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 Three: Morning Coffee
"Why won't you make it better?" Naruto asked, leaning against the cage doors as tears stung at his eyes.
"Because I don't know how, little human," Kyuubi answered, looking down at the little boy.
"How can you not know how!? You've made everything else better, why not this too!?"
"Because this isn't a flesh wound!" Kyuubi roared back in anger, gnashing her teethe against the metal bars.
"Then just let me die!" Naruto sobbed, collapsing to his knees, "I'm tired of living like this! I'm tired of being sick."
"I'm sorry, little one, but there isn't anything I can do. This evil is beyond my knowledge," the demon fox crooned, wrapping a tail around the crying boy, warming him into a gentle sleep.
.
"I refuse!" Kakashi snapped, glaring at Tsunade with fire in his eye.
"You can't refuse! It's an order!" Tsunade snapped, clenching her fists in anger.
"Team Seven can't take on a mission now, Naruto is ill! It would kill him!"
"It's not a serious mission, Kakashi! You just have to walk with the client to his destination, and return. It should take a week to get there and back again, tops," Tsunade snapped, resisting the urge to pound the shinobi standing before her into a bloody pulp.
"If it's so easy, then why is it even considered a mission?" Kakashi pointed out, "I'm sure another Team could be spared if it's that important!"
"We don't have any teams to spare, Kakashi, and you know it!" Tsunade pointed out, "Besides, a nice, leisurely walk would do Naruto some good. All the client wants is some company on his way home, apparently he detests traveling alone." Tsunade sighed, slumping back in her chair. She hated being Hokage at times like these.
"Fine, but if anything happens to Naruto, I'll hold you responsible," Kakashi growled, leaving the room in anger.
"Don't you think I'll hold myself responsible too?" Tsunade sigh, massaging her temples.
She definitely regretted accepting becoming Hokage.
.
"How is he?" Kakashi asked, looking over Iruka's shoulder as the chuunin answered the door.
"He fell asleep about an hour ago," Iruka smiled, looking over at the couch, "What's wrong?"
The silver haired jounin sighed, brushing a few stray strands of blonde hair from his students face. He remembered swearing so many years before to protect his comrades at all costs, and here he was knowingly planning to haul his own student into what could easily turn into a deadly situation.
"Kakashi, what's wrong?" Iruka asked worriedly. He had never seen his lover so concerned in his life.
"Hokage-sama has ordered Team Seven on week long mission," Kakashi sighed, looking up at Iruka, "But don't worry, she says everything should be fine."
Iruka closed his eyes, refusing to show his tears so easily, but knowing it was too late as he tasted the salty tears in his mouth. He had raised Naruto like a son over the years, and now he was being told that he might be dead in a week. But he had to accept it, because that was life as a ninja.
Death was always around every corner. There was no future, only a present.
"Don't worry, Iruka, I won't let anything happen to him," Kakashi whispered, wrapping his arms around his brown haired lover, "I promise."
Iruka smiled weakly, and allowed himself to be carried to bed, falling quickly into a sobering sleep.
Iruka had never liked the facts that surrounded his ninja life.
.
"Now remember, Naruto, you tell Kakashi the instant you feel sick!" Iruka glared at Naruto with a stern eye.
"Yes, Iruka-sensei," Naruto rolled his eyes, this was the fourth time he had heard the same lecture in the past half hour.
"Iruka, as much as I would love to stay and eat breakfast all day, we have to get going if we want to be one time," Kakashi pointed out, finishing off his third cup of coffee.
Naruto wondered secretly if he was storing up all that caffeine somewhere, because the man obviously wasn't using it for energy. He could barely be forced to do anything besides read his dirty book, unless situations forced his hand.
"Yes, yes, I suppose so. You just better get Naruto back safe and sound," Iruka gave Kakashi a warning glare, and the silver haired jounin chuckled nervously.
Iruka could be a scary mother-hen when he wanted to be. And he obviously wanted to be now.
Naruto just rolled his eyes, pulling away from the table with a piece of bacon sticking out of his mouth, and dashed past Kakashi on his way out the door, "See you guys later! Keep some ramen warm for me, Iruka-sensei!"
"You're going to make me late," the silver haired jounin pointed out with a chuckle, stealing a kiss from Iruka and following Naruto out the door.
Iruka sighed, and decided that finishing his coffee would be a better start to his day than chasing either of those two down with warnings of health and safety.
.
Authoress' Notes: W00t! Another chapter done! .
On a bit of a side rant, have any of you ever had the feeling that, no matter how young you are, you're getting seriously old? I just received an invitation to a wedding for my best friend from eight grade! O.o I remember talking with this girl about how cute what's-his-name in whichever class was, and now, here she is, getting MARRIED, and I still can't even keep a guy for more than a few months! ;-;
I suddenly feel like Misato from Eva. I can just imagine it now, the world will end, AND I STILL WON'T GET A DECENT GUY!!! >. I guess that's just me. And, now that I think back on it, I really don't think I want a boy friend. Boy friends are like dogs, you have to give them a bunch of love and attention, and clean up after them. I think I'll just stick with my internet flings.
Because, in all honesty, a computer is so much easier. And I know exactly how to turn one on and off when I want! .
Thanks to all my WONDERFUL reviewers: chibified kitsunes, Naatz, chi, Hitomi No Ryu, doodlepye, Petit-Ninja, Dargon Sheinto, Kyuubi-chan, Alamandorious, and DieChan.
And, to answer the question, no, I will not reveal the pairing for this story before hand. I'll let that be a little secret for later! .
