If I owned Naruto I wouldn't be sewing my own costumes together, and living off of dollar store food.

So, in simple terms, I do not own Naruto now, and I doubt I ever will. .

Italics means a flashback. Unless it's only one word in italics, then the word is accented and strengthened. .


Dying Inside

Chapter Two: Ramen


Naruto glared at the doctor standing before him, Kakashi resting his hand on the blonde's shoulder. From the way the man was looking over the test results, both Naruto and Kakashi knew it would be bad news.

"Its come out of remission, hasn't it?" Naruto sighed, not waiting for the doctor to speak first.

"I'm afraid so. But, if you take it easy for a while, and take your medicine, you should be fine," the doctor smiled, looking up at Kakashi.

"I guess this means Team Seven will be refusing missions for now," the silver haired jounin sighed, rumpling Naruto's hair.

The blonde glared up at him, "Why should Team Seven refuse missions!? I'm just fine, aren't I doc?"

"I'm afraid not, Naruto," the doctor explained, "If you over exert yourself, you could make the attack worse. And then I would be forced to pull you off active ninja duty permanently."

Naruto paled visibly at the comment, and Kakashi sighed. While the news would convince Naruto to obey the doctors orders for once, it probably would scare him away from basic training for as long as the doctor advised.

"Don't worry about it, Naruto. A basic part of ninja training is also learning to relax, and take life easy for a while. And it's never to early to start that training!"

"You're just saying that because you want to read that dirty book of yours," Naruto pointed out, glaring at his sensei.

Kakashi chuckled sheepishly, and patted Naruto on the head.

"If you'll hold still for a moment," the doctor smiled, injecting a dose of medication into Naruto's arm as the blonde was glaring, "Now, I want to see you back here in a week. Sooner if you show signs of symptoms worsening."

"Yes doctor," Naruto sighed, standing up with a sigh.

.

"Don't worry, Naruto, I'm sure this will be the last time you'll need medication," Kakashi reassured him, walking his student home.

"That's what Iruka said last time, too. And the time before that, and the time before that. I don't think it will ever get better, sensei," Naruto sighed, suddenly feeling drained as he watched Sasuke approach him through the busy market place. He really wasn't in the mood to face off against his rival right then.

"Dobe, since you aren't busy right now, I challenge you to a fight!" Sasuke smirked, knowing full well that Naruto would accept the challenge.

"Teme! I told you not to call me that!" Naruto growled, striking a fighting stance almost immediately.

Kakashi groaned inwardly, wondering what deity he had angered so badly that they had cursed both boys upon him.

"Sasuke, why don't you go train alone. Your chakra reserves are ever worse than Sakura's, and I'm sure you have time to spare working on them if you can waste time challenging Naruto," Kakashi snapped, grabbing Naruto's arm before he could do anything stupid.

Sasuke glared at his sensei, "This isn't over yet, dobe," and with a tell tale poof of smoke, Sasuke disappeared from the crowded market.

"What'd you do that for!? I could have kicked his ass easily!" Naruto roared, kicking Kakashi in the shin.

"Because the doctor told you to take it easy, remember? I'd hate to have to explain to the Hokage why I would be requesting a new student from the Academy," Kakashi explained, stopping outside of Ichiraku and motioning for Naruto to sit.

"I'm not that hungry, sensei," Naruto sighed, backing away from the ramen stand, his face pale and slightly green.

Kakashi eyed him worriedly. He obviously needed food to keep his health up. And it was seriously unlike him to refuse a free bowl of ramen, especially after being ordered to refuse a fight with his rival.

"How about you spend the evening with Iruka? I'm sure you recount all sorts of wondrous stories of our missions to him!" Kakashi smiled, pointing out the waving chuunin.

Naruto smiled, and waved back, jumping up and down on Kakashi's foot.

"All right!"

"Ah, Naruto, how are you doing today?" Iruka smiled, flashing a quizzical look at Kakashi. It wasn't often that the silver haired jounin toured the village with any of his students.

'He came out of remission,' Kakashi signaled quickly with a few hand gestures over his students head. Iruka nodded his head in understanding, patting the blonde's head with a smile as he signaled back at Kakashi.

'How bad is it?'

'He refused ramen,' Kakashi sighed, watching Iruka's eyes go wide.

It was a bad sign for someone as sick as Naruto to suddenly start refusing his favorite food. Especially with all the stress he had been put through in the last few months with his training, and the Akatsuki.

Kakashi was beginning to wonder if it had been so wise for Sandaime to allow Naruto to pursue a life as a ninja. It was obviously beginning to seriously effect his life, much to both sensei's dismay.

"Iruka-sensei? What's wrong?" Naruto asked, suddenly concerned as he looked between his teachers.

"It's nothing, Naruto. Why don't we go to my place for a cup of tea?" Iruka smiled weakly, holding the blonde's hand as they continued toward his apartment.

.

Authoress' Note: Eeep, I still haven't told what the illness is! .;

Don't worry, it will come out in later chapters. It's not AIDS, I can assure you that now. I would have had Naruto fall over dead of that YEARS ago if he had had that. .;

It's not the illness that is important, per say, it's how it effects his life and the lives of those around him that's really important. Sorta like how Gunslinger Girl isn't about the violence, but about how being a weapon affects the girls lives. .

Thanks to all my WONDERFUL reviewers: dark-and-daisuke, Polka dot, Kyuubi-chan, kitsune, LoveinItStrong, Dargon Sheinto, Hitomi No Ryu, chibified kitsunes, trubluewolfeyes, and danna-chan.