after Iruka laid him in his bed. Immediately Sasuke pulled up a chair and sat beside the bed. Without thinking Sasuke gently reached over and brushed the hair from Naruto's eyes.
"He'll be okay, Sasuke." Iruka said firmly grasping his shoulder. "I'll stay with him. Go home and get some sleep."
"No. I'd rather stay." Sasuke said without looking away from Naruto.
"Sasuke--"
"Noo!!!!" Sasuke yelled standing up and staring Iruka in the eyes. "I won't leave him!!! Not after…not after…"
"Okay. It's okay, Sasuke… Alright, but I'm intrusting him to you. He's like a son or little brother to me and I love him dearly. If anything happens, please, come get me."
"Yes, sir… Thank you…"
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Sasuke was exhausted too but refused to sleep incase anything happened to Naruto. For hours he had watched Naruto sleep relatively peacefully though he kept muttering something Sasuke couldn't understand and tossing a little. Sasuke thought he might be having a nightmare. Well, more like a bad dream since he wasn't kicking and screaming…
"SASUKE!!!!" Naruto screamed sitting up and staring into the darkness while startling Sasuke. Holding his forehead in his hands, he tried to catch his breath.
"…What, dobe?!" Sasuke snapped, annoyed that he had been startled.
"AHHH!!!!" Naruto freaked as he tried to spin around and wound up falling off the bed in a wad of sheets.
"……"
"W-what are you doing here?!?" Naruto yelled jumping back on the bed and in Sasuke's face.
"I'm making sure you're alright after what happened this afternoon." Sasuke said angrily, still mentally punishing himself for being taken by surprise.
Realization dawned on Naruto's face as he looked at Sasuke as if for the first time. Worry and concern suddenly filled his eyes and he said, "Are you alright?! I'm so sorry, Sasuke-kun! Are you hurt?!"
Stunned, Sasuke stared at him in disbelief. Him? Was he okay? He wasn't the one that had a katana stabbed through his stomach!!!
"I'm really sorry about your brother!! Please don't be mad at me! I-I don't know what happened. When I though he was going to kill you I went insane. Please don't hate me! I couldn't help it!!" Naruto all but cried grasping Sasuke's shirt like it was his only lifeline.
"Naruto…I could never hate you…" Sasuke said softly. Gently he pulled Naruto to him, tightly held to his chest. Stroking Naruto's hair, he remembered the lullaby Naruto had sung. Hoping it would comfort him, Sasuke began to sing:
Though the night might be dark,
And your path may be hard,
I'll be there to help you through.
Though the day can be lonely,
And you feel that nobody cares,
I'll be holding your hand.
Though life seems unfair to you,
And the world always seems mean,
I'm always there by your side.
Though people are cold,
And nobody understands,
I'm there listening to you.
Though nobody is there,
And you are always alone,
I'm singing this song just for you.
Though I may be gone,
And you have no one else,
I love you…
Feeling Naruto relax slightly he continued to hum the lullaby. With his head resting on Sasuke's shoulder, Naruto's tears burned his neck. Though he had calmed down, he was still sobbing and clutching Sasuke's chest.
"Shh…" Sasuke whispered, brushing his lips against Naruto's ear. Cupping his jaw, Sasuke gently caressed Naruto's cheek with his thumb. "It's okay, Naruto. I'm here. Go to sleep. I won't leave. Promise."
Naruto stopped sobbing but still held furiously. Burying his face in the nape of Sasuke's neck, Naruto slowly slid one hand up from Sasuke's chest into his hair at the base of his head while the other still grasped his shirt. Sasuke sighed as he felt Naruto's trembling lips on his neck.
"Naruto…" Came out in a hoarse whispered. "You need to…rest…"
Shivering as Naruto's hot breath tickled his throat, Sasuke weakly pulled Naruto away from him. As he laid him in bed, he was met with hurt eyes. Blue eyes as deep as the ocean and as clear as he sky. Before he realized what he was doing, Sasuke crawled into the bed and pulled Naruto in his arms. With his head tucked perfectly under Sasuke's chin, he breathed Naruto's scent. Oddly enough he smelled like the forest and…ramen. Smiling faintly, Sasuke thought it was one of the most wonderful smells ever. Mummering softly to the boy in his arms, he smiled gently before drifting into sweet dreams of blue eyes. However, the blonde fox heard his almost inaudible mummer of, "Sleep sweet, Naruto-koi."
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Hehehe… You like? Fluffy and kind of corny, yes, but wait till next chapter. I like lemons! Anyone else? Next chapter will definitely be yaoi (guy/guy lemon) so if you don't like, don't read! I'm not trying to be rude, I'm just warning you! Also, I have a question for my reviewers: Do you think I should post Ch 4 on here or have a link to a different page for it since it is graphic?
I hope you all liked this chapter and I'm sorry for killing Kisame if there are any fans but I had to kill someone and it wasn't going to be Itachi!! Nuh-huh! Not Itachi!!! NO WAY!!! ahem Anyways, if this chapter seems confusing I'm sorry!! I'm doing the best I can but it plays in my head like an episode and it's hard to make it make sense on paper sometimes! It might be awhile before I get Ch 4 up 'cause not only do I have to decide what to do with it but I'm having problems with Ch 5.
Ja ne!